Microsoft surprised a lot of people when it returned to smartphones in 2019, even if the new device was a dual-screen Android foldable.
The Surface Duo eventually arrived the following year, but it had serious hardware shortcomings that were hard to overlook. 2021’s second attempt was a big step forward, although there’s still plenty of room for improvement.
A third generation is due soon, but it might not be called a Surface Duo or feature separate displays. Or could Microsoft give up on folding phones entirely? Here’s everything we know at this stage.
When will the Surface Duo 3 be released?
With the original Surface Duo finally being released in September 2020 and its successor arriving October 2021, you could be forgiven for thinking Microsoft had settled into an annual update cycle – as is the case with most phones.
However, there was no new Surface Duo in 2022, with Microsoft focusing on delivering several software updates to the Duo 2 instead. Ewan Spence at Forbes suggested in May 2022 that there would now be two years between generations.
But if the January 2023 Windows Central report of its cancellation turns out to be true, author Zac Bowden says its book-style replacement is “unlikely to be ready in time for this fall”.
Microsoft has announced what is believed to be a Surface event in New York City on 21 September 2023. But don’t expect the Duo 3 or any other foldable to be announced there – instead, the Surface Go 4, Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Surface Laptop Go 3 are all rumoured.
A late 2024 release appears to be the target, but could the project be cancelled altogether? In a May 2023 Windows Central article, Bowden says “it doesn’t look like Microsoft has the resources to fully invest in this vision”.
For the Duo 3 (or any Microsoft folding phone) to arrive towards the end of next year, it’s going to “need all the important Android software teams at Microsoft to get behind any future vision”. At the moment, the device is temporarily “on the back burner”.
In a September 2023 article, Bowden said “it’s unclear if the next Surface phone will be ready in 2024”.
How much will the Surface Duo 3 cost?
Pricing is usually one of the last product details to be revealed, so it’s no surprise that the cost of the Duo 3 remains a mystery. However, we can still use the pricing of the first two generations as a rough guide:
- Surface Duo – From $1,399/£1,349
- Surface Duo 2 – From $1,499/£1,349
The Duo 3 landing around the same price seems the most likely, but that could all change if the redesign rumours turn out to be true. Windows Central suggests the Duo 3 will be scrapped in favour of a book-style design similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, which could push the price even higher.
Author Zac Bowden also says the company is “eager to expand its line of Android smartphone offerings”, which could include a more affordable foldable or regular smartphone. An earlier Windows Central article from 2022 reported that a mid-range version of the Duo 2 was considered and even briefly listed on eBay.
What to expect from the Surface Duo 3
The biggest news so far comes from Windows Central‘s Zac Bowden, who says Microsoft has scrapped plans to bring the Surface Duo 3 to market. He expects it to be replaced with a book-style foldable, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold.
Rather that the current dual-screen design, this would mean a regular-sized external phone display which opens to reveal a small tablet inside. It could technically still be marketed as a Surface Duo, but a name change would be likely.
Usually we’d take news like this with a pinch of salt, but Bowden has such a strong track record for Surface news, it’s quite possible this will end up happening.
No specs have been revealed at this stage, but the article indicates earlier patents such as the one below won’t become the final product:
But could another patent be more accurate? Patently Apple has found another Microsoft one for a device with 360-degree folding screen:
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
It appears to show a flexible external display which could fold at various different angles, rather than the more fixed positions of current foldables. But Zac Bowden (via Windows Central) says he “would be very surprised” if this ends up being the Surface Duo 3. He believes that a folding Surface tablet is more likely than a phone.
Any upcoming device is still expected to run Android, and this should hopefully be at least Android 13 by the time it launches. But Bowden also says Microsoft is trying to further differentiate its version of Android from the one found other phones.
A custom Microsoft launcher is already pre-installed on both generations of the Surface Duo, but the company is wants to deliver an Apple-style ecosystem experience between Microsoft phones and Windows 11 devices. There may even be new regular smartphones to help support that.
In that same Windows Central article, Bowden says Microsoft had already finalised a dual-screen Surface Duo 3 before scrapping it. It would’ve apparently featured upgrades including taller displays with slimmer bezels and wireless charging, making it a significant improvement on the Duo 2.
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
It’s important not to read too much into a single report, so the prospect of an upgraded Surface Duo 3 coming to market shouldn’t be ruled out entirely. But it now seems likely Microsoft will shift to this dual-screen design.
We’ll update this article once more is revealed about Microsoft’s future foldables.
Related articles for further reading
Author: Anyron Copeman, Mobile Editor, Tech Advisor
Anyron is Mobile Editor at Tech Advisor, where he’s been a mainstay of the editorial team since 2019. In his current role, Anyron is responsible for all smartphone, tablet and mobile network coverage on the site. A BA Journalism graduate, he has experience with a wide range of consumer tech products and services, including smartphones, tablets, foldables, wearables and more.