Microsoft will release its first Android device ever, the Surface Duo, next month in the US with a starting price of $1,399. The dual-screen device will ship with Android 10 out of the box, but Microsoft is already working on updating it to Android 11 when the next Android release goes out of beta.
Android updates have been a controversial topic for many years, with phone manufacturers often failing to support their devices with OS and security updates for many years after their release. Well, Microsoft confirmed to Android Authority that its new Surface Duo “will be supported with OS and security updates for three years.” With this commitment, Microsoft will match the software support that Google and Samsung currently offer for their premium devices.
During the development of the Surface Duo, Microsoft made some tweaks to Android to optimize the OS for the dual-screen device. “As we unlock new experiences with Duo, we are working closely with Google to make additions to the Android operating system, paving the way for more apps to take advantage of the full productivity power of two screens,” Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer explained yesterday.
The Surface Duo software experience should evolve over time, and it seems that Microsoft may still have some bug to fix ahead of launch. Yesterday, Fast Company reported that the Surface Duo launch had been delayed from August 28 to September 10, and the publication’s technology editor Harry McCracken, who spent a couple of days with a review unit, hoped to see Microsoft “use the extra time to ensure its code is polished up to production quality.”
