WebProNews

Tag: Surface Neo

  • Microsoft Plans to Ship Surface Duo to Customers in Late August

    Microsoft Plans to Ship Surface Duo to Customers in Late August

    Microsoft has begun production of its Surface Duo dual-screen device, and will start shipping it August 24.

    Microsoft surprised the industry with the announcement of two dual-screen devices, the Surface Duo and the Surface Neo. The latter will run Windows 10X, while the former runs Android. Microsoft has been cozying up with the Android and Linux communities in recent years, although a full-fledged Android device was still quite shock to many in the tech community. Microsoft even hired Android development teams to bring Duo development in-house and ensure the highest level of integration.

    Once the coronavirus pandemic hit, however, Microsoft altered plans and focused on helping Windows 10X work on existing devices and moved the Neo’s release back to 2022. It appears the Duo, however, is close to seeing the light of day.

    According to WindowsCentral’s Zac Bowden, Microsoft could start shipping the device as early as August 24:

    ”Surface Duo production has started and will begin shipping to customers the week of August 24th, I’m told. Should be less than a month to go now!”

    —Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) July 29, 2020

    This is good news for customers looking forward to a dual-screen device marrying the best of Microsoft and Google.

  • Microsoft Changes Windows 10X Focus, Will Bring to Existing Devices

    Microsoft Changes Windows 10X Focus, Will Bring to Existing Devices

    Microsoft has announced it will soon bring Windows 10X to existing, single-screen devices.

    Windows 10X is a version of Microsoft’s operating system (OS) designed specifically for foldable devices. The company had planned on introducing the Surface Neo, a foldable device running the OS, before reportedly putting the device on hold as a result of the pandemic. The belief was that the company needed to focus on the computers and tablets people were currently using, and help them get the most from them, rather than release an entirely new class of device. Those same reports indicated that Windows 10X would likewise be delayed, but it appears Microsoft has changed its mind.

    “The world is a very different place than it was last October when we shared our vision for a new category of dual-screen Windows devices,” writes Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer, Windows and Devices. “As we continue to put customers’ needs at the forefront, we need to focus on meeting customers where they are now. Our customers are leveraging the power of the cloud more than ever, and we believe the time is right to lean into this acceleration in a different way.

    “With Windows 10X, we designed for flexibility, and that flexibility has enabled us to pivot our focus toward single-screen Windows 10X devices that leverage the power of the cloud to help our customers work, learn and play in new ways. These single-screen devices will be the first expression of Windows 10X that we deliver to our customers, and we will continue to look for the right moment, in conjunction with our OEM partners, to bring dual-screen devices to market.”

    The announcement is welcome news for individuals and corporations looking forward to Windows 10X. In addition to its support for dual-screen devices, the OS is a modernized version of Windows, with the legacy components stripped out. As such, it focuses on an improved user experience and enhanced security. Releasing it for existing devices in the short-term is a good move for Microsoft and customers alike.

  • Microsoft Delaying Windows 10X and Surface Neo

    Microsoft Delaying Windows 10X and Surface Neo

    Users excited about Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 10X and Surface Neo phone will have to wait till next year, according to reports.

    Microsoft unveiled the Surface Neo in October, with plans to ship the dual-screen device in 2020. Along with it, the company was also planning on releasing Windows 10X, a version of the operating system designed specifically for foldable devices. With the effects of the pandemic in full swing, it appears Microsoft may be putting both releases on hold to address more pressing issues.

    According to Mary Jo Foley, ZDNet’s All About Microsoft writer, sources inside Microsoft said “that Chief Product Officer Panos Panay informed some of his team internally today, April 8, that Microsoft wouldn’t be delivering its own Surface Neo dual-screen 10X devices this calendar year. In addition, Microsoft also won’t be enabling third-party dual-screen Windows devices to ship with 10X in calendar 2020.”

    Notably, Foley’s sources do not indicate Microsoft is delaying the Surface Duo, the Android-driven sibling to the Neo. If true, this would seem to indicate the bottleneck lies with fine-tuning Windows 10X, rather than a hardware issue.

  • Microsoft Shows How Dual-Screen Apps Should Look

    Microsoft Shows How Dual-Screen Apps Should Look

    Microsoft unveiled two dual-screen devices in October: the Windows-powered Surface Neo and the Android-powered Surface Duo. Although the devices won’t be available until “Holiday 2020,” the company has released SDKs and guidelines on how apps for the two devices should look and function.

    Microsoft made the announcement in a company blog post:

    “We are happy to announce the availability of the preview SDK for Microsoft Surface Duo, and availability in the coming weeks for the preview SDK for Windows 10. We are also excited to announce new web standards proposals to enable dual-screen experiences for websites and PWAs on both Android and Windows 10X. These new web standards proposals will provide you with the capabilities and tools you need for dual-screen devices.”

    Image Source: Microsoft - The Android Emulator with a preview Surface Duo image
    Image Source: Microsoft – The Android Emulator with a preview Surface Duo image

     

    With the announcement, it’s clear Microsoft is going all-in on dual-screens devices. The company is working to make sure its own apps, such as the Edge web browser, offer an experience that takes full advantage of the dual-screen form factor.

    The company hopes developers will work hard to do the same.

    “Dual-screen devices creates an opportunity for your apps to delight people in a new and innovative way. To help you get started, we are providing you with basic support checklists for touch and pen and drag and drop and initial app pattern ideas to ensure your apps work great on dual-screen devices.”

    Image Source: Microsoft - Microsoft Emulator showing Windows 10X
    Image Source: Microsoft – Microsoft Emulator showing Windows 10X

    There’s no doubt that Microsoft has an innovative and refreshing take on foldable devices. Hopefully, armed with these guidelines and SDKs, developers will be able to usher in a whole new generation of mobile productivity.

  • Microsoft May Be Working On a Version of Windows 10X For IoT

    Microsoft May Be Working On a Version of Windows 10X For IoT

    According to Windows Latest, a recent LinkedIn job posting would seem to indicate that Microsoft is working on a version of Windows 10X for Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

    Windows 10X is a version of Windows designed specifically for multi-screen hardware. The operating system (OS) will power the Surface Neo, expected in 2020, and is based on Windows Core OS. Windows Core OS is Microsoft’s effort to unify the different versions of Windows, running on different hardware. By having a single, core OS, it’s much easier for the company to then make minor adjustments to specific implementations to accommodate different hardware profiles.

    According to the job posting, the successful candidate “will build the next generation IoT operating system based on Windows 10X.”

    Not surprisingly, the job will be part of the Azure team, as Microsoft continues to make headway against Amazon’s AWS.

    “Do you want to participate in enabling the intelligent edge vision with the Azure Core OS IoT team? The IoT team is on an exciting journey to enable industry platforms with a highly secure and supported OS that enables intelligent computing on diverse silicon at the edge….The team owns software stack both on the edge and complimentary services on the cloud that power innovative secure offerings like the recently announced ROS on Windows and Trusted Cyber Physical Systems. Our team is right at the forefront of defining and implementing what edge intelligence and computing looks like on IoT devices.”

    A version of Windows 10X for IoT devices could be a big help to Microsoft’s Azure efforts, by giving administrators a common platform to work with.