Microsoft's performance in the mobile market is very general, and its market share is shrinking, even to a point where it can be 'negligible'. Although Apple and Google are both technology giants, the entire mobile market is still dominated by two competitors. , And Microsoft is also under tremendous pressure, has not found a good way to break through the bottleneck.
Therefore, for Microsoft, Surface Phone has become the last chance for Microsoft to fight back in the mobile market. Although Microsoft had previously launched a lot of Windows 10 system smart phones after the acquisition of Nokia, including Lumia 950, Lumia 950XL, but still Did not achieve the desired results. And now Microsoft needs to create a 'perfect' mobile phone, will be lost to the iOS and Android camp users to snatch it back.
In recent years, Microsoft's Surface team has made considerable achievements in the hybrid PC field. Whether it's Surface Pro, Surface Book or the latest Surface Studio, it makes Apple sit on the pins and needles. So the same Surface Mobile Surface Phone can continue the Surface. What's the glory of the family? Let's take a look at all the news and rumours that we know about Surface Phone so far.
release time
Although we have no definitive answer about when the Surface Phone came out, it is certain that Microsoft has not necessarily given up the Surface Phone project. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was previously accepted in an interview with the Australian Financial Review. Said that Microsoft is working hard to develop a 'ultimate mobile device', it is clear that Microsoft boss hinted that the company is engaged in a big project on mobile devices. He continued, 'We will continue to stay on the market, no longer It doesn't matter if it is defined as a market leader, but we think we can create the ultimate ultimate mobile device.
Satya Nadella hinted at Surface Phone's research and development ideas. Microsoft does not want the future of Windows phones to be similar to Android and iPhone devices, but to have unique and innovative features consistent with its new strategy.
However, the position of the CEO is not the only evidence. It was previously reported that Microsoft has acquired the SurfacePhone.com domain name. In addition, it also purchased the SurfaceCar.com domain name. When these two websites are opened, they will automatically jump. To Microsoft's Surface official website. Perhaps Microsoft's move is to protect its own products or to prevent competitors from malicious registration, but at least Microsoft has the concept of Surface Phone, and therefore has become an evidence.
However, in 2017, Microsoft has already missed two exhibitions of mobile technology and consumer digital products at CES and MWC. Now the rumors about the release time of Surface Phone will continue to be postponed. In 2018, it still hasn’t been released yet. Specific movements, including the recent Build 2018 Developer Conference.
According to the latest signs, Microsoft has relocated the mobile API to the Windows 10 RedStone 5 update. RedStone 5 is the latest update of Windows 10 released by Microsoft in the fall of 2018. This move has once again triggered speculation that Microsoft has Maybe it will release a long-rumored Surface Phone smartphone at the end of this year. Rumors about the Surface Phone have been around for several years. It was previously reported that there is a Surface Phone inside the Microsoft codenamed 'Andromeda'. Still others say that this is actually two products with Windows Phone.
Positioning high-end to follow the small-scale emphasis on uniqueness
According to a news report from foreign media NSeaVoice, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Nadella said in an interview that Microsoft will never abandon the smart phone business. Future products will be tailored to high-end minority groups and not follow the mass market. The strategy of Nadella’s “niche” is also very clear. It is intended for the enterprise commercial market. It is not hard to guess that the aircraft's biggest feature is still the seamless connection of smart phones and external displays, keyboards and other hardware and act as Personal computers and so on. Software, Windows 10 Mobile's biggest feature will also be a seamless switch between PC and mobile phones, for the need for office business crowd to achieve 'carrying handheld PC' this feature.
Surface Phone new features
Since Microsoft intends to use Surface Phone to challenge Apple and Google, then there must be some features that can surpass the opponent to make a beautiful "turnaround" in the mobile market, so we are likely to see the following on the Surface Phone These new features.
All-metal body, three versions
Previous news has stated that Microsoft's Surface Phone will have three versions. It targets smart phone professional enthusiasts, business users, and ordinary consumers. The target audience will differ in terms of configuration, features, and price.
In other rumors, the Surface Phone will have a one-piece all-metal body that is consistent with the style of Surface Book and other devices. Sources said that Microsoft is working hard to match the Surface Phone with other Surface series products, at least from the workmanship and texture. Said to meet the user's expectations.
Configuration
At the previous Microsoft WinHEC conference in Shenzhen, Microsoft officially announced that it incorporated Qualcomm into its own list of new chip partners. Therefore, equipment using the Windows 10+ Opteron processor will also necessarily meet with us. Therefore, we will use Qualcomm in the future. The processor will experience a complete Windows 10 application on the mobile device, and the Surface Phone will also become the most representative one.
The new generation of Windows 10 devices will run on Qualcomm's ARM-based chips, and they will be lightweight, light-weight, and consume very little power even in real time online. Full applications including Office and Windows Hello can be found on smartphones, tablets, and tablets. And portable appeared, and this also further enhance the Surface Phone's prospects.
