It is very rare for a product to really improve months after it is released. But the often-forgotten Microsoft Surface Duo 2, which launched in October 2021 with a high price tag and a list of bugs and issues that made it very frustrating to use, has rejected this trend. In fact, Duo 2 has improved so much that it’s now one of my favorite mobile devices, though it’s still weird and unique enough that I can’t recommend it exactly to most people.
In case you forgot, the Surface Duo 2 is a folding phone with two large screens connected by a hinge. Unlike Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 3, which takes a single tablet-sized screen and folds it in half to fit in your pocket, the Duo 2’s two screens make it feel more like two large phones connected to each other and running the same software. You can easily run two applications side by side as if you had two phones at the same time, or you can cover a single application on both screens to mimic a small tablet. The two halves of the phone are thin enough to be folded like a book and fit in your pocket with relative ease. Combine it with Microsoft’s Surface Slim Pen 2 and you have a portable digital notebook that can work just as well for taking notes, reading an e-book, or writing an e-mail.
When I reviewed the Surface Duo 2 last year, I didn’t care about any of its clever designs or book-like features. The device broke down effectively, slowed down by software bugs that caused it to type angrily, frustrating its use, and ultimately disappointing. It was a $ 1,500 novelty that could only please the most die-hard Microsoft brand fans willing to endure its many mistakes so they could have the Courier device never launched that they dreamed of more than a decade ago.
The Surface Duo 2 doesn’t really work well as a phone, but it can be a very useful pocket computer.
But surprisingly, Microsoft has not given up on Duo 2. In fact, the company has been constantly releasing monthly software updates to fix the many issues that Duo 2 had at launch. Some of these updates consisted of simple security patches and minor bug fixes, while others, such as the recent June update, included more significant fixes and added new features. Crucially, Microsoft has addressed the touch latency issues that predominated in the launch and made it very difficult to type on the Duo 2’s virtual keyboard, or even navigate the interface.
Knowing that Microsoft has been addressing many of my original complaints with the Duo 2, I took advantage of a recent price reduction (you can now get the phone for $ 1,000, which is still expensive but much lower than its launch price) and a generous exchange offer and I bought one of my own. The goal was to see if I could get a better idea of what Microsoft is trying to achieve with this device when errors that stop the show from getting in the way.
And reader, I can finally say I understand. The Duo 2 is the most unique mobile device I’ve ever used, and it allows me to do things I can’t do with a traditional smartphone. It also does certain things, such as multitasking and e-book reading, better than the single big screen of the Z Fold 3.
Reading Kindle Books is still one of the best Duo 2 experiences. Turning Duo 2 into a portrait while both screens are open offers a large iPad Mini-sized screen for reading vertically scrolling items or taking handwritten notes.
Over the past month, I’ve been using Duo 2 to read many books on the Kindle app, which leverages dual screens to deliver a more book-like experience than any other device. I managed my inbox and my calendar at the same time; I edited Google Docs while keeping up to date with a Slack conversation. I used the Slim Pen 2 to take handwritten notes in OneNote. I’ve read countless articles in my pocket queue with the app stretched across the two screens and the Duo 2 turned into a vertical orientation. I’ve seen so many videos spread across both screens that I don’t even notice the small gap anymore. There is something undeniably satisfying about completing a task in Duo 2 and then folding it up and closing it like a book and putting it in your pocket.
It’s not even accurate to call this device “phone” depending on how I use it
Duo 2 has not replaced my main smartphone because I use it for various tasks: messaging, calls, photos, smart home control, music, and mobile payments on my iPhone; reading, multitasking, note-taking, and YouTube on Duo 2. I haven’t received a call on Duo 2 yet because unless you’re using a wireless headset, it’s terribly awkward to do so. Mostly, I used the Duo 2 exactly as I would use an iPad Mini, except that it folds in half and into my pocket. It’s not even accurate to call this device “phone” depending on how I use it. (Microsoft tried to position the original Surface Duo as something other than a phone at launch, but moved away from that marketing with Duo 2.)
Microsoft has made the Duo 2’s camera app faster and more responsive, but I’ve never used it to take photos. It’s too awkward to take photos, and I have my iPhone for it anyway. In fact, he would have preferred the nasty rear hump and his camera to disappear completely and the Duo 2 would keep the sleeker lines and the ability to fold against itself that the first Duo had.
Aside from being an awkward camera, there are other things about the design of the Duo 2 that make it difficult to use as a main phone. There’s no quick way to check notifications or do something with one hand – you need to open your device to use it. (The recent addition of third-party chat app notifications to the “hinge screen” in the June update doesn’t change that.) It’s a much more intentional device than unlockable and usable slab phones. easily with one hand when desired. to kill for a while in line at the grocery store. Samsung’s Z Fold 3 is a much better single device to replace both a phone and a tablet simply because you can still use it when it’s closed.
The shape factor of the Duo 2 makes it difficult to protect from damage. I’ve resorted to using the Surface Pen bumper case and a vinyl skin, but I still handle it with children’s gloves (not in the photo).
The Duo 2 is also far from a durable device. Although I haven’t had any interruptions during the month, more than I’ve used it again, it’s not water and dust resistant, so you don’t want to get it wet. Its design makes it extremely difficult to put on a cover and keep the hinge flexible. (I’ve flipped through Microsoft’s Surface Pen charging cover and bumper along with a Dbrand skin.) Even though it’s folded and closed when I’m not using it, it’s not something I’d just throw in my pocket. with loose keys and shifts. fear that something will stick to the hinge.
The software also has a lot of room for improvement. Aside from the Kindle app and Google Play Books, the only apps that can really work well on both screens are made by Microsoft, even though the Duo 2 has been on the market for eight months now. There are still times when an app or link opens on the screen opposite the one I’m waiting for, or a full-screen gesture from an app fails. The entry of pencil into anything other than Microsoft apps is still lousy. I think I’ve never used the drag-and-drop feature because it supports so few