In 2019, Microsoft revealed two innovative devices for its Surface catalogue. Aside from its annual hardware refresh, there were some new entries that debuted during the company's press event. Nevertheless, the biggest surprises were the manufacturer's own take on foldable gadgets. The Surface Neo and Surface Duo were originally planned for release later this year, but it seems only the Android handset will launch in 2020. Now, a fresh set of leaks detail what consumers can expect from the unique platform.

Shortly after Royole marketed its FlexPai foldable Smartphone in 2018, Samsung developed its own called the Galaxy Fold. Motorola soon followed with its RAZR clamshell foldable, which was eventually surpassed by the Galaxy Z Flip. After pointing out durability issues when it comes to current flexible display technology, Microsoft opted to use a dual-screen configuration as an alternative.

The latest leaks were published by Windows Central which finally sheds some light regarding the key specifications of the Surface Duo. Starting with the two 5.6-inch screens, these are apparently using AMOLED technology a resolution of 1800 x 1350 each. As previously confirmed, there will be no exterior display, which still begs the question as to how it will handle notifications or alerts.

It will be equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset with 6 GB of RAM on board. The chipset was used by most flagship models in 2019 and does not support 5G connectivity. As for the storage options, there are two listed: 64 GB and 256 GB. Unfortunately, it appears that there is no option to expand the storage via microSD.

Biometric security is available via a fingerprint sensor, but it is yet to be confirmed where it will be mounted. As for the imaging department, it will use a single 11-megapixel camera. Much like other devices under its label, Surface Pen support is included. Finally, the battery capacity is 3,460 mAh, which is on the low-side given that it will have two screens.

Microsoft Surface Duo
Microsoft will get back into the smartphone market with a new kind of folding device call Surface Duo, which will be launched next year and will be compatible with Android apps from tech rival Google's mobile operating system Microsoft / HO

When Microsoft first presented the Surface Duo, tech pundits were reportedly caught by surprise. Many thought it would run on a special version of Windows, but ended up with Android on board. According to chief product officer Panos Panay, the developers opted for Google's mobile device operating system to appeal to the general market. Meanwhile, it will focus on optimising the software to run its apps to enhance productivity.

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