14 DAY TRIAL // Continuum is one of Microsoft’s key features for Windows 10 and high-end Lumia devices, but it turns out that the company wants to make it available on as many phones as possible to boost its adoption.
Recently, the Redmond-based software giant has added Snapdragon 617 CPU support to the list of processors that can be used with Continuum, which means that mid-range Windows 10 Mobile devices could benefit from this feature too.
Previously, Continuum could only be used by those owning a Lumia 950 or 950 XL, which come with Snapdragon 808 and 810 processors, respectively. The Snapdragon 617 is the third Qualcomm processor added to the list, so more devices can benefit from Continuum support.
Just one phone using this processor
And now the most important question: what phone has the 617 under its hood? For the moment, no Lumia features such as a processor, but if you’re willing to buy a Japanese device, the NuAns Neo smartphone does sport it. So in other words, it can be used with Continuum too.
The Microsoft page revealing the change and spotted by NPU shows that in order to use Continuum, a Windows 10 Mobile device needs at least 2 GB of RAM and a display resolution of 720p, which means that low-end Lumia devices will never work with this feature. microSD card support is just optional, but Microsoft says that it is needed for a premium experience, especially if you want to save files to your device beyond the internal storage.
Continuum allows Windows 10 Mobile users to turn a phone into a portable PC by plugging it into an external screen with the help of a Display Dock adapter.
This adapter also includes USB and HDMI ports, so you can also connect a mouse and keyboard and work on your phone just like you’d do on a traditional PC. For the moment, only universal apps are supported, but rumor has it that Microsoft is working to add Win32 software support too.