The long-rumoured dual screen laptop from Microsoft – codenamed ‘Surface Andromeda’ – could be inching closer to an official announcement. The most recent leaked memos and uncovered patents point to a folding, miniature Surface that could be launching in a few month’s time. Here’s what you need to know.
Last month, technology journalist Paul Thurrott leaked fresh details about the fabled dual-screen Andromeda laptop, claiming it could be launching as early as 2018. Now, a Microsoft internal document obtained by The Verge strongly backs up the idea of a miniature folding Surface.
The memo specifically refers to a “pocketable Surface” that will “blur the lines between mobile and stationary computing” and form part of a “new and disruptive” product category. Them’s fighting words if ever we heard them.
Andromeda’s design is described as having a “wraparound” display with a seamless hinge separating both halves of the screen. These 3D renders based on the latest patents are reportedly accurate to existing engineering samples:
@zacbowden @h0x0d @windowscentral #Surface Andromeda Render according to the latest patents pic.twitter.com/CmbvlfETtU
— David Breyer (@D_Breyer) December 18, 2017
The latest leaked documents also make mention of stylus support (natch) and an ARM-based processor for higher power efficiency. It rather sounds like a Nintendo DS that runs Windows instead of games.
This all looks very intriguing, but will we actually see a commercial version in the shops? As The Verge notes, Microsoft has a track record of canning products very late into development. Indeed, the similar sounding Surface Mini had its plug pulled mere weeks before its slated release date.
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/07/the-surface-mini-is-the-bullet-microsoft-dodged/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/07/IMG_0017-410×231.jpg” title=”The Surface Mini Is The Bullet Microsoft Dodged” excerpt=”The Surface family of computers is a big part of Microsoft’s resurgence over the last few years. The Surface Mini was meant to accompany the Surface Pro 3 back in 2014 but Microsoft held it back. While it looks a lot like a Surface Pro that’s been cut down, it ran a Snapdragon processor, just 1GB of memory and 32GB of storage.”]
But something tells us the Andromeda will make it the production line (in one form or another.) After all, Microsoft is in sore need of a pocketable device following the demise of its Windows Phone platform. A dual-screen MS laptop would also align with similar concepts that were unveiled at Computex 2018 by Asus and Intel.
Whatever Microsoft does, it would appear we have a new – and potentially game-changing – product category waiting in the wings.
[Via Gizmodo]
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