Microsoft's DS Phone (Surface Duo) officially priced at an eye watering $1399 for a Snapdragon 855 and 6GB of RAM

[Streaks]

Curious about this, what specifically makes this device appealing to enterprise? Serious question, the last time I thought about phones specifically aimed at the business market was Blackberries, and since this doesn't have a physical keyboard that particular appeal is gone.

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It's a productivity device. They demo Outlook, Teams, taking notes in OneNote, the option to 'scan documents' with the camera. Essentially an Office 365 super device. It's like a business device you can do personal things with as opposed to Apple that makes consumer phones that you can do business with...if that makes sense?

 

[Soundchaser]

Nothing to go back and fourth about to detail thread. I personally donot think this tech is worth the risk. 4G works just fine for me and WiFi is pretty much everywhere these days.

Phone is pricey though. Sheesh

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How's that tinfoil hat on your head, not too tight I hope?

 

[Equanimity]

Is it a space station?



Isn't it thinner?

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I don't know the actual dimensions, it looks bigger, afaict.

I'll take a look at the side by side comparison whenever it's available on YouTube.

 

[dallow_bg]

You can easily find online countries that have halted 5G rollout. You can do your own investigation.

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Oof.

 

[Bomblord]

I don't know the actual dimensions, it looks bigger, afaict.

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Looks to be significantly thinner. Like folded it's nearly the same thickness as some mainstream phones.

 

[Equanimity]

Looks to be significantly thinner. Like folded it's nearly the same thickness as some mainstream phones.

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cool

 

[chrominance]

It's a productivity device. They demo Outlook, Teams, taking notes in OneNote, the option to 'scan documents' with the camera. Essentially an Office 365 super device. It's like a business device you can do personal things with as opposed to Apple that makes consumer phones that you can do business with...if that makes sense?

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Yup, you and Bomblord explained it pretty well.

I do wonder how many people will pick it up for business purposes in this climate, but I guess we'll see. Not sure that any of the business aspects listed would raise the price over a consumer-focused model specifically (i.e. if Microsoft wants to put out one of these for a wider audience, what could they cut to bring the price down?), but maybe Microsoft's trying to take advantage of expense-account inflation here.

 

[DeadeyeNull]

Maybe it requires more power = less battery time? Not sure.

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When I was looking up reviews for my current phone this was definitely something that got brought up. It has a bigger battery then average but supposedly drains very fast when connected to 5g. There isn't 5g in my area so I didn't consider it a big deal.

 

[El Crono]

For the price I expected it would include some sort of pen. It's still a fascinating device and one that I'd consider switching to, but the price tag will certainly narrow its market.

 

[Jeff ChickenDig]

The lack of nfc is baffling.


But yeah no one is buying this at msrp. Curious how much its priced for enterprise partners.


The timing is just unfortunate though.

Seems like the ultimate road warrior device in a time where road warriors and 'offices' kinda don't exist, and probably won't be normal for years.


Also honestly if you are paying $1400, might as well pay $2000 for the much better galaxy fold 2?

 

[gogojira]

Nobody is going to use it like the life device they want it to be. For starters, nobody is going to buy the damn thing at that price.

 

[Ganondolf]

Not suprised by the price is is a Surface product. The specs are a bit low but no nfc seems crazy.

maybe they are really looking to sell it as a mini tablet with the phone part as a secondary feature.

ps. Most people are more interested in the windows version.

 

[pswii60]

Is it a space station?

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Probably closer to a space station than a phone :)

 

[fourfourfun]

You also have to tailor this with Windows being an absolutely atrocious portable device OS.

 

[Deleted member 17860]

lol MS tryna compete with apple's over pricing.... looks like a poor mans ipad 600 dollars too high

 

[hwalker84]

The lack of nfc is baffling.


But yeah no one is buying this at msrp. Curious how much its priced for enterprise partners.


The timing is just unfortunate though.

Seems like the ultimate road warrior device in a time where road warriors and 'offices' kinda don't exist, and probably won't be normal for years.


Also honestly if you are paying $1400, might as well pay $2000 for the much better galaxy fold 2?

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Trading in my Note 10+ makes this a much easier pill to swallow. What isn't an easy pill is the lack of wireless charging (I have a work wireless charging radio, My nightstand phone charger is the Samsung Dual charger, and my car charger is an Anker wireless charger) and NFC for mobile payment. Also this device needs an integrated pen badly. I'm not carrying the slim pen in my pocket. WTF? Just some maddening design choices even for a gen 1 device.

