Microsoft was once a popular figure when it came to smartphone OS, but this popularity has long been forgotten. Thanks to tough competition from Google's Android and Apple's iOS, Microsoft took a few risks with its popular Windows Mobile platform and deprecated it in favor of Windows Phone, which also did not find as many takers in the market.
Microsoft certainly hasn't given up on the mobile space, as a new report mentions that the company has been working on a new mysterious Surface device for at least two years. This device is codenamed "Andromeda" and will come with a dual-display design. According to internal documents obtained by The Verge, this device is also going to be a pocketable device.
"It's a new pocketable Surface device form factor that brings together innovative new hardware and software experiences to create a truly personal and versatile computing experience."
The Andromeda project is described as a "new and disruptive" device category in order to influence the overall Surface roadmap and blur the lines between what is considered PC and mobile. This device has previously appeared in patents and in operating system references multiple times in the past. The dual display design on the device will be made possible with a wraparound display that will bridge the gap of the hinge when fully opened. The Verge also states that the current engineering samples of this pocketable Surface device look identical to 3D concepts created by David Breyer.
Microsoft is also experimenting with stylus input for Andromeda so that the device can be folded over like a book and the pen can be used to capture input. Prototype Andromeda devices are powered by ARM processors, though considering their experimental nature, it is not yet known whether Microsoft will choose Intel or Qualcomm for the final product if it comes to fruition, that is.
Microsoft's Andromeda is being pitched as the next major disruption to the mobile space, but sources that are familiar with the work are advising caution, as Microsoft can pull the plug on the device at any stage. The company is tentatively planning to release Andromeda in 2018, with similar devices from some of Microsoft's top OEMs to "follow afterward."
Source: The Verge
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