Surface Duo 2 Tipped To Launch With 5G Later This Fall
What would have been Microsoft's redemption in the mobile market has, by now, almost gone completely silent. In addition to launching at an inopportune time in the middle of a pandemic and global economic crisis, it also launched with slightly dated hardware that didn't do justice to its price tag. Despite that and the mixed feedback that the Surface Duo received, Microsoft seems to still be on track with a successor which insiders have reportedly claimed to be launching later this year with at least one "confirmed" upgrade.
Although still not exactly widespread, 5G has become an important marker for modern smartphones these days, especially those playing in the high-end market. Although it was technically possible for the Surface Duo's Snapdragon 855 to support a 5G modem, Microsoft opted to leave that out. That may have been barely forgivable last year but a Surface Duo 2 in 2021 or, worse, 2022 would sound ridiculous without it as it tries to compete with something like a Galaxy Fold 3.
Fortunately, Windows Latest's insider sources confirmed that 5G is definitely included in the next iteration of the dual-screen foldable phone. That matches the site's earlier report of Microsoft looking to hire someone knowledgeable with such hardware and networking technologies. That said, aside from 5G and a possible new camera, fans might not want to get their hopes up about other upgrades just yet.
The report suggests that software is the core focus of Microsoft's efforts for the Surface Duo 2. Admittedly, the first Surface Duo's minor hardware shortcomings were nothing compared to the buggy software that ruined the experience for many early adopters. The slightly good news on that front is that Microsoft is also working with Google to bring its changes to Android for everyone's benefit.
The Surface Duo 2 might be arriving sometime in Fall, though Microsoft isn't exactly consistent when it comes to those schedules. Hopefully, however, it will choose hardware that is at least from this year so that, even if it gets pushed to 2022, the Surface Duo 2 won't look too out-of-date compared to its peers and rivals.