Surface Phone: No 2017 Launch, Another Flagship Killer Releasing This Year?


A recent rumor suggests that the Surface Phone will not arrive this year as opposed to previous prevalent rumors. There were many reports pointing to a late 2017 launch, but it seems that Microsoft is planning to reveal in in 2019 instead. So what product is coming this year?

Windows Phone 2017: A Flagship Killer?

According to recent reports, a different Windows Phone is coming this year. It was not detailed by Redditor zombieacc, who divulged the information in a thread, what exactly the phone is going to be. All we know right now is it is not the rumored Surface Phone that will rival the iPhone 8 or Samsung Galaxy S8.

https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/843424632254468096

Although it will not be the expected Surface Phone, Microsoft may still be planning to unveil a flagship killer. The failures of the Lumia, which then led to the company selling the brand off, should have taught the tech giant that squeezing into a market that is dominated by Android is not an easy feat.

Introducing a Windows Phone to consumers who mainly have an Android or iOS should be well-planned to even be considered as a rival to top flagships today. With that said, the Windows Phone releasing this year may very well be another flagship killer.

Windows Phone revealed in 2015
[Image by Jeff Chiu/AP Images]

If a Surface Phone is not indeed releasing this year as what the tipster said, then its rumored specs may be for the Windows Phone 2017. It is said that the flagship killer will house a Snapdragon 835 and 6GB RAM, is there a chance that we could see it in the phone that will release this year?

There is the possibility, but nothing can be confirmed. Microsoft is tight-lipped when it comes to its future plans. The Surface Phone with Windows OS has been widely talked about, but even that has not been confirmed by the company yet.

Foldable Windows Phone In The Works?

A rumor from a previous report by the Inquisitr indicated that the Windows Phone could be a foldable phone. Earlier this year, patents filed by Microsoft showcasing a foldable phone technology made its way to the internet, sparking rumors that it could be the Surface Phone.

The patent describes a tablet with a hinge in the middle. This would allow it to be folded so that it will be sized as a usual smartphone. Another image shows a device with three hinges, which will then allow it to stand with the shape of a triangle.

https://twitter.com/PatOpp/status/826946054113415169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

But with Samsung and LG currently planning to reveal more or less the same technology within the year, Microsoft could also be planning the same. It would make them relevant again in the mobile scene, so it is a good idea to unveil the new tech earlier or at the same time as everybody else – not later.

With that, it can be thought that the foldable phone/tablet could be the Windows Phone that the Redditor was talking about. However, there are also reports claiming that the tech will be reserved for the Surface brand.

As the report pointed out, the Surface brand specializes in 2-in-1 devices. The Surface Book is a laptop with a detachable screen, thus allowing users to use it as a tablet if need be. The Surface Pro is a tablet that is marketed with a keyboard, also allowing users to use it as an ultra-portable laptop. It would make more sense if the phone-tablet hybrid will be the Surface Phone.

New Surface Pro 4 showcased in an event
[Image by Andrew Burton/Getty Images]

So does that mean that the technology will not be unveiled by Microsoft this year? No one still knows for sure. As far as we can tell, rumors and leaks about the next Windows Phone are not that reliable, so there is a probability that the Surface Phone will be introduced this year after all.

[Featured Image by Richard Drew/AP Images File]

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