Well Microsoft is kind of getting back into

making smartphones.

This is Surface Duo,

and it runs Android.

Not Windows or Windows Phone.

That's right.

Microsoft is making a Surface phone with Android.

If that sounds surprising,

it's because it really is.

But we'll get back into the Android side

in a minute.

Duo is part of two new futuristic

dual-screen devices that Microsoft announced today.

And they're coming in Holiday 2020.

Surface Duo has two 5.6 inch displays

that fold out into an 8.3 inch device overall.

And it's just 4.8 millimeters thin.

It folds like many two-in-one laptops

thanks to a 360 degrees hinge.

And it's designed to get more done on the go.

It looks tiny for this type of device,

and it felt kind of like a Galaxy Note

in my pocket.

Now, I wasn't allowed to play around

with the software on this device,

but it looks and feels like a tiny pocket tablet

that's also a phone.

The difference between this

and any other Android phone,

except maybe the Galaxy Fold,

is visually obvious.

But Microsoft thinks this is part of

a new category of devices

that allow people to do a lot more

with tablets and phones than they do today.

As part of this idea,

Microsoft also announced a Surface Neo device today.

Which has two larger 9 inch displays.

The Duo and the Neo

share a very similar design,

but they don't share a common operating system.

Neo, the larger dual-screen device,

runs Windows 10 X,

and has all your familiar desktop and tablet apps.

The reason this isn't running Windows Phone

is because Microsoft gave up on that

operating system years ago,

when it couldn't convince developers

to create apps for it's devices.

Now we sat down with

Microsoft's Chief Product Officer,

Panos Panay,

on the Vergecast this week,

to talk about why Microsoft chose Android this time

for the Surface Duo.

- [Panay] Well because,

those are the apps you want.

I don't know how to answer it

differently for you.

Because there's hundreds of thousands of apps

and you want them.

Asati and I talked about it,

it's about meeting our customers where they are.

And I don't think the, you know,

the mobile application platform's

going anywhere any time soon,

you need the apps.

- So you'll get the apps you'd expect

from a phone inside the dual-screen device,

but how is this different from any other

smartphone?

I mean it obviously looks different.

And the main idea is making use

of these two displays

in ways we're only starting to see

other Android phone makers explore.

You could run a game on one side,

and a game pad on the other,

or multi-task by dragging and dropping content

between apps.

Microsoft hasn't thought of everything you'd do

with the Surface Duo just yet,

but that's why it's announcing it now

so developers can fill in the gaps.

They're really aiming to introduce

a new form factor here,

and a way for a device to adjust itself on the go,

no matter the task.

We've seen foldable devices

from Huawei and Samsung,

but the Duo has two separate displays

that are made of glass,

rather than foldable plastic.

Which given the issues with Samsung's Galaxy Fold,

that might be a good choice right now.

Microsoft has been working on this hardware

for three years,

and Panos Panay tells us that

this device won't change much

by the time it debuts late next year.

The real key question will be whether

Android app developers

create the apps and experiences that really

take advantage of this dual-screen device.

And whether consumers want this type of hardware

in a phone form factor in the first place.

That's why Microsoft also has its largest

Surface Neo device running Windows.

And it really feels like the company

wants to offer a Surface

at every shape and size.

Microsoft also seems to be implying

that the operating system really

doesn't matter for Surface devices anymore.

And it's willing to partner with Google and others

to offer what makes sense.

So does that means that Android is the future

for Microsoft?

- [Panay] (clears throat) No no no no no no.

You want to give customers what they want

in the form factor that they're using.

We've learned this, you know,

the right operating system on the wrong product

or the other way around, pick your words,

but what's the right operating system

for the form factor?

And in this case,

in mobile devices, Android's the obvious choice.

But anything above that,

Windows is everything.

Superior for me.

- So, will the Surface Duo and the Surface Neo

combine in the future?

Will there be a smartphone that turns into a tablet,

that then turns into a laptop,

then you dock and turns into a real PC?

We're years away from anything even

getting close to that.

But it opens up the questions

about where this dual-screen

and foldable hardware is going exactly.

And they're really hard questions to answer

right now.

Microsoft will now need to convince

app developers and consumers that these

dual-screen devices are truly the new

device category that we've all been waiting for.

Wherever things end up,

it looks like Microsoft want to be ready

at every point with Surface.

You want a phone that's a little bit

more than a phone that has an extra display?

Surface Duo.

You want a tablet that transforms into a laptop?

Surface Neo or Surface Pro.

Microsoft is covering every hardware base here,

and it's leaving it up to you

to decide what device you actually need.

- [Panay] You know, I think like anything,

look at the product you think is

most interesting to you and where you

think you can be more creative,

that's what I would push.

And I think this products gonna be there

next year.

Not in a hurry,

you know, hang out.

Take photos or do whatever it is you do

on your phone today for a little bit longer

and then, see if we can convince you

that you can be more creative on this product.

- It's been a crazy day of Surface devices

and there's a bunch of hands-on videos

you should check out on our YouTube channel.

Be sure to also definitely check out the Vergecast,

'cause it has the full interview with Panos Panay,

and you don't wanna miss it.