Microsoft launched the Surface Duo in 2020. It was a dual-display Android phone that could be opened like a book. The Surface Duo 2, which came out in 2021, continued to sport the same design, albeit with better internals. According to a report by WindowsCentral, Microsoft may offer a foldable screen on the Surface Duo 3 instead of dual displays.

The report states that the company has decided to launch the Surface Duo 3 as a foldable phone like the Galaxy Z Fold series after conducting hardware prototyping and experimentation for about a year. The Duo 3 is expected to sport an inward folding design with a foldable screen, a 180-degree hinge, and an external cover display.

The publication states that Microsoft had decided to launch the Surface Duo 3 with a dual-display design like its predecessor models. The Duo 3 with dual displays was expected to come with improvements like a narrower design, taller displays with reduced bezels, and wireless charging. The dual-display design has been scrapped, as the company has seemingly decided to launch the Surface Duo 3 as a foldable phone.

The specifications of the Microsoft Surface Duo 3 is yet to be revealed. Also, there is no confirmation as to whether the device will be ready to launch in the fourth quarter of this year. While the device is being internally called as the third-generation Duo phone, there is a possibility that the company may launch it with a different name in the market.

The report also states that Microsoft is putting more effort into the software of the device to ensure it stands out from the rest of the foldables available on the market. One of the efforts is to offer an ecosystem between the Android-powered Surface Duo 3 and Windows PCs. The publication also states that the company may expand its Android smartphone lineup by launching devices with different form factors. It appears that the long-rumored Surface Phone may finally come true.

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The post Surface Duo 3 Could be Microsoft’s First Foldable Display Phone, Surface Phone Could be in Works appeared first on Gizmochina.

Microsoft is apparently working on a successor to the Surface Duo 2. A patent has revealed the design of a new Surface product. This might be the Surface Duo 3, which interestingly enough, features a design reminiscent of a foldable Samsung foldable smartphone.

According to a WindowsLatest report, the American tech giant might be planning on launching this new Surface Duo 3 model sometime next year. As of right now, it is still unclear if the company is actually working on a Microsoft Surface branded phone, but previous rumors suggests that the new patent in question is the Surface Duo 3. The new patent application was spotted recently and the documentation showcasing the design of the new device.

As per the official description, the patent is for a ‘FOLDABLE DISPLAY DEVICE,’ which is clearly depicted in the patent images. The application was filed back in 2021 and was published earlier this year. It shows a handheld foldable phone unlike the original Surface Duo that had two separate screen that was joined in the middle with a hinge. This time around, the company is working on making a device with one single display that has a flexible design.

Interestingly, the Microsoft patent also describes this display as being capable for rotating between zero to 360 degrees as well. Looking at the patent images, we can see a foldable phone that can be used as a tablet with the display unfolded or a regular smartphone when the display is folded. In other words, its design is quite similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 4 from Samsung. Keep in mind that this is still just a patent application.

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