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.
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.
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.