Surface Phone 2017 Release Date Set In Fall?

Amid cancellation rumors, the Surface Phone release date is still being suggested for a 2017 launch. A reveal this year is likely, especially now that Microsoft has confirmed the arrival of another update following the Windows 10 Creators Update this April. Now, rumors suggest that the handset could arrive at the same time as Redstone 3.

Microsoft has not announced a specific release date yet, but a 2017 launch has already been settled, The Verge reports. According to rumors, Redstone 3 is slated to be released in the fall season. If the tech giant is planning to launch it alongside the rumored Surface Phone, does that mean that the Windows Phone can be expected this fall as well?

First, we need to answer the question: will Microsoft release a Surface Phone ever?

Does the Surface Phone exist?

All that the tech industry is holding onto are the words of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in 2016 referring to some sort of an “ultimate mobile device.” The interview with Australian Financial Review was held after the Redmond-based company sold its Nokia business to Foxconn, so he certainly was not talking about a Lumia.

“We will continue to be in the phone market not as defined by today’s market leaders, but by what it is that we can uniquely do in what is the most ultimate mobile device.”

There are very few Windows Phone carriers out there and none can actually be considered the ultimate smartphone. The internet took his words as a confirmation of a Surface Phone that the company is prepping up to be a flagship killer.

Is the Surface Phone still a go?

Previously in the Inquisitr, we talked about how Microsoft could potentially halt the development of the Surface Phone after figures from Gartner came in. According to the analysis, only 0.3 percent of smartphones bought in Q4 2016 have the Windows OS onboard. Android dominated the market with 81.7 percent while iOS had 17.9 percent.

https://twitter.com/ms_devices/status/832286102727884800

A big factor is that there are far fewer phones that carry Windows and none are as popular as the iPhone. However, that’s no excuse. Back when Nokia was competitive, it already had Microsoft’s OS, but it never became convincing enough for buyers to make the switch.

The Surface Phone has many hurdles to overcome: penetrating the market that’s all about Android vs. iOS, marketing the Windows 10 as a smarter choice, and actually offering essential apps in the store.

What can we expect?

It is believed that the Surface Phone will showcase all the capabilities of the Windows 10 that have yet to be appreciated. And to do just that, it has to have powerful specs that will utterly destroy other flagships such as the reigning Samsung Galaxy S series and the iPhone.

But Microsoft may have other plans – to showcase what Windows 10 can do even with the mid-range phones. It’s said that the company is planning to release the Surface Phone in three variants: Consumer, Business, and Premium.

The Premium handset is expected to sport a huge 8GB RAM with 500GB storage, and a 4K display might even be in the cards. The Business version should still perform well with 4GB RAM and 120GB storage, while the Consumer edition is likely a budget version with only 3GB RAM and 32GB storage – but who’s to say that the RAM allocation will not be maximized?

Consumers may also see the newest Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 under the hood or a different one based on the variant. Nonetheless, the Surface Phone, if it’s ever released, is looking to be the next flagship killer.

Meanwhile, the Surface Pro 5 and Surface Book 2 is coming soon – reportedly in April coinciding with the release of the Windows 10 Creators Update. Hopefully, the Surface Phone joins the family soon after.

[Featured Image by Richard Drew/Getty Images]