 

[hwalker84]

You also have to tailor this with Windows being an absolutely atrocious portable device OS.

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This runs Android

 

[fourfourfun]

This runs Android

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I'm mistaking this for their other thing with the Windows dual screen os then. I remember two were announced.

 

[Jeff ChickenDig]

On a related note, LG has been making second screen cases for their flagships for a while now with similar functionality (heck the office suite apps work already with the multi screen stuff). It obviously doesn't look as sexy, but the cameras are much better, has wireless charging, a decent DAC with headphone jack, nfc, and also its like half the price.

 

[Antony]

You can easily find online countries that have halted 5G rollout. You can do your own investigation.

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You can't be serious...?

 

[TheChronic2060]

This is pretty cool.

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Official trailer



Theyre showing the game pass app on a home screen, and someone playing a game with a controller.

 

[jelly]

In a world with $1000 phones, it's not really overpriced for what it is. Lacking some features sure and arguably latest tech but I wouldn't say it's overpriced.

 

[zzz]

6GB is a non-starter at any price for a dual display device.

 

[Aminga]

Wth? I'm arguing?👀 Chill out poster. Like I mentioned I'm not going to post anything back and fourth since this is not what this thread is about. Also, my first response to this thread was in relation to the news from Microsoft not supporting 5g in the duo. That's it and with that I will not be entertaining any more 5g responses. Thank you.

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You literally said there's a risk and then run away? I'm also curious what are these risks your trying to tell us about, 5g has been good when I'm around it.

 

[Sosukae]

Been following this since the announcement. Will be cool to see if some of the emulators get updates for the dual screens. It looks really nice. I think the next version of this with all the extras that are missing would make grab one.

 

[nihilence]

855 is easy better than 655. Still expensive.

 

[The Iron Banana]

Eh it's a new device. People complaining about price and lack of features, etc. aren't the target audience for this and never were. The price isn't bad really because this is what you have paid last year for it had the software been ready so what's the difference, especially as I guarantee quite a few are still paying on a device they bought last year at similar prices (Note 10+ as an example). It's not DOA, it's not a waste of money, it's a new product that I'm sure MS is well aware won't sell like hotcakes. That's never the purpose of devices like this. Some of you are funny.

 

[Sunnz]

Actually looks pretty good from that YouTube video.
Quite pricey but for its price I see more value in this than all those £1000 phones from other brands

 

[Vagabond]

I feel like it would be worth owning a 2nd generation of this phone but the first generation is so botched it will never reach gen 2.

I love that hinge and the device thinness it can provide. I hope they bring that to the Windows Surface line.

A slightly bigger/thicker version meant primarily as a tablet with Windows would be perfect.

 

[LightKiosk]

Can't help but feel Samsung's execution and design philosophy of the Fold is so much better.

 

[Spinluck]

There is no phone on the planet that is worth this price to me. Not sure what MS is thinking.

 

[Diarrhea Day-Lewis]

Looking pictures of the device, it is sleek AF. Price is insane, especially for specs.

I can't help but want Nintendo to make a foldable Switch like this.

 

[kmfdmpig]

Eh it's a new device. People complaining about price and lack of features, etc. aren't the target audience for this and never were. The price isn't bad really because this is what you have paid last year for it had the software been ready so what's the difference, especially as I guarantee quite a few are still paying on a device they bought last year at similar prices (Note 10+ as an example). It's not DOA, it's not a waste of money, it's a new product that I'm sure MS is well aware won't sell like hotcakes. That's never the purpose of devices like this. Some of you are funny.

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Agreed. Am I getting it? No. Does it have some appeal, however, as a phone that can essentially double as a tablet? Yes.

 

[Deleted member 69501]

You can easily find online countries that have halted 5G rollout. You can do your own investigation.

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Says there's a risk ....then tells us to do our own research. Seriously though, if there's a problem with 5G I definitely would like to know your source ...cause I'm holding an s20 in my hand rn.

 

[hwalker84]

What happened to the keyboard accessory?

 

[dock]

Interesting to see how weird the Surface line has become. Plenty of business folk that live in Microsoft Office and this could work out great for enterprise.

The Surface Duo is basically the Microsoft Courier!

 

[Fabtacular]

I feel like all of the takes from the gadget blogs have been way more positive than expected.

