Per Mary Jo - Possibly 2018 now...wow.

[Allen Rhodes]

Its not an issue of better/different, its a matter of quality. Microsoft will have a better ability to get higher end hardware, i.e. camera sensors. As I stated, if the X3 had the 20mp Zeiss camera the XL has, game over for other windows phones. But that seems to be the thing with every windows phone, MS or third party. There is always SOMETHING lacking. The hope is the Surface phone will be top of the line of the top of the line at the time. I cant switch due to the cameras alone. Sites can post all the comparisons they want, for actual photography, that Zeiss lens is the tits. Apple can use all the software they want to pretty up a picture, as a photographer, I want RAW.

 

[sd4f]

A week ago, in a different thread, I said that I wouldn't be surprised if the surface phone was vapourware or even cancelled.

Well, it's not quite the same thing, but heading in that direction. I'm not surprised...

I get the feeling that after the bad press this year of how there's no market share to speak of, I think their strategy has changed, and it's now really appearing to no longer involve us, the consumer, at all. Ultimately I don't know, but constant bad news doesn't bode well for us.

 

[DLong4]

I don't think I have quite figured out this fascination with a 'Surface Phone'.

I'm guessing it's to do with styling and the fact it's a MS product? Other than that I really don't see what the big deal is. What do you expect it to do that will be different than say the HP X3?

NFC would be a start, as well as stylus support. The hardware and firmware should be tailored to a more mature W10M OS.

 

[Vittorio Vaselli]

I don't think I have quite figured out this fascination with a 'Surface Phone'.

Microsoft said surface phone will be a category innovating device. It will not be like other smartphones, not everbody here understood it however, infact i see in this forum some concept that are simply other rectangular boring form factor phone. Surface phone will be different and it is for this reason it will hit the market later than expected. Microsoft said more than one time it is useless to do a copycat phone, if there will be(it is not sure) it had to be a breakthrough, something that can persuade iphone and android buyers to try it.

 

[N_LaRUE]

Microsoft said surface phone will be a category innovating device. It will not be like other smartphones, not everbody here understood it however, infact i see in this forum some concept that are simply other rectangular boring form factor phone. Surface phone will be different and it is for this reason it will hit the market later than expected. Microsoft said more than one time it is useless to do a copycat phone, if there will be(it is not sure) it had to be a breakthrough, something that can persuade iphone and android buyers to try it.

The only way to get Android and iPhone users to use or even think about using a Windows Mobile is apps. Without that, it's DOA for anyone but those who are already invested or those who are curious.

As for an innovative device. Not entirely sure what that would be really or how you make it different. I can think of several things that would be 'cool' but 'cool', 'neat' and 'different' doesn't sell devices. What does is an overall experience. Windows Mobile still lacks that for a lot of people. That's the sad reality.

 

[wiederman]

I just got my 950 six weeks ago. I can wait until 2018 for a Surface Phone.

I waited on the 950 because, on release, it was overpriced and the software was a mess. Regular stuff didn't work and the battery life was atrocious. Reviewers rightfully crucified it for these reasons. Now, after a year of software updates, it is (mostly) bug free and gets acceptable battery life.

Why not give MS a chance to actually get things right on a Surface Phone, out of the starting gate? The 950 line, the X3, and other upcoming third party phones will be plenty for the next year or two.

MS might also use the time to create a truly unique selling point. If Continuum is their bet on the future, they need to make it as robust (running anything you can on a real desktop) and simple (i.e. wireless, no dongle) as possible.

In addition to contimuum, I was actually thinking that MS might create a headset which a surface phone could connect to in order to create a HoloLens display.... by Bluetooth etc. This would make the headset a lot less cumbersome and think about how many people would jump for joy on that

 

[Vittorio Vaselli]

In addition to contimuum, I was actually thinking that MS might create a headset which a surface phone could connect to in order to create a HoloLens display.... by Bluetooth etc. This would make the headset a lot less cumbersome and think about how many people would jump for joy on that

I really hope Microsoft do something like that. Current HoloLens can use processing power from a pc via wifi. Could Do something like that with a phone and create a new version of HoloLens more compact and more lightweight without cpu/gpu/hpu...only "screen" and sensors.