x86 Surface Phones?

[Mark F24]

So I am definitely interested in a true x86 OS in a phone that when docked IS a pc, not almost a pc. Ubuntu was saying they were doing it but it has been a few years and it hasn't worked out as they had hoped.

I would be content to have W10 mobile on my HTC One M8 for now, and get an Intel phone instead of the pricey 950's, I'd rather spend the money one a surface phone, any word on when it may be available?

 

[Ed Boland]

I hear it's going to be announced in January. Possibly released in Febraury.

 

[Mark F24]

Look forward to it, thanks

 

[Indistinguishable]

I hear it's going to be announced in January. Possibly released in Febraury.

Source? That's pretty different from the May timeframe that Rubino has given.

 

[Matatu]

I hear it's going to be announced in January. Possibly released in Febraury.

Doesnt make any sense. Why should Microsoft release a new flagship in the middle of the life cycle process of the lumia 950?
First devices next year will be low/mid-end

 

[Indistinguishable]

Doesnt make any sense. Why should Microsoft release a new flagship in the middle of the life cycle process of the lumia 950?
First devices next year will be low/mid-end

Yeah, i'd have to agree. If a new phone came out in the first quarter of 2016, it'd probably be mid-end. The 830 will be about due for a new iteration by then. The 550 and 950 will be three months old in February, way too soon for a high end device.

 

[xandros9]

Doesnt make any sense. Why should Microsoft release a new flagship in the middle of the life cycle process of the lumia 950?
First devices next year will be low/mid-end

It may be placed even higher on the price scale all things considered.

(and funnily enough, the mask being worn in my avatar is named the "Matatu")

 

[grahamf]

It may be placed even higher on the price scale all things considered.

That would be my guess. Intel chips are still a bit more complex and pricey compared to ARM chips. There are already Intel chips in some phones, so the power and battery efficiency might be there...

That's something to consider though. I might hold off on the Lumina 950 for now after all. But I'm not happy with my current Blu LTE so I'll have to make a decision in the meantime anyways.

 

[Axeelant]

If you think the 950 is expensive, Surface phone will not be 4 u

 

[Krystianpants]

I hear it's going to be announced in January. Possibly released in Febraury.

November 2016 or Jan-Feb 2017.

Trust me

 

[pankaj981]

IMO releasing a x86 phone is fairly possible, also pricing shouldn't be too high either. I am basing it off the possibility of re-using the internals of an Intel Compute Stick and adding a screen and other components to it. Since the Compute Stick costs merely $99 and runs x86 I am not sure what's stopping MS/other manufacturers to release a phone variant, unless there isn't any software to make use of it. The GPU is more than capable of outperforming the higher end Adreno and the CPU is adequate to run basic MS applications and Internet Surfing (as a PC)

 

[elindalyne]

The internals of the compute stick vs the internals of a phone are way different.... Heat dissapation and modem are things the compute stick doesn't really need to worry about.

 

[triageatdawn]

Yeah, i'd have to agree. If a new phone came out in the first quarter of 2016, it'd probably be mid-end. The 830 will be about due for a new iteration by then. The 550 and 950 will be three months old in February, way too soon for a high end device.

Exactly, the uncancelled 850 is going to be released next year, and as for the Surface phone - if it happens it's probably gonna be business oriented as Dan said so we shouldn't expect it to sport a 20MP PureView camera.

 

[pankaj981]

There are other x86 tablets that use the same chipset. Plus including a modem on the SOC shouldn't really be an issue. Most handheld small factor tablets have it anyways.

 

[grahamf]

The internals of the compute stick vs the internals of a phone are way different.... Heat dissapation and modem are things the compute stick doesn't really need to worry about.

Also nobody cares if a compute stick has no power management features. It can just perpetually draw 5W until unplugged.

 

[pankaj981]

Also nobody cares if a compute stick has no power management features. It can just perpetually draw 5W until unplugged.

Yeah so add a battery to it?

My point implied that the technology to develop an x86 phone is out there (or at least most of it) for a cheaper price.

 

[Wajeeh Maaz]

What I'd love to see is an extension of continuum. A phone with an Intel Atom processor that can run W10M when being used as a phone,but when connected to a screen(or maybe even just a keyboard/keyboard dock) runs full W10 with x86 support. Ideally it would be 6" like the 1520. Any smaller would be too small for full W10. Even with 6" UI scaling would be necessary.

 

[grahamf]

Yeah so add a battery to it?

My point implied that the technology to develop an x86 phone is out there (or at least most of it) for a cheaper price.

Lets say it averages the maximum of 5v 1A. If it had the 950's battery it would only last 20 minutes. Obviously it will last a little longer, but the components were designed with the expectation that the power source would last forever at the draw it needs. Any smartphone will need to have much better battery management in order to be useful, and this is not a software-only problem.

 

[Krystianpants]

What I'd love to see is an extension of continuum. A phone with an Intel Atom processor that can run W10M when being used as a phone,but when connected to a screen(or maybe even just a keyboard/keyboard dock) runs full W10 with x86 support. Ideally it would be 6" like the 1520. Any smaller would be too small for full W10. Even with 6" UI scaling would be necessary.

Lol atom. Those are gone. Intel has skylake for mobile now. This won't be using the horrible atom chips.

 

[grahamf]

Ideally it would be 6" like the 1520. Any smaller would be too small for full W10. Even with 6" UI scaling would be necessary.

Windows 10 apps already scale well to even 5" screens. Take any Store app, drag the edges to the smallest size, and it will flip to a compact view like you see on mobile.
720p might be a minimum though. I can't minimize some apps (like photos or mail) to less than 500px wide.