Microsoft is done supporting the original Surface Duo, three years after it first launched on September 10. The company has stated from the very start that the Surface Duo would receive just three years of OS updates, meaning today is the last day that Microsoft has to stay true to its word.
Going forward, Microsoft will no longer ship new OS updates or security patches for the original Surface Duo, meaning Android 12L is the last version of the OS it will ever officially receive. Surface Duo only ever got two major OS updates, one shy of the average three that most high-end flagship Android devices get these days.
As one of the 17 people on the planet who daily drives the Surface Duo 2, which I traded up from my SD1 for on launch day - I really hope they pull it together for this “maybe/maybe not” SD3 next winter.
This is my all time favorite device I’ve ever owned, and every day I dread the standard wear and tear knowing the few New In Box Surface Duo 2 devices are getting more and more expensive by the day, and there are literally 0 devices in this category besides the SD2.
Sad times.
What category would that be, put of curiosity?
Pocketable, foldable tablet with split displays, a pen with haptic feedback and rigid glass screens for stylus use without damage. Modern Android and a great camera don’t hurt and those make the SD2 better than the SD1; otherwise they’re fairly similar besides the accessory compatibility and some halo functions like wirelessly charging my Slim Pen with the magnet case.
I travel a ton, edit spreadsheets at clients site visits and trade shows while I have Teams open on the other screen, and use the stylus to mark up PDFs for architects and subcontractors. I enjoy being almost required to multi-task when I have my phone open, and the Duo 2 is the best phone for multitasking, bar-none.
I treat mine more like a dual screen setup than a fold-able setup. As far as I’ve seen, none of the other folding phones work like that and my entire device ecosystem is tied together through OneDrive, so having it natively on the phone is awesome.
Ah yes, I forgot that this has actual screens unlike most other foldables. Thanks for the sad reminder.
The one where it’s abandoned 2 years after it’s released. Fuck that
I bought a SD1 a year ago to use as my work phone. Not for emails and IM clients, but mainly as a secondary prepaid phone that work gets the number for if I’m on call. It’s been awesome and has also been a great little ebook reader. I’m kinda sad there are no more updates but I know I didn’t use it to it’s full capabilities.
I moved from the SD1 to the Samsung Fold and love it.
I’ve been considering the GFold5 if my SD2 bites the dust, at least over a Pixel Fold. But I’m making this thing run until it completely dies.
I just worry about those plastic feeling screens, such as on my wife’s GFlex4- I’m always worried I’d scratch the interior with a fingernail and a stylus for editing a spreadsheet is just a no go, from what I understand. Have they improved in that regard?
I upgraded from the fold 2 to the fold 5, specifically for the pen support. the screen does feel more durable but it is still soft. I don’t fear the pen scratching it though.
I will say, there have been many times I’ve taken the pen to draw something on the cover screen and get disappointed there’s no support for a pen on the cover screen. maybe the fold 6 will?
I haven’t had any issues with the inner screen and it doesn’t feel soft to me. I didn’t even put a protector on it. I do pay for the extra Samsung insurance every month, tho.