Microsoft’s Foldable Phone Plans and Cancelled Surface Duo 3

Microsoft entered the Android-based smartphone market with foldable devices a few years ago. The first Surface Duo was released in 2019 but did not receive much support. Then, in 2021, Surface Duo 2 was launched. These devices aimed to offer a different experience by combining two separate screens with a hinge instead of a foldable screen. However, the Surface Duo models did not achieve the expected success in sales, leading Microsoft to announce the cancellation of Surface Duo 3 plans.

Subsequently, rumors emerged that the company would release an Android phone equipped with a traditional foldable screen. However, it was reported that these plans were also shelved in the spring of 2023 due to general hardware disruptions. A Microsoft patent published afterwards provides clues about how the cancelled Surface Duo 3 would have looked like.

The patent was filed with the US Patent Office on June 20 and named “Support leg for opening a foldable computing device.” However, according to Windows Central, the patent actually includes design details of the Surface Duo.

• Three rear cameras can be seen in the top left corner on the back of the phone.
• In another image, a separate camera is located in the part that will be the cover screen when the phone is folded.
• The patent also includes a magnetic support leg that can be placed on the back of the phone, allowing hands-free viewing of content.

Windows Central mentions that Microsoft planned to add a power button that can be folded in half to open the phone. Currently, Microsoft remains silent on the subject of Android phones, indicating that there will not be a product in this area anytime soon. However, this patent application provides a small hint about the possible future steps Microsoft could take in the Android phone sector.