Shared by Evan Blass on Twitter, this Surface Phone concept leverages Microsoft's renowned industrial design with a holographic twist.
Produced by Casmir Valeri, this concept offers a glimpse at the possibilities.
Valeri's Surface Phone concept sports all the expected features. Inking, continuum, with a Surface Book-like metallic chassis.
Unlike some of the other concepts floating around, Valeri's Surface Phone design doesn't include the anticipated multi-screen form factor as hinted at by Microsoft's various patents.
It does, however, include a cover that provides additional USB-C ports, boosted battery life, complete with a friction hinge that provides landscape viewing and tent mode.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect is the 3D-scanning concept Valeri has baked into the Surface Phone's camera. As Microsoft pushes further into holographic territory, I think it's fair to expect some sort of mixed reality play with any prospective Surface Phone, and maybe this could be it.
Microsoft does have a wealth of 3D scanning technology in their arsenal. From HoloLens' proximity mapping to Kinect's shape scanning tech, taking the real world into the virtual world would create a compelling USP for industries looking to dive deeper into these sorts of emerging markets.
As Microsoft continues to scale back its efforts in mobile, you have to wonder whether or not a "Surface Phone" will even see the light of day. However, with Windows 10 on ARM, the promise of continued updates to Windows 10 Mobile, and vague statements about future paradigms, there's still some hope. Albeit a slither.
What do you think of these Surface Phone concepts? Hit the comments, and be sure to check out the full presentation on Valeri's Behance page.
