Microsoft's Surface Duo lineup takes a different approach than most foldables on the market. It has two displays that face each other, and the entire device is built around multitasking. The Surface Duo saw quite a bit of refinement between its first and second generation, but a lot of devices only hit their full stride on gen 3. In comes the hope of a potential Surface Duo 3, which will take the best of its predecessors, mix in some innovation from around the industry, and add a splash of Panos Panay magic.
While we don't know if or when a Surface Duo 3 will come out for certain, we can still speculate about the direction Microsoft will take with foldables.
Rather than a single poll, we have a survey asking about several topics related to a potential Surface Duo 3. Here are the questions in the survey:
- What is the biggest barrier to a potential Surface Duo 3's success?
- Please rank the following aspects of a potential Surface Duo 3 from most important to least important.
- Which types of devices do you view as direct competitors to a potential Surface Duo 3?
- How much would you pay for a potential Surface Duo 3?
- What would you change about a potential Surface Duo 3 compared to the Surface Duo 2 or original Surface Duo?
In addition to our survey, you can hop on over to our Discord to discuss the potential Surface Duo 3.
Plans are always subject to change, especially when it comes to Surface hardware. But back in February, our senior editor Zac Bowden said that he expected a Surface Duo 3 at some point but that he did not expect Microsoft to release it in 2022. Instead, Microsoft plans to focus on software and OS improvements for the currently available Surface Duo devices. Of course, these benefits would likely pave the way for a better Surface Duo 3, should one come along.
Waiting until 2023 would also give Microsoft longer to work with Android 12L, which is built for foldables. At this point, it appears likely that Android 12L will ship before any potential Surface Duo 3 (Android 12L previews are already available for some devices), so Microsoft would have a bit of breathing room leading up to a hardware launch.
