Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Surface Phone concept looks real enough to touch in new video

Andrew Kalinchuk
By
Microsoft Surface Phone concept
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Rumors of a Microsoft-made Surface Phone have been swirling around since the Surface tablet was first mentioned so many months ago. The desire for the Surface brand to extend to smartphones even spawned a few concept renderings showing what the phone may look like if it ever saw the light of day. The whispers have died down since then as people have moved on from the disappointment brought on by the Surface RT and begun looking forward to the upcoming Surface Pro. But that didn’t stop Tech Radar from bringing the concept to life in a mock promo video.

The design appropriately draws from the strengths of Microsoft’s tablets, incorporating the popular, angled edges and mag casing. The body is extremely svelte and streamlined, sticking to simplicity rather than buying into tacky embellishments. A full USB 3.0 port is situated at the top of the device with a 12MP camera and ultra-bright flash around back. All of this is faced by a 5-inch, 1280×720 Super AMOLED+ screen with 326ppi. The USB 3.0 port is enough to have us clicking the preorder button and that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Recommended Videos

It’s the integrated kickstand and mini Touch Cover that make this design particularly drool-worthy. Much like the larger Surface tablet, the concept smartphone has a thin kickstand that props it up at the ideal angle for typing. The Touch Cover looks extremely similar to the full-sized version, but some extraneous buttons were removed due to size constraints. Regardless, it holds onto the magnetic attachment and would no doubt offer the same pleasing keyboard experience.

Related

Seeing the concept phone rendered in three dimensions on video really proves the viability of a smartphone built by Microsoft. A USB 3.0 slot on a phone would be incredibly convenient, as well as having the ability to do some serious typing if the situation demanded it. Obviously this would never replace a full-fledged laptop or even a Surface tablet, but it is certainly an attractive prospect. The chances of this being made any time soon are slim though. No doubt the company is busy pouring billions of dollars into advertising and hawking the Surface tablets at every opportunity. Plus, it’s a safe bet to say a Surface Phone would make Windows Phone enthusiasts, HTC and Nokia, very disappointed. The last thing Microsoft needs is to have its biggest allies turn their full attention to Android. Practicality aside, however, we secretly hope Microsoft is watching and smiling.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Andrew Kalinchuk
Andrew Kalinchuk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew covers news and opinions pertaining to smartphones, tablets, and all else mobile for Digital Trends. He recently…
Surface Duo 2 vs. Surface Duo: Which is better?
The Microsoft Surface Duo 2 rests on a staircase railing because: right angles.

The Microsoft Surface Duo 2 is one of the most interesting phones to launch this year. It's Microsoft's unique take on the foldable genre of smartphones, and it advances the concept rather than collapsing into the more consumer-friendly style we see in the Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip-series of foldables. Instead of a single, folding screen, the Surface Duo-range uses two separate displays side-by-side.

While it might be the newest, sometimes the latest isn't always the greatest. We're trotting out the original Surface Duo to see if it's a viable alternative to the Surface Duo 2 by looking at their specs, designs, and overall capabilities. You want a foldable phone from Microsoft? Let's see which one of these two is the best.
Specs

Read more
The new Surface Duo 2 costs $1,499, and that’s probably OK
The Microsoft Surface Duo 2 has a triple camera setup.

Microsoft introduced its successor to the Microsoft Duo today at its annual Surface event and had the absolute gall to charge yet another $100 for its all-new not-a-phone, the Surface Duo 2. You'll recall last year, when the original Duo hit the shelves, it carried a $1,399 price tag. Since then, the price has dipped to fire-sale levels, hovering around a far-more-palatable $400. So, when Microsoft introduced the Surface Duo 2 at a higher price point, it's bound to give you some pause, and rightly so.

Last week, I wrote up my wishlist for what we needed to see in the Surface Duo 2. Long story short, I asked that Microsoft ditch the not-a-phone narrative, add in flagship specifications, and for the love of Pete, fix the software. Today we found out that Microsoft at least checked one of those boxes.

Read more
The new purple iPhone 12 looks awesome in person
iPhone 12 in purple.

Apple's iPhone 12 was first released in October 2020, around six months ago. The phone is still among the best devices you can buy, but the buzz around it has worn off a little -- until Apple released a new color option for the phone at its April 20 spring event.

There's nothing really new about the purple iPhone 12. It has the same high-end A14 Bionic processor, coupled with the same flat-edged design and solid OLED display. In other words, if you already have an iPhone 12, you probably won't want to trade it in for the new purple iPhone 12.

Read more