Microsoft Still Hopes the Surface Duo Would Become an iPhone Killer

Surface Duo is Microsoft’s first-ever Android device

At first glance, Microsoft’s Surface Duo isn’t necessarily a mainstream phone, simply because the Redmond-based tech giant has always been obsessed with productivity and helping you do things even on the go.

And the Surface Duo is an evolution of this approach, with the dual-screen form factor making it possible for anyone to remain productive even when outside of the office.

This is the message Microsoft has insisted on since the company rolled out the Surface Duo, despite parts of its marketing strategy actually suggesting the Surface Duo could eventually become the kind of phone that you can very well use for browsing Instagram and things that have little in common with productivity.

The Surface Duo is a device that can do pretty much anything, and Google’s Android is what makes this possible. And while Microsoft keeps saying the Surface Duo isn’t necessarily a smartphone, it actually is. And what’s more, it’s an iPhone rival by any means.

Despite all this obsession for productivity, Microsoft can’t ignore the consumer side of the Surface Duo, this is pretty clear. And you don’t have to trust me on this, just look at how the company actually teased the device before announcing it. The Surface Duo very often showed up in pictures where it was used to display recipes, so at the end of the day, this isn’t just a productivity device, but a consumer-friendly product too.

Pretty much like the iPhone, the Google Pixel, and Samsung’s Galaxy Note too. In fact, the Note is also a device that’s built with productivity in mind, and the S Pen is an accessory that also helps people do things in a more natural way. So what sets the Surface Duo aside from the rest of the crowd is the dual-screen form factor, but other than that, it’s an iPhone alternative like any other.

If the Samsung Galaxy Note comes with an S Pen, the Surface Duo has a dual-screen form factor, so eventually, each model has its own magic element that helps target a niche.

The living proof the Surface Duo is going after consumers too is a recent update released for TikTok and which brings the Internet phenomenon to Microsoft’s Android smartphone.

“Customers love what Surface Duo allows them to accomplish with existing applications, and our partners are doing amazing work to optimize their experiences across two screens. At launch, we showcased Amazon Kindle and the incredible work they’ve done to allow you to read a book like a book on Surface Duo. Spotify has embraced dual-screen capabilities to improve music discovery. We’re excited to share that TikTok has released an enhanced app that brings entirely new experiences that light up on Surface Duo. Optimized for two screens, you can discover videos customized for you while, at the same time, exploring relevant hashtags, the latest trends and more,” Microsoft announced earlier this year.

But of course, Microsoft isn’t ready to give up on its productivity focus.

“With Surface Duo, we set out to unlock new levels of mobile productivity and reduce the need to reach for a larger screen to complete quick productivity tasks. With enhanced Microsoft 365 apps, productivity can take place across two distinct screens, enabling true multi-tasking. Whether viewing your Outlook Mail and Calendar side-by-side or seeing your colleagues and the presentation simultaneously on Teams, the magic of Surface Duo is the intersection of hardware and software in the palm of your hand,” it says.

Now that the Surface Duo is here, the company can focus on what’s next for its Android push. Unfortunately, a phone with a traditional form factor is still nowhere to be seen, so it remains to be seen if the company wants to battle the iPhone on its own playground.