One of the big surprises at the October event was
not the resurrection of Windows Phone but that
the Duo runs Android. Panay even mentioned
that Microsoft is partnering with its archrival
Google to deliver the dual-screen device. Most
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upcoming Surface Duo showed a home screen
sporting a Google search bar. Whither Bing?!
It shouldn’t be entirely shocking that Microsoft is
coming out with an Android phone, given how
many integrations with Windows the company
has implemented. The trend is most evident in
the Your Phone app, which lets Android users
instantly see photos and SMS text conversations
on a connected device—similar to Apple’s
Continuity feature between iPhones and Macs.
The partnership with Google may also have
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search giant’s Chromium code to power the Edge
web browser. And indeed, some Microsoft
watchers predicted that Microsoft would—or
should—come out with an Android phone.
A lot of commentators are comparing the Surface
Duo to the Samsung Galaxy Fold, mostly stating
that it may be better to have two side-by-side
screens than one foldable one. And Panay noted
that “it’s amazing when you put two screens side
by side to see how the brain lights up.” He also
stated that Microsoft’s brain research shows that
people are more productive when they have a
second screen at their disposal.
I can see the case for having a web search on one
screen while you’re writing an email on the other.
M
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@mikemuch
