- Leaker Evan Blass shared new images of the Surface Duo.
- It appears that AT&T will be carrying the collapsible in the US.
- We also see the Google and Microsoft apps that are likely to come with the device in advance.
With Microsoft expected to release the Surface Duo before the end of the year, leaker Evan Blass has shared new images of the upcoming Android foldable. Not surprisingly, almost nothing has changed about the Duo’s appearance since Microsoft announced the device last fall. However, we see a flash forward that was not present in the first images Microsoft shared of the device.
In addition to the photos, Blass did not say much else about the device. However, the title of its Patreon posts suggests that AT&T will carry the collapsible in the US. It is possible that the Duo could have been exclusive to the carrier.
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While Microsoft’s a foldable form factor is plausible, we’re more interested to see how the company adapts Android to two monitors. We got a detailed example of that earlier in the summer then Windows Central shared a 30-minute video with a recent emulator build of Duo software. The video provides a glimpse at App Groups, a feature that allows you to create a shortcut that launches two apps at once. You can see one of those shortcuts in the renderers that Blass shared.
The images also give us some clues about the software that may come preloaded with the device. As you can see from the image above, there is a Google search bar. Elsewhere, you can see Microsoft mainstays like Edge, OneNote, and Outlook alongside their Google equivalents like Gmail and Chrome. Of course, Microsoft wants its apps front and center, but access to Google Play Services also means including Google software.
According to journalist Paul Thurrott, Microsoft will hold a virtual Surface briefing on August 12th. The company will likely discuss the Surface Duo at the event. If that ends the case, we could see Microsoft launching the foldable sooner rather than later.
