Microsoft has had a very good year, largely because of the items it released under its Surface line. While its older devices - like the Surface Pro 4 - are still generating profit, the company also released new units - such as the Surface Studio - which is gaining great traction. Then there is the upcoming Surface Phone, which is also expected to change the landscape of smartphones.
Microsoft's Surface line has been successful in innovating and changing up several products in the tech world. According to the company's CEO, Satya Nadella, it will do just the same with the release of its next project, Surface Phone. Hard Avenue quotes Nadella as saying the company is working on "the ultimate mobile device." The publication then goes on to clarify that the tech giant is creating an entirely new product category.
This likely means that Microsoft will release a device that is more than just a smartphone - more than how the general public has been using the device. The company is apparently working on blurring the line between a phone and a PC. Continuum is said to play a big part of this, as it will allow the smartphone to attach to a monitor, a mouse, and a keyboard. "We want to do something new," Nadella said.
When it comes to specs, however, the Surface Phone sounds like a stellar device all on its own. The unit will reportedly come powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 830 processors, the company's best and strongest for 2017. And while three models are being estimated for release, the processor will apparently come fitted in all variants.
In addition to this, the Surface Phone is expected to at least have 256GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM. The Surface Pen, which has become a fixture in all recent Surface products, is also expected to be compatible with the upcoming smartphone. And while the publication does not go into detail, it notes that the device's camera will be highly competitive in the market.
As Learn Bonds reports, Microsoft has promised to "do great things" at the Mobile World Congress next year, which will be held in February. As such, several news outlets have claimed that the Surface Phone will be released in the next few weeks. However, the publication also points out some very valid reasons as to why this might not be the case, primarily because it just is not ready.
The tech world mostly relies on iOS or Android at this point, though the tech giant does have its Windows Mobile OS. Undoubtedly in third place, Microsoft first needs to make sure that third party developers are ready and compatible before releasing a Surface Phone. A handheld is, arguably, only as efficient as the various applications it can host.
But what will Microsoft showcase at the WMV 2017, especially since it has promised nothing short of greatness? According to the same publication, the company will showcase and promote its HP Elite X3 instead of debuting the Surface Phone. The HP Elite X3 runs on Windows 10 Mobile and the company is expected to take the opportunity and build on what it can do with a smartphone.
