14 DAY TRIAL // Windows phone users have little to be excited about these days, and the demise of Windows 10 Mobile is twice more painful today given that the whole world is having what appears to be a super-fun iPhone X pre-order party.
But it looks like those who are still committed to Microsoft mobile devices aren’t entirely left behind, as the software giant might be working on a new product that could launch as soon as 2018.
WindowsCentral reveals that Microsoft is working on a device similar to Courier, a product that never got to see daylight but which was essentially a digital journal that used two foldable screens allowing for a dual-factor approach. The Courier replicated the look of a notebook, hence the journal approach, but could convert to an easy-to-carry-around device the size of a book when folded.
And if this report is true, Microsoft might be working on bringing back this form factor with a new device codenamed Andromeda and using the Windows 10 on ARM project.
Windows 10 on ARM
First to be used on laptops with stunning battery life, Windows 10 on ARM could power the new mobile device for a genuine Windows 10 experience – this means that Windows 10 Mobile in its original form is pretty much dead, and if there’s still a mobile future in Microsoft’s vision, it’s 99 percent powered by Windows 10 on ARM.
With this device, Microsoft will focus mostly on note-taking capabilities, so it’ll launch with dedicated apps to enhance this feature, most likely based on OneNote. Microsoft Edge and ink capabilities in Windows 10 will also play a critical role, and the Surface Pen will obviously be the key accessory.
Foldable devices that look like a book aren’t entirely new, but Microsoft appears to be trying something truly innovative and once again invent a new product category that other manufacturers could also embrace for their own models in a typical Surface approach.
At this point, it’s not yet clear if the new Microsoft device could offer phone capabilities, but LTE support is likely given the need for on-the-go Internet connectivity for certain apps like Microsoft Edge.
