Microsoft Surface Dual-Screen Mobile Device Appears In New Patent Filing

The rumor refuses to die is that Microsoft is building a dual-screen Surface device of some sort, a second coming of the ill-fated Courier that was first reported in 2008 and cancelled two years later. Like the Courier, the new Surface device (codenamed Adromeda) would feature a pair of touchscreens in book-like orientation. But is it real? Yet another patent filing suggests it is at least being considered.

Microsoft has applied for several patents related to this mystery device. One of the newly discovered ones references "three-way video calling on hinged multi-screen device." It was actually filed a little over a year ago, on June 20, 2017, but was published more recently on July 3, 2018.

Source: FreePatentsOnline (PDF)

"The mobile computing device may comprise a housing having a first part and a second part, the first part including a first display and the second part including a second display. A first camera may be mounted in the first part of the housing, and a second camera mounted in the second part of the housing. A processor may be mounted in the housing and configured to operate in a camera mode in which the processor is configured to process image data captured by the first and second cameras.," Microsoft explains.

It remains to be seen if such a dual-screen device will find its way to market. In the meantime, it is generating quite a bit of excitement on the web. Designer David Breyer came up with some neat looking renders based on previous patent designs and rumors, which he posted to Twitter back in December of last year. He added a few more last month.

laptop mode & gaming mode pic.twitter.com/VRD8Z9wKgD

— David Breyer (@D_Breyer) June 30, 2018

Microsoft Surface Chief Panos Panay hinted that it might be real. In a recent Twitter post of his own, he uploaded a image of what appears to be two displays side-by-side in a book-style picture frame format. In the accompanying text, he gave a shout out to LG Display, which is a common supplier of panels for smartphones, tablets, notebooks, monitors, and so forth.

The idea of a dual-screen Surface device has some fans excited. There is even a petition going around asking that Microsoft give Andromeda a chance.

"All the fans of windows phone want Microsoft to release the Surface Phone aka Surface Andromeda Phone Project that has been leaking out lately with the phone screen that can turn into a tablet," the petition's author states. "I'm doing this petition to see how many people would buy this phone if Microsoft would release it. Money is power and if a lot of people want a Surface phone like the ones in the leaks then they will be forced into action as everyone knows Microsoft wouldn’t be able to give a reason on why not to do it to their investors, as its too much of a money opportunity to miss."

All we can do at this point is wait and see what Surfaces...