Microsoft back in smartphone business with folding Android device priced from US$1,399

Microsoft is back to selling smartphones for the first time since it abandoned its mobile business more than four years ago. The company began taking orders on Aug 12, 2020, for the Surface Duo, a new dual-screen Android device that costs US$1,399 and begins shipping in September. — AP

Microsoft Corp began taking orders for its dual-screen Surface device in the US on Aug 12, an attempt to re-enter the mobile handset market with a product that blends the features of a tablet with those of a phone.

The Android-powered Surface Duo starts at US$1,399 (RM5,858) and will be available Sept 10, said Microsoft chief product officer Panos Panay. The device will be sold on Microsoft.com as well as by AT&T Inc and Best Buy Co. It claims to be the thinnest Surface ever, with screens that unfold completely to serve as a phone or act like a book to provide more space for different apps.