An API is a programming interface that belongs to, represents an application program, and is a developer-specific tool and instruction. It is capable of specifying basic capabilities and frameworks for developing software for a specific functional platform. Microsoft previously removed it in Windows 10. The mobile API means that developers cannot develop programs for mobile-related functions on Windows devices.
But even if Microsoft had previously removed the mobile API interface, Microsoft is still continuing to develop Windows devices with ARM architecture and can perform most of the same tasks as traditional PCs. These devices that run Qualcomm Snapdragon chips can connect to LTE networks, and in part Models have been available. The return of the API interface not only conforms to the sales of ARM architecture Windows devices, but also that Microsoft has opened the door for developers to allow developers to develop applications for the Surface Phone.
But other than that, we still don't know anything about the Surface Phone hardware, especially with respect to the camera. However, since Apple, LG and Huawei have all adopted dual camera designs, Microsoft also hopes to join in. Double camera ranks.
Surface Phone Patent
There are two Microsoft patents being exposed, and these two patents are likely to be the prototype of the Surface Phone.
From the design drawings of the first patent, the new Surface Phone has a rich Lumia style, no Home button on the front, and no physical camera button on the side. It will use the USB Type-C interface and have a Surface on the top of the fuselage. The Pen slot, which continues the feature of the digital pen in the Surface series. In addition, we did not find any other openings other than the digital pen slot. This means that the Surface Phone also cancels the headphone jack.
The design of the back of the camera is relatively simple. There are only cameras and flash, and there is no fingerprint recognition module. I do not know that the Surface Phone is not intended to be equipped with this function at all, or it is integrated in the display.
In another patent, it is about the idea of a tablet and smart phone hybrid device. Microsoft's patent name is 'Display Device'. From the patent image we can see that a tablet computer can be presented during the folding process. Smartphones, notebooks and tablets come in three forms. When they are closed, they are smartphones. Opening is generally a laptop state, and fully open is a tablet.
According to Microsoft’s latest patent, Microsoft also has the idea to make the Surface Phone a product that can be switched between a tablet and a smartphone. The patent application’s image display device has two large displays on both sides. In the middle fold is a narrow display that shows 'information coupled with other screen areas' such as virtual controls, time, messages, notifications and incoming calls, etc. According to the patent application, the information on the third screen depends The state of the hinge. In other words, the content seen on the hinged screen depends on whether the user turned on the device in tablet mode.
Windows 10, Microsoft Wallet, Continuum
One thing is for sure, that is the Surface Phone will run a complete Windows 10 system. Microsoft hopes that Windows 10 as the final version of Windows, can continue to update on all platforms. And this means that although the effect is limited, but short-term Windows 10 Mobile will not be completely replaced. If Microsoft really wants to promote Windows 10 in all aspects, then it must be a great portable device, and it is the Surface Phone.
Although we are not yet sure how Microsoft will adjust Windows 10 to adapt to its new Surface Phone, it is said that as a cross-platform productivity feature of Microsoft, Continuum will play a greater role in the mobile space. Another source said that we Will see that Microsoft will launch a new mobile payment system to compete with Apple Pay, Android Pay and even Samsung Pay.
Support stylus
Not too long ago, an old product video that was not released before Microsoft was exposed. The video display originally meant that Microsoft actually planned to turn Lumia into a Surface Phone and even support Surface Pen.
The Lumia 950 XL was originally what it looks like in the picture. At least until Microsoft decided to give up, it was still in the progress of Microsoft's development. The Lumia 950 XL is an immature product, and it is also divided by the HP Elite 3 and other devices. Many markets have previously exposed various prototypes of Windows 10 Mobile smartphones, but this prototype supporting the Surface Pen is most regrettable.
Remove all WP products to make way for Surface Phone
The Lumia brand is gradually forgotten by the world, and Microsoft seems to be planning to end this classic brand in the long river of history. Although Microsoft officials did not admit this, but from the move of the Lumia smart phones around Microsoft's official stores , It seems that it is a foregone conclusion. Up to now, Microsoft has stopped selling the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL models in several major markets in Europe. Some countries or regions can also buy the Lumia 650 and the HP Elite x3. But it also seems to enter the rhythm of inventory clearance.
price
Currently there is no specific news about the price of the Surface Phone, but according to a report from Bitbag, Microsoft seems to set the starting price of the Surface Phone to be 699 US dollars (about 4822 yuan), and the top version It will even reach 1099 US dollars (about 7582 yuan).
Is it worth the wait
We still have a wait-and-see attitude towards the Surface Phone. After all, although Microsoft is a tech giant, but before the performance in the mobile market is really not good, so we can hardly believe that the Surface Phone will change the past but the explosive and explosive Change. If you are a loyal user of Windows, then waiting for the Surface Phone is always supported by Microsoft.