Recent leaks of the Surface Duo have gotten the renders machines humming with aspirational takes on a sequel to Microsoft’s foldable mobile device.
No longer satisfied with semi-blurred images of a potential Surface Duo 2 with new camera bump, designer Jonas Deahnert has produced a more polished representation of what Microsoft’s upcoming Duo 2 could look like.
Similar to the leaked images, Deahnert’s render puts the triple camera housing front and center of the design. With Microsoft seemingly opting to keep much of the Duo 2 design identical to the original, the only noted differences reside in the camera bump, the matte black secondary color option and a variety of angles showing off a semi-closed Duo 2.
Interestingly enough, Deahnert’s renders do seem to omit some of the more subtle changes already seen in the blurred leaked images of the Duo 2 that have proliferated online. Things like the chamfered edges, rounded off corners, and reduced top and bottom screen bezels on the next iteration do not appear prominent in Deahnert’s current batch of rendered images.
What Deahnert’s render more accurately display is what the next batch of Duo owners can expect when handling the device when open, closed, or flipped. The new camera bump could relitigate the Surface Book arguments as a new gap is introduced in what many feel should be a closed-flushed handheld experience.
Microsoft has yet to officially announced the Surface Duo 2 but has heavily hinted at its eventuality since Summer of 2020. Aside from the questionable camera design, Microsoft’s next Surface Duo is rumored to come with far better specs than its predecessor, even at the time of its original announcement.
Unlike the 2020 version, a new Surface Duo is rumored to come with up-to-date specs that include the latest Snapdragon 888 mobile processor, 5G connectivity, NFC support, wireless charging, and potentially dual sim support. Microsoft is also said to be perfecting Android 11 to come pre-installed on the Duo, (despite Android 12 around the corner); which also brings into question screen refresh rates and further dual scree app support for the Duo 2.
Right now, it’s a waiting game, but it’s becoming apparent, there is a tangible appetite for Microsoft’s next foldable. Perhaps, compounding matters is Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Fold 3 announcement scheduled for next week, where the company will announce pricing, specs, and the design of what is ostensibly the Duo’s most direct competitor right now.
