Rumors indicate Microsoft will not release the Surface Phone until 2018 or 2019 but one Android flagship device promises to a better replacement. That would be the just unveiled Samsung Galaxy S8 and the device is confirmed to roll out in Microsoft Edition beginning April 21.
The GS8 and GS8+ optimized with Microsoft apps and functionalities will initially sell in the United States and according to Engadget, preorder has already commenced. Wider availability is expected on April 21st, the report added.
In a statement, Microsoft said the GS8/S8+ marked with Microsoft Edition will be customized with applications such as Office, OneDrive, Cortana, Outlook and more for an enhanced productivity experience. "A Microsoft customization is applied to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ Microsoft Edition when the devices are unboxed and connected to Wi-Fi," the tech giant said.
In addition to the productivity apps that will be readily accessible to GS8 and GS8+ users, Microsoft said professionals will gain easy gateway to platforms that are also part of Microsoft's product portfolio such as LinkedIn and Wunderlist. The devices will serve as a pro tool on a pocket that is fully optimized too on the Microsoft productivity environment.
While the GS8 is Android-based, the device is likewise ready to be used as a desktop, which will be made possible by Samsung's Desktop Experience (DeX) dock. When the GS8 rests on the DeX dock, the device setting will morph into a desktop environment that "comes with an app drawer on the side, and supports Android apps with full access to notifications and resizable windows," The Verge said in a related report.
In the absence of Windows 10, the setup is more like of a Chrome OS but with Microsoft productivity apps serving as the main tools, the report added.
Microsoft lending its full support to Samsung's new flagships, specifically the devices' attempt to offer desktop-class features, somehow provides a glimpse on the rumored capabilities of the Surface Phone. The latter is said to showcase the power of Continuum to transform a mobile device into a full-pledged PC when connected to a monitor or TV.
However, the Surface Phone is unlikely to come out this 2017 as speculations are rife that the device will only be ready next year or in 2019. In the meantime, the Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus in Microsoft Edition will only be happy to act as replacements for the Windows 10-powered device.