Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Microsoft announces new Surface Duo phone

theverge.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

91–100 of 183 posts

Re: Microsoft announces new Surface Duo phone

#91

Post by WorldMaker »

chooseaname wrote: post #83
danielovichdk wrote: post #55

I miss Windows Phone everyday. The best designed UI imo, and a great alternative to Ios and android.

I wasn't a fan of the UI, but I can still appreciate the speed and fluidity of the phones I saw my friends using. We certainly need more than just iOS and Android in the market. But, I guess I'm wrong as the market spoke...

It wasn't even "the market" that spoke so much as US telecom companies. ("Vote with your wallet just means the rich and the mega-corporations have more votes.") Windows Phone had a good enough market share in Europe and Asia to remain a viable and competitive third place contender for a long time. It was the US where Windows Phone got locked out of the market duopoly by bad deals with AT&T and Verizon, and indications existed that all of the US telecoms were much happier with a duopoly than training/sales/marketing anything beyond that (whether or not that was an anti-competitive trust is left for your own imagination, it's not like the US has strong anti-trust teeth right now).

Re: Microsoft announces new Surface Duo phone

#92

Post by WorldMaker »

nemothekid wrote: post #33

1. Is Windows Mobile Dead? 2. Does anyone remember the name of a similar Microsoft notebook that was teased 5-10 years ago? It was a foldable notebook and notetaking device kind of like Remarkable. I wonder if this is the spiritual child of that.

Re: 1: The last official OS builds for Windows Phone expire from security support next month (November 2019). Microsoft has been telling owners to move to iOS or (especially) Android for months now. (It's why I've got an iPhone again in my pocket now after years of Windows Phones. Sigh.)

Re: Microsoft announces new Surface Duo phone

#93

Post by WorldMaker »

SketchySeaBeast wrote: post #13

Given how badly they flubbed their entries into smartphones, I'm kind of glad they are trying again in this new form-factor. Given that it's relying on Android, it should have more staying power than before (and an app store that isn't awful).

Given it's relying on Android now and doesn't seem to have (based on this announcement) any compelling reason to exist long term in the ugly, over-crowded OEM market of Android marketing, it's a gimmick and shouldn't have any staying power at all.

Re: Microsoft announces new Surface Duo phone

#95

Post by WorldMaker »

EnderMB wrote: post #18

I really hope that we see a single-screen Surface phone in the future. IMO, Microsoft have done a fantastic job with the Surface Book. If they could replicate that high-end build quality while providing a solid feature set and a clean Android build, I can't see it not selling well. Throw a headphone jack in, and I'd wait in line for it! The dual screen is interesting, but I don't see its use just yet.

Why would they make a single-screen phone for Android when the market is already saturated with them? (It's silly enough for them to make a dual screen phone for Android when all the existing OEMs are already trying to hype future foldables or multi-screen beasts.)

Re: Microsoft announces new Surface Duo phone

#96

Post by RandomBacon »

BOBOTWINSTON wrote: post #74
pier25 wrote: post #47

Personally I don't see the attractive in dual screen devices unless we reach Westworld-like devices that are super thin and can go from phone to large tablet that can potentially replace a laptop. Otherwise it's just a thick phone that converts to 2 phones... In case anyone hasn't seen Westworld: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3dD7jOLaes

I'm excited for two reasons. I find the ability to completely "close" my phone really appealing. It feels easier to ignore it, and the screens feel more protected to me. I can also only describe the second benefit as "its like two monitors". I can watch TV on one and respond to messages/browse on another. I use a Note8+ already, so big screens for watching crap are already my preference though.

As long as there is enough clearance between the two screens to add a temper glass screen protector to each.

Every phone I've had with a case, grit collects betweeen the case and the back of the phone and scratches the phone up. I can imagine the same thing happening between the two screens if folded in my pocket.

Re: Microsoft announces new Surface Duo phone

#97

Post by Konnstann »

BOBOTWINSTON wrote: post #74
pier25 wrote: post #47

Personally I don't see the attractive in dual screen devices unless we reach Westworld-like devices that are super thin and can go from phone to large tablet that can potentially replace a laptop. Otherwise it's just a thick phone that converts to 2 phones... In case anyone hasn't seen Westworld: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3dD7jOLaes

I'm excited for two reasons. I find the ability to completely "close" my phone really appealing. It feels easier to ignore it, and the screens feel more protected to me. I can also only describe the second benefit as "its like two monitors". I can watch TV on one and respond to messages/browse on another. I use a Note8+ already, so big screens for watching crap are already my preference though.

Only problem is I like messaging in portrait mode, but watching things in landscape. Kind of kills the benefit for me.

Re: Microsoft announces new Surface Duo phone

#99

Post by h4waii »

mrpippy wrote: post #73

It's odd that they would announce it's powered by a Snapdragon 855--a chip which is already a year old, and will be two years old by the time this device actually launches. Hopefully they'll upgrade that before launch.

A high-end SoC from 1 year or 2 years ago is hardly the constraint on modern devices.

I doubt the average person can even tell the difference from a 660, to a 835, or an 855, given all the rest of the components (mainly storage) are the same.

Post reply on HN