Microsoft Surface Phone release date, news, specs rumors: Microsoft's next flagship handset to retain Lumia features
According to the latest rumors, Microsoft is about to release a new flagship handset that will replace the current Lumia series. The Redmond-based tech company is expected to extend its highly successful Surface family into the smartphone department, thus giving birth to the first ever Surface Phone. While Microsoft intends to introduce an all-new flagship handset boasting some known Surface features and design, the Surface Phone is still expected to keep some of the Lumia series' popular features.
As noted by a renowned German tech website focused on Windows products, Dr Windows, the Surface Phone is indeed coming up very soon. Some of the things that the public can expect in the Surface Phone 2017 are the familiar features of the Lumia smartphone. For one, the Surface Phone is expected to keep the Clear Black screens and Glance, which is considered to be among the Lumia's best features to offer.
The tech blog also noted that the Surface Phone will run in Windows 10 mobile OS, giving it some laptop functions and capabilities. The said mobile operating system will be known as the "Creative Update," boasting productivity and creativity improvements to link the mobile devices and desktop computers together, thanks to the Surface Phone's Windows 10 Mobile Continuum.
The new Windows 10 mobile OS is expected to be out early next year, which coincides with the anticipated unveiling of the Surface Phone in February 2017. According to Yibada, the Surface Phone will be showcased by Microsoft at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2017 in February, although the tech giant may also release their other much-awaited product, the Surface Pro 5.
The rumors also suggest that the upcoming Surface Pro 5 will be developed by Microsoft in partnership with another huge tech company, HP.
As listed by PC Advisor, the Surface Phone will be sporting a 5.5-inch AMOLED screen display instead of the usual LCD screens. The handset will be powered by a 64-bit Kaby Lake chipset, which is the next generation of Intel processor. It will be packed with 4 GB RAM and an internal storage capacity ranging from 32 GB to 128 GB, depending on the Surface Phone variant. For now, the Surface Phone is believed to come in three variants based on the storage capacity, namely the 32 GB, 64 GB, and top-tier 128 GB model.
