14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft unveiled the Surface Neo dual-screen device last October, promising to bring it to the market in the holiday season of 2020, but it looks like this plan has changed.
While the rumor mill have been suggesting that a possible delay of the Neo was very likely, Microsoft itself has always remained tight-lipped on this, still claiming on its website that the device is scheduled to land this year.
But now Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer, Windows and Devices, suggests a delay is the only way to go given how the world has changed due to the health crisis.
“With that increased focus comes a shift in priorities for Windows too. The world is a very different place than it was last October when we shared our vision for a new category of dual-screen Windows devices,” he said.
“As we continue to put customers’ needs at the forefront, we need to focus on meeting customers where they are now. Our customers are leveraging the power of the cloud more than ever, and we believe the time is right to lean into this acceleration in a different way.”
Launch next year
So when is the Surface Neo now supposed to land? Nothing is known for the time being, but Panay says Windows 10X, the dual-screen operating system that was supposed to power the whole thing, will first make its way to the market as a platform for single-screen devices.
The Surface Neo will most likely be released next year in the spring, albeit this could very well change overnight.
But the problem with a delay is that the more the device is pushed back, the more its hardware becomes irrelevant, as its specs are getting outdated and additional refinements are required.
It remains to be seen how the Surface Neo transforms before going live, for now, it’s very clear that a delay is the only way to go.