Microsoft’s
Lumia 950 and 950 XL have only been out for about a month, but those
handsets may only be a stepping stone to the next big thing for Windows
10 phones.
On episode 445 of This Week in Tech’s Windows Weekly
podcast, Microsoft executive vice president and chief marketing officer
Chris Capossela revealed that Microsoft is hard at work producing a
“breakthrough” smartphone that is the spiritual equivalent of what its
Surface is for laptops. This new product will be separate from
Microsoft’s existing line of Lumia products, although Capossela
refrained from identifying the new device as part of the Surface line
either.
This
development suggests that Microsoft may be looking to further blur the
lines between Windows 10 on phones and PCs by offering a hybrid device
that can truly serve a primary computing device when you’re at your
desk, while also offering a more robust productivity environment when
you’re on-the-go.
Currently,
with the help of a dock, the Continuum feature on Microsoft’s Lumia 950
and 950 XL can create a desktop-like experience when connected to an
external monitor and peripherals. This includes a task bar running
across the bottom of screen, mouse recognition and support for a lot of
the keyboard shortcut and commands PCs users are familiar with. But to
call it a full Windows environment is a bit of a stretch.
Continuum’s
range of supported apps is limited to some of Microsoft’s wares (such
as Word and Excel) and some major staples like Facebook and Google Docs.
Other big-name apps, such as Netflix and Twitter, didn't work on the
big screen. Also, Multitasking with Continuum isn’t quite the same as on
a real PC, as you are limited to one app at a time, and many apps that
do work aren't really optimized for a big desktop display.
The
Surface line of hybrids redefined what a tablet can do, and from the
sound of it, this new Surface-inspired phone may be the catalyst
Microsoft needs to become a real player in the mobile space.
Unfortunately, Capossela was mum on when we this device will be
released. Instead, he asked for patience, saying that Microsoft needed
time to take the idea from concept to reality.
If Microsoft builds it, would you switch?
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