Microsoft Surface Duo dual-screen smartphone could arrive next month

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The dual-screen phone could arrive months ahead of schedule

(Image credit: Microsoft)

It has been a year filled with delays but Microsoft appears to be going against the grain by reportedly releasing the Surface Duo smartphone months ahead of schedule. 

The latest rumor comes from Zac Bowden at Windows Central who tweeted that Microsoft wants to launch the Surface Duo ahead of the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2. Samsung's sequel to the troubled Galaxy Fold is set to arrive in early August. Rumors put the unveiling on Aug 5, which suggests the Surface Duo could launch in July or the first week of August.

Microsoft's website still has the Surface Duo as arriving this holiday season, or in November or December. However, that date could be a misleading placeholder; Windows Central, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, wrote in February that Microsoft wants to launch the Surface Duo in the summer because "both the hardware and software are pretty much done." 

A month later, we saw the phone in the flesh when Frank Shaw, Microsoft's corporate vice president of communication, posted an image on Twitter of his home office. In the corner, on top of a Surface Book, was a white Surface Duo.

We haven't gone hands-on with the Surface Duo yet but we know it has two 5.6-inch screens that can expand into a single 8.3-inch panel. Unlike the foldable Galaxy Fold, the Surface Duo has two discrete displays held together with a hinge. It is expected to arrive with a Snapdragon 855 SoC, along with 6GB RAM and 64GB storage. Microsoft doesn't like calling the Duo a phone, but the device runs Android and makes calls.

It's not all good news for Surface fans. The Surface Neo, a dual-screen laptop, along with the Windows 10X operating system it runs, is reportedly delayed. If you can't wait to get your hands on a dual-screen or foldable device, check out the ThinkPad X1 Fold, which will arrive later this year running Windows 10 Pro.

Phillip Tracy
Phillip Tracy

Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he's not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.