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Don’t Expect Microsoft to Launch the Surface Phone at MWC 2017

Microsoft unlikely to release it earlier than the fall

Dec 19, 2016 10:43 GMT  ·  By
Microsoft Surface Phone concept
   Microsoft Surface Phone concept

Microsoft will attend the 2017 Mobile World Congress in February, and this made many people believe that the company is planning to take the wraps off the eagerly anticipated Surface Phone at the event.

And while at some level it would make sense for the company to unveil its new flagship phone at such a large event, the company is very unlikely to do that, as the target date for the Surface Phone continues to be the fall of 2017.

Although Microsoft will attend the show, there are slight chances to see the company unveiling a phone, and most likely, the software giant would only take the stage at HP’s product unveiling conference, when the firm could launch a new consumer-focused Windows phone.

Rumor has it that HP is working on a new mid-range Windows phone, following the success of the HP Elite X3, but it wants its next device to be more focused on consumer features. The MWC 2017 is the perfect moment for HP to launch the new model, and Microsoft obviously wants to be part of the celebration.

Windows 10 Creators Update and RS3

Additionally, Microsoft could also talk Windows 10 Creators Update, which will also bring several improvements for mobile devices, and again, MWC is the right moment to target a larger audience.

As far as the Surface Phone is concerned, there’s no doubt that Microsoft wants this model to use the recently announced Windows 10 on ARM emulation, which makes it possible for smartphones to run the full version of Windows 10.

This will start with the Snapdragon 835, and Microsoft needs more time for testing before launching the final product. The processor should be ready in the first months of 2017, as the Samsung Galaxy S8 is likely to be powered by it, but getting Windows 10 on the same chip might require more work and time.

And last but not least, the debut of the Surface Phone could be aligned with the launch of Windows 10 Redstone 3, which should take place in the fall as well. The next-next update could bring even more improvements for mobile phones, but it’s still too early to discuss this release.