[Sir William Wiener]

Now that Microsoft owns Nokia's mobile devices division which do you think is a more likely future WP8 device we'll see?

I own a Surface Pro and I just love the solid quality feel of the material and I am really hopeful that it makes its way to WP devices. If Microsoft does make a Surface phone using Nokia technical know how and internals what should it have to be a true premium WP flagship phone? How about a possible 1520 sized Surface Pro phablet that runs full windows 8 and x86 programs. The OS has performed well on various different 8" tablets and theoretically would run on Snapdragon 800 although I'm sure they'll have an 805 or better in it by then.

What would you guys think of a Surface Pro Phone/Phablet? And maybe a VaporMG Nokia running traditional WP8.1 priced right below it? Business owners and tech geeks might like having a true pocket PC at their disposal and for those who don't there's the Nokia option. Well this may all be a long shot but I would like to see MS do it and be the first to offer a true pocket PC smartphone as a way of sparking more interest toward the W8 and WP8 ecosystem.

[WanderingTraveler]

I don't really think either is going to happen. What is more likely to happen, though, is a Surface phone. That's if the Surface brand finally takes off.

That said, Lumia is more popular, but I don't expect a VaporMg phone from them 'till early 2015 on.

(Besides, Nokia doesn't have the Devices and Services division anymore, remember? ;)

[Sir William Wiener]

Well ya I know Microsoft bought that portion of Nokia that's why I was wondering(hoping) if they were going to start pumping out VaporMg Nokias in the future. As for the Surface phone I really think it could work and be a success if and only if they put in full Windows 8.1 Pro and market it as the first true pocket PC (that also happens to be a phone) and leave the Nokia brand name for the traditional WP OS and smartphone buyer.

[jfreiman]

I personally don't see a VaporMg based phone product being produced. There are a couple reasons.
1. VaporMg does not allow for antenna signals to penetrate the shell of the device. As such, the antennas on a Surface are at the top of the device in the plastic molded section. At release, the reason MS gave for not including NFC was the specifically their choice in using VaporMg. Phones locate antennas all around the device, not just the top.

2. VaporMg, or at least it's use on the Surface and Surface 2 make it too heavy to really hold and use like a "tablet." No matter if you have a Surface XX or Surface Pro XX it's too heavy to do anything with other than use it like a laptop.

I have my Lumia 1020, my Dell Venue 8 Pro, my Surface 2 and my Desktop Media Center PC. If ATT releases a phablet with wireless charging, I will replace both my Lumia and Dell tablet with that one device. Otherwise, the Surface is too heavy to hold for reading or consuming data.

I would expect that future Surface branded products may not use VaporMg going forward or will use it more sparingly to bring the weight of the device down to a more competitive weight.

But that's all my opinion and we all have opinions....

[hotphil]

It'll be interesting to watch, but a peak into the reasons behind MS buying Nokia might give clues. What were they after? The brand, the people, the tech (and perhaps more importantly, patents), or something else?
In addition to any technical constraints, VaporMG flakes off too easily for a phone.
I can see the Nokia brand being around for a bit. Wouldn't be surprised for an upcoming generation of handsets to start bearing text such as "Nokia by Microsoft". And for the subsequent generation to drop the "Nokia by" bit.
Or they may keep the brand just for the forked Android line, with the Windows-based handsets being designed/manufactured through the Nokia arm but being only Microsoft branded.