Surface Phone fans are hoping that a grassroots campaign will help persuade Microsoft to reverse its reported decision on cancelling its unannounced dual-screen computing device. A Change.org petition is asking hopeful buyers of the Surface Phone to add their signatures in an effort to convince Microsoft to continue its course in launching the project later this year, which was known by its Andromeda code name.
“All the fans of Windows Phone want Microsoft to release the Surface Phone aka Surface Andromeda Phone Project that has been leaking out lately with the phone screen that can turn into a tablet,” the petition reads. “Money is power and if a lot of people want a Surface phone like the ones in the leaks then they will be forced into action as everyone knows Microsoft wouldn’t be able to give a reason on why not to do it to there [sic] investors, as its too much of a money opportunity to miss.”
The original writer of the Change.org petition, Zachary Hinski, speculates that consumers may not mind paying $799-$999 for the device. That cost would be in line with the price for some of today’s flagship phones, including iPhone models from Apple, but it’s unclear if Microsoft would be able to get the price that low, given the innovative size and components that would have gone into the design.
Although Microsoft never formally announced that it was working on such a device, recent leaks suggest that the Surface Phone would be a “disruptive” device that can transform into five distinct modes thanks to a 360-degree hinge. However, unlike convertible notebooks today, the Surface Phone would come in a more compact design that’s said to be pocketable, allowing it to look and feel more like a smartphone when it’s closed.
Most recently, it was reported that Microsoft is rethinking its Surface Phone strategy. “This is partially because of scheduling and quality, sources say, but more so because there’s still no compelling reason for Microsoft to come to market with its current iteration of a small, dual-screen mobile device,” ZDNet reports. However, ZDNet said that this doesn’t mean that the Surface Phone has canceled and it could still launch at some point in the future with a form factor that is more like a small foldable PC rather than a phone-sized device.
Technically, since Microsoft never formally announced the device, the Surface Phone was never really “canceled” by the company. For his part, Hinski said that he created the petition as a survey “to see how many people would buy this phone if Microsoft would release it.” At the time of this posting, the petition had 250 supporters.
