Microsoft is serious about its double-screen Duo smartphone
While Microsoft’s first two-screen mobile device, the Surface Duo, drew criticism over its sluggish processor, poor camera, buggy software and a hefty price tag, the company is doubling down on a sequel in an effort to cement its place in the smartphone business.
The Surface Duo 2 boasts all the features you would expect from a flagship phone including the latest and greatest chip from Qualcomm, 5G connectivity, NFC for contactless payments and a proper triple rear camera system. Microsoft is also expanding on the dual screen form factor by increasing display sizes and enabling full compatibility with its Surface Pen stylus.
Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2 has bigger screens and is compatible with its new stylus
Microsoft went to great lengths to paint the original Duo as “not a phone†in 2019, but there’s no mistaking Microsoft’s intentions with the Duo 2. It’s looking to entice those who want a more complete companion device to their Windows PC â€" in the same way the iPhone seamlessly integrates with Apple’s desktop operating system â€" while also hoping to court the foldable crowd who want to get more done on their smartphone.
One could argue there’s little for Microsoft to gain in making its own smartphone; the company’s existing partnership with Samsung sees Microsoft apps installed on every handset the South Korean company makes. With the Surface Duo, Microsoft’s reliance on software rival Google’s Android operating system means it’s also forced to have a number of Google apps installed alongside its own.
The Duo 2’s screens can wrap around for a more traditional shape, open like a book or sit like a small laptop or tent.
Questions remain too about whether Microsoft can secure the carrier deals and give it the marketing push necessary for it to be a serious smartphone player. There’s also the issue of whether the company can secure enough stock levels with an already constrained supply chain, given it will be competing directly with other smartphone makers for components.
In Australia at least, Microsoft will be selling the Duo 2 directly from its online store and there aren’t any plans to stock the device in any retail stores, or make it available on a contract with a carrier. Microsoft isn’t being particularly aggressive with its pricing strategy either, with a starting price of $2319 which puts it in the same territory as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3 and well beyond many of Apple’s iPhones.
Still Microsoft’s reach in the enterprise space is unrivalled, and if it can get enough of its business customers to spring for a Duo 2 for their employees then there’s every chance that success might translate to more retailers and carriers jumping on board in the future.
Microsoft’s push into phones in many ways mirror’s Surface’s rocky start in the PC hardware market, which amounted to years of losses before the company turned it around into a $US7 billion a year business.
At the very least, it could go a long way toward erasing Microsoft’s unsuccessful past with smartphones from the minds of both customers and carriers.
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