Microsoft Is Done Updating Its Surface Duo Foldable Phone
After three years and two major OS upgrades, Microsoft will no longer update the original $1,500 Surface Duo. The follow-up Surface Duo 2 will see updates for another year, though it has seen even fewer major OS upgrades.
Microsoft's first venture into Android phones started with both a bang and a whimper. It was an interesting take on the foldable form factor, though it wasn't truly a foldable. Instead, the company created a dual-screened phone, which came with several advantages. It could fold all the way around, unlike other foldables; the inner display wasn't plastic; and thanks to a lot of work, it could multitask in ways no other foldable could come close to at the time.
If that had been the end of the story, the Surface Duo might have been a success. But, alas, the phone's pretty terrible cameras, buggy OS, and lack of support from developers kept it from reaching its true potential. And that's leaving aside the device's thin USB-C port, which tended to crack from just plugging in a charger.
The Surface Duo still has fans, especially among the Microsoft die-hards. But for those who love the original (the Surface Duo 2 has its issues), there's only bad news: after three years, the Surface Duo won't see any further updates. The Duo started with a heavily customized version of Android 10 and made it to Android 12L, two OS versions above where it started. But that's already behind the average, as most premium smartphones get at least three OS updates. And at $1,400, it's hard to argue this Surface Duo wasn't priced as a premium phone.
Worse yet, Microsoft won't provide security updates for anyone still holding onto the aging phone. That's not a reassuring fact at all for an expensive Android phone. The original Duo
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