Microsoft Andromeda Project Might Not Be Completely Dead Yet

While the Surface Go makes quite a tempting proposition, some have unsurprisingly remarked that Microsoft is only trying to distract people from the real issue at hand. That issue is that Microsoft has reportedly postponed "indefinitely" its foldable Surface Phone and the Andromeda software that would run on it. Of course, they never really formally acknowledged the existence of either but neither did they say it's completely done for. The latter sliver of hope may be what fans of the project have seen in a demo video that has nothing to do with Andromeda but also hints that it might still exist.

Of course, take this clue with more than a pinch of salt. The demo video revolves around the Azure mobile apps but "accidentally" shows a screen (around the 1:37 mark) where a few network-related tests have "Andromeda" in their name. Whether that refers to the much-rumored Andromeda or not or whether these still apply to the present or the future is still open to interpretation.

It's not the first time Andromeda has been used in the tech industry but, more recently, it has been used to refer to Microsoft's not so secret project that encompasses a foldable device and a custom Windows 10 experience to run on that device. Based on what has been called Windows Core, Andromeda would have used Microsoft's new modular CShell that would take different forms depending on the context or layout of the device.

That same Andromeda software, however, was also recently blamed for the indefinite delay of the Surface Phone. Parts of it would have gone into the next Windows 10 update but Microsoft execs felt that it wasn't ready for prime time. Nor did they feel that such a device would have a market at the moment.

So, instead, they launched the Surface Go which, based on the reaction over the Interwebs, clearly has a market of fans. Whether or not Microsoft will continue Andromeda development in the sidelines, this video does seem to hint at that. Or hopefully it does.