Today, yet another leak has confirmed the existence of Microsoft’s long-rumoured foldable mobile device (Surface Note or Surface Phone). Since Satya Nadella’s took over, Microsoft has once again started making great hardware (Surface Book 2 and Xbox One X), Nadella has also improved the company’s direction with hardware. While Microsoft’s still hesitant to venture into smartphones, this doesn’t stop the company from patenting new designs for its upcoming ultimate mobile device ‘Andromeda’, also known as Surface Phone on the internet.
First spotted by Walking Cat, Microsoft website has been recently updated with references to ‘Andromeda’, the codename of Microsoft’s foldable phone. A Microsoft Store page contains reference(s) to “8828080”. This number is actually part of Microsoft’s phone number (001-425-8828080), the number also appeared in multiple places including Windows source code.
it seems like Microsoft company phone number is 001-425-8828080, so it is "Microsoft Phone" ????? https://t.co/akiKpYA4B0
— WalkingCat (@h0x0d) August 23, 2017
Microsoft Store has an ‘App Hub’ for Windows 8828080 (Surface Andromeda) and the Store page contains apps designed for phones. “In the source code of this page, there is “pageName”:”Apps hub for 8828080, and notice those apps and collections, are for phone,” Walking Cat explains.
The Microsoft Andromeda (Surface Phone or Note) is a much-rumoured device which might see the light of day next year. Recently, references to Microsoft’s foldable phone note-taking app was found in the company’s Whiteboard app. This app has more evidence about the Microsoft’s foldable Surface phone, the app contains references to a Journal app that points to two screens of a device. “The Whiteboard app contains some references to the ‘Journal’ app, “left and right page”. This is the accessibility title for the journal application which consists of a left and right page for content creation,” the leaker explained.
Just a couple of days back, Microsoft patented a foldable mobile device design with a so-called self-regulating hinge, which would basically enable the new form factor ‘foldability’. Furthermore, Microsoft recently started looking for an engineer who would work on devices with Snapdragon 845, this job post basically highlights Microsoft’s plans with Qualcomm’s recently launched Snapdragon 845 processor. To combine the rumours, it’s highly likely that Microsoft’s working on a prototype right now and it would be ready next year.
Microsoft’s complete silence and delay on the Surface Andromeda can only mean one thing: the device is not ready. It goes without saying that the foldable mobile device indeed exists, but the question is whether it’ll make it to market or not. Microsoft typically takes the wraps off new Surface models in spring and in autumn, so it’s likely that Microsoft will announce the Andromeda mobile device in Spring or later. Let us know what you think in the comments section below
