Microsoft’s dual-screen Surface Duo is coming to four new markets next year following its US launch on September 10. Pete Kyriacou, VP, Microsoft Devices has just announced that Surface Duo will be released in Canada, United Kingdom, France and Germany in “early 2021,” though the company plans to share more information next year.
With a $1,399 launch price in the US, the Surface Duo probably didn’t become an instant best-seller for the company, though Kyriacou shared today some numbers showing the device is enjoying some momentum. “After its first three months, we see people doing amazing things — more than 1,000 unique App Groups have been created, and on average, Surface Duo customers are more engaged in productivity tasks like email, multi-tasking and document editing than customers of other Android mobile devices,” the exec said.
Microsoft is still working on getting developers updating their Android apps to take advantage of the Duo’s two screens, and apps like Spotify and Tiktok are now optimized for the Duo. Microsoft has also updated its own apps like Outlook, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams, with more to come.
“Microsoft is the third-largest Android ISV in the world, and we’re proud of what we’ve been able to deliver since August,” Kyriacou said today. The Surface Duo is Microsoft’s first mobile device since the death of Lumia Windows phones, and it’s also the company’s first Android device.
The Redmond giant definitely deserves credit for adapting Android to this new dual-screen form factor, though the specs of the 1st-gen Surface Duo probably leave a lot to be desired, especially the camera. It’s nothing the company can’t fix in the Surface Duo 2, but as of today, the dual-screen device can’t really compete with high-end smartphones that come with much better sensors. If you haven’t done it yet, we invite you to read our Surface Duo review here.
