Last year’s Microsoft Surface Duo was a dual-screen phone with enormous potential, yet held back by weak performance, a bad camera and awful software bugs. And it seems Microsoft is wasting no time addressing these issues with a new model: the Surface Duo 2 is supposedly in the works already.
Windows Latest reported that the Surface Duo 2 started development in the second half of last year, and is set for a release date in Fall 2021. The new model will apparently respond to specific complaints about the original Surface Duo, with a “special emphasis” on improving the software.
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This is the first time we’ve heard about a potential Surface Duo 2, so approach this leak with the usual caution, though a focus on software improvements would undoubtedly be the right move to take. The original Surface Duo’s dual-window multitasking capability was great, but didn’t work nearly as well as it could have — our Surface Duo review cited sluggish performance, patchy input recognition and an unstable digital keyboard, among other issues.
According to Windows Latest, Microsoft is hiring additional engineers to work on the Surface Duo 2, so if it does come to market here’s hoping it addresses those software faults.
The report also claimed that the Surface Pro 2 will get a faster processor and a new camera, both of which directly address problems with the current model. The Surface Duo 2 will also apparently support 5G connectivity, bringing it in line with the Samsung Galazy Z Fold 2.
A Fall release would put the Surface Duo 2 about one year behind the original Surface Duo, which is a pretty standard timeline for modern phone releases. It also seems possible, in theory, that we could see some or all of the alleged software improvements much sooner, as Microsoft could potentially apply them to the current Surface Duo through updates.
But that might just be wishful thinking. For now, just stay tuned; we’ll add the Surface Duo 2 to the list of other Microsoft Surface devices rumored to launch this year, along with the Microsoft Surface Pro 8.
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