Introduction
Microsoft had plans for a Surface-branded Windows Phone well before the Surface Duo, with a 2013-2014 prototype recently revealed. This article explores the potential of the Surface Phone and its implications for Microsoft's smartphone ambitions.
The Prototype
The mysterious phone from 2013-2014 featured a 720p display, physical navigation buttons, a silver Surface-like chassis, and ran on Windows Phone 8.1. The prototype was powered by an unknown Qualcomm chip, likely from one of the Snapdragon 200, 400, 600, or 800-series.
The Nokia Acquisition and Its Impact
The acquisition of Nokia may have killed the Surface Phone project. Microsoft's eventual Surface Duo took a very different dual-screen approach that came with plenty of compromises. The Lumia phones carried Microsoft's software and branding, but they still had a lot of Nokia's DNA.
The Surface Duo and Its Success
The Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 were ambitious first attempts from a company that had little to no experience building smartphones all by itself. The Lumia phones did carry Microsoft's software and branding, but they weren't truly built by Microsoft. The 2020 Surface Duo, arguably, was Microsoft's first smartphone designed and developed as a true first-party Surface device on its own terms.
The Unreleased Surface Phone
There could have been a Microsoft-built Surface smartphone all the way back in 2014, and it could have been unveiled alongside a Surface Pro device. The revelation comes from Windows Central, which has shared images of what appears to be the long-forgotten Microsoft prototype. The device had a 720p screen, up and down volume buttons, a camera button, and a power button. The Windows logo and the silver chassis match the 2013 Surface 2’s aesthetic.
The Future of Microsoft's Smartphone Ambitions
Microsoft, for reference, announced its Nokia Devices and Services business acquisition in September of 2013, and that’s likely when the company scratched plans for the unreleased Surface Phone. The Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 took a novel approach, taking a dual-screen design that came with plenty of compromises. The unreleased 2013-2014 Surface phone might have had a better shot at success, avoiding the compromises that came with the Surface Duo and Duo 2’s dual-screen design.
Conclusion
The revelation of the 2013-2014 Surface Phone prototype offers insight into Microsoft's smartphone ambitions and the potential path it could have taken. While the Surface Duo and Duo 2 were groundbreaking, the unreleased 2013-2014 Surface phone may have had a better chance at commercial success, avoiding the compromises that came with the dual-screen design.
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