In November last year, Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, talked about releasing “the ultimate mobile device” in 2017. It wasn’t clear though when exactly this would happen and if they could deliver their promise. Nadella recently talked to Molly Wood for one of Marketplace’s podcasts. He discussed a wide range of topics, most prominent of which were Minecraft and H1 visas. During the conversation, Nadella also addressed (sort of, in a hinting kind of way) the plans Microsoft has for their next Surface phone release.
Nadella Sort of Confirms a New Microsoft Surface Phone
Nadella said last year that they (Microsoft) “will continue to be in the phone market not as defined by today’s market leaders, but by what it is that we can uniquely do in what is the most ultimate mobile device.”
In the Marketplace interview, he stated that “…when you say we’ll make more phones, I’m sure we’ll make more phones, but they will not look like phones that are there today.”
Forbes’ Ewan Spence weighed in on this and he thinks that this statement, coming from Microsoft’s CEO no less, means that there will be a new surface phone coming really soon. The device won’t just be a reiteration of existing phones in the market either. If Microsoft will be true to their words, then they could be releasing a smartphone with a unique hardware. All of their CEO’s comments seem to point that way.
Surface Devices Are about Breaking New Ground
Despite the lack of details about the new Surface phone at the moment, tech experts continue to believe that there is a huge chance that Microsoft will amaze. This is evidenced by the Surface devices that seem to be all about reinvention and pushing the tech envelope ever forward.
The easel-like Surface Studio and the Surface Book are great examples of devices being reimagined. Through these gadgets, Microsoft is essentially telling the market to take a different look at how computers are used. They’ve introduced various new hardware and changed up their products’ interfaces as well.
With all that said, it is within expectations that the new Surface phone will follow suit. It will have something uniquely designed. It might still take its cue from other smartphones already in the market, but it might have something under the hood that is completely different. Another expectation also is that it will be feature-rich (of course) but more pocket-friendly than its biggest competitors.
The Hololens Might Be a Taste of What Is to Come
In keeping with the idea of reinvention, Microsoft already has something that is a little bit different. Spence calls it the “phone that is not a phone.” This device is none other than the Microsoft Hololens. It is a mixed reality technology that is touted by its makers as the device that will “shape the future of computing.”
The Hololens is a holographic computer that enables you to “engage with your digital content and interact with holograms in the world around you.” It has phone functionalities, of course, as you can use this device to make calls, connect to the internet, and even activate third-party apps.
When thinking aboutMicrosoft’s future devices, the Hololens can very well be a taste of the future. That is why many tech specialists are excited about the new Surface phone and what it can offer. The same sentiment goes for the other upcoming devices in the Surface series.
Currently, Microsoft’s market share in the mobile devices field isn’t that great. But that may just be their impetus to deliver something unique. Because the smartphone space is super saturated, Microsoft seems to have no choice but to go bold and create a splash.
Time will tell what kind of Surface phone Microsoft’s developers will deliver and if the risks they are taking will pay off.
