Microsoft’s folding Surface Duo phone is trying to reinvent the Surface Pro-style tablet experience for a handheld world. And while the first generation stumbled on usability, Redmond is back with an updated Surface Duo 2, a sign of the company's commitment to the concept.
The second-generation device, unveiled Wednesday, adds key features missing from the original, including support for 5G networks, NFC for contactless payments, and a triple-lens camera. The phone, which has a folding hinge in the middle, now also features slightly larger twin 5.8-inch displays, up from 5.6 inches in the first generation.
The Surface Duo 2, which runs the Android 11 operating system, is now available for pre-order for an eye-watering $1,500. Yes, that’s nearly as much as the new Surface Laptop Studio that Microsoft also unveiled Tuesday as a powerhouse for creative professionals, complete with an Nvidia RTX graphics card.
While the Surface Duo 2 obviously lacks Nvidia graphics—it's a phone, after all—it does have the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor with 5G support and the necessary image signal processing (ISP) capabilities to simultaneously process images from all three camera lenses.
In fact, while the twin screens are the headline feature for the Surface Duo 2, the upgraded camera could be the phone’s biggest improvement, given the disappointing glitches that the first generation’s single, 11-megapixel camera experienced. The new three-lens setup can handle wide, telephoto, and ultra-wide photos.
Missed a Call? Check the Hinge
The folding design of the Surface Duo 2 affords plenty of innovative possibilities, especially since many Android apps are now optimized for dual-screen devices. Microsoft also notes that you can run any two apps side-by-side, and even drag and drop between screens in supported apps.
There are also plenty of less innovative but still cool uses for the phone’s folding designs, including the ability to display the clock and notification for calls and texts in a thin strip along the hinge when the Surface Duo 2 is closed.
Finally, the Surface Duo 2 adds a new Obsidian black color scheme, while the Glacier color of the original will continue to be available on the new model.
We concluded that the original Surface Duo by wasn’t competitive with current folding phone competitors like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, and noted that the Duo 2 couldn’t come soon enough. Microsoft acknowledges the teething pains of the first generation, with communications head Frank Shaw explaining on Tuesday that new entries to the mobile space are “justifiably scrutinized.”
Since last year’s launch, the company has “reimagined the product,” he says, noting that “there is still room to redefine mobile productivity.”