For something that's pretty clearly aimed at being a "road warrior" solution, the timing (and the economic situation) is pretty unfortunate.

If we weren't in a console cycle year I'd be interested in looking at this for my current upgrade. Instead I'll probably go with the small iphone.

 

[secretanchitman]

Says there's a risk ....then tells us to do our own research. Seriously though, if there's a problem with 5G I definitely would like to know your source ...cause I'm holding an s20 in my hand rn.

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Exactly. There hasn't been an issue with 5G that I'm aware of except for all the conspiracy theories that 5G causes Corona or cancer and people literally setting the towers on fire overseas.

Trials and rollouts are going fine all over and I'm pretty sure that both governments and engineers have more than validated that there isn't a health concern for 5G. Clearly most (if not all) of the major manufacturers are developing 5G capable phones (both mmWave and Sub 6Ghz) and they do plenty of testing to make sure their handsets are fine for very widespread/global use. If this was an issue, we would be seeing it years later after using microwaves, being scanned at the airport, sitting in front of a computer or tv, and especially after the rollout of 2G (CDMA, GSM), 3G (EVDO, HSDPA), 4G LTE, and now 5G.

 

[Deleted member 8166]

Wth? I'm arguing?👀 Chill out poster. Like I mentioned I'm not going to post anything back and fourth since this is not what this thread is about. Also, my first response to this thread was in relation to the news from Microsoft not supporting 5g in the duo. That's it and with that I will not be entertaining any more 5g responses. Thank you.

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That's some great comedy.

 

[Jade1962]

Why aren't they dipping into the war chest to subsidize the price? Guess they aren't too serious about the phone business.

 

[Irrotational]

I'm slightly boggled that it has android on it (in a good way).

I was listening to a podcast a few days ago that mentioned the courier, the fact it was a J allard device, and that it got canned because they wanted to run a slightly modified version of Windows on it... And the head of Windows told them no.

 

[Bomblord]

What happened to the keyboard accessory?

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That was the Surface Neo which was the 10" screen Windows version of this

 

[Cronogear]

I was waiting for this to see how much it might be. I can understand paying more than the average smartphone for it, but the high price combined with mediocre specs (only having 6GB of RAM in a phone designed for multitasking) make it a no go.

Still a cool concept though.

 

[The Boat]

You can easily find online countries that have halted 5G rollout. You can do your own investigation.

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Wow, a 5G conspiracy theorist on ERA!

 

[brawndolicious]

MS should make a cheap phone built for xCloud only.

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.....rather than utilizing the billions of smartphones already in peoples hands?

 

[Bomblord]

I can't find an answer to this but does anyone know if this does video out?

 

[Deleted member 69501]

Exactly. There hasn't been an issue with 5G that I'm aware of except for all the conspiracy theories that 5G causes Corona or cancer and people literally setting the towers on fire overseas.

Trials and rollouts are going fine all over and I'm pretty sure that both governments and engineers have more than validated that there isn't a health concern for 5G. Clearly most (if not all) of the major manufacturers are developing 5G capable phones (both mmWave and Sub 6Ghz) and they do plenty of testing to make sure their handsets are fine for very widespread/global use. If this was an issue, we would be seeing it years later after using microwaves, being scanned at the airport, sitting in front of a computer or tv, and especially after the rollout of 2G (CDMA, GSM), 3G (EVDO, HSDPA), 4G LTE, and now 5G.

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Amen! I don't wanna derail the thread further so Imma just say this. If anyone has information about the dangers of a product that's substantiated by qualified professionals, by all means share that information!!! Let us read, critique, agree, or disagree. Otherwise, you're no better then the conspiracy theorists, even if you happen to be telling, 100% the truth.

 

[rashbeep]

i really like the look of the phone, but yea way too high

 

[Combichristoffersen]

Why? 5G is bad in some way(I really don't know)?

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5G is a Satanic communist ploy by George Soros, Bill Gates, Hillary and pedo Democrats that causes Coronavirus and turns the frogs gay.

And ehhhh @ that price. Sure, it's a productivity device and all that, but $14k for a phone? Can't see this selling all that well.

 

[Bomblord]

I was waiting for this to see how much it might be. I can understand paying more than the average smartphone for it, but the high price combined with mediocre specs (only having 6GB of RAM in a phone designed for multitasking) make it a no go.

Still a cool concept though.

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While I would like to see more given the price I don't think 6GB is going to affect multi-tasking 2 apps.