Patent shows design of Surface Duo 3 mobile phone canceled by Microsoft

A recently discovered patent shows the design of the Surface Duo 3, a foldable device that Microsoft has since canceled. In general terms, the handset would have been very similar to direct competitors like the Galaxy Z Fold.

The first information about Surface Duo 3 appeared at the beginning of 2023. Rumors at the time were that the device would have a foldable internal display. The predecessors of the same series, although foldable, had two screens attached to a hinge.

The patent document discovered by Patently Apple shows details showing that Microsoft will follow in the footsteps of manufacturers such as Samsung, Vivo and Honor. Surface Duo 3 will have a very close approach to the approach offered in devices such as Vivo X Fold and Honor Magic, for example. This may give clues as to why Microsoft canceled the project.

The hinge system on Surface Duo devices worked pretty well. The problem is that this mechanism can now be considered outdated. Since Microsoft has little experience with Android, this will increase the problem with software bugs.

Features of the canceled foldable product

According to the patent, the Surface Duo 3 (codenamed Neon) will have a 180° hinge, an additional external display and a more rectangular shape than previous models. The camera module will be practically the same as the iPhone’s, with three lenses. The selfie sensor will be placed in the internal display.

Leaving aside the similarities with competitors, Surface Duo 3 will have its own features that will differentiate it in the segment. The device will have a button that will trigger the internal screen to turn on. Since existing foldables usually need to be opened with two hands, this mechanism could be a good addition.

Another interesting feature would be compatibility with magnetic accessories. The document shows a bracket that can be attached to the back of the device and acts as a support base.