A YouTube video captured by Israel Rodriguez (via The Verge), shows someone – presumably a Microsoft employee or a developer with early access – using the Surface Duo on the Vancouver SkyTrain. Though it looks nearly identical to what Microsoft showed off in October, this prototype appears to sport a front-facing flash. Minor hardware changes aside, it’s neat to see the Duo’s software in action. There appear to be a few hangups and choppy frames, but we can likely chalk that up to unfinished software. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a look Last month, the company released an emulator that allowed developers to try Microsoft’s dual-screen Android tweaks, and the UI seems well thought out so far.
— Jonas Daehnert (@PhoneDesigner) January 22, 2020 Because the Surface Duo uses two separate displays rather than a single bendable one, the emphasis is strictly on multi-tasking and a seamless transition between screens. Without any of the durability concerns of typical folding phones, the Surface Duo has the potential to be one of the best smartphones for getting stuff done. Hopefully, Microsoft works out the kinks between now and the claimed “holiday 2020” release date.
