14 DAY TRIAL // The mythical Surface Phone is on track for a late 2018 launch, according to a new report, as Microsoft has recently completed work on the hardware part and created several prototypes for testing.
Reports coming from anonymous sources said to be familiar with the matter indicate that the Andromeda device, often referred to by diehards as Surface Phone, will be powered by Snapdragon 845 processor, and the focus will be on battery life in multiple form factors.
WL writes that foldable screens are very likely, just like we’ve seen in many patents lately, but Microsoft still needs to improve the software side of the project.
The launch of the device should take place in the second half of this year, as Microsoft is now working with partners to test the said prototypes and to finalize the software powering them.
Launch in late 2018
While it goes without saying that rumors like these shouldn’t be taken for granted, this is the second report indicating that Microsoft could take the wraps off the Surface Phone later this year.
Previously, it was said that this new mobile device would almost certainly come with foldable displays and run Windows Polaris, a new version of Microsoft’s Windows 10 that would be specifically optimized for use with Store apps.
More like an evolved version of Windows 10 S, Windows Polaris could be restricted to the Microsoft Store, but still provide support for Win32 software with virtualization using cloud power.
Previous speculation on this new mobile device claimed the Surface Phone could launch this year with Windows Polaris but without virtualization features, so at first it would only support apps in the Store. A major update was projected to launch next year with such features.
It remains to be seen if these rumors are true, but Microsoft typically takes the wraps off new hardware in October or November, so the timing does seem to make sense at first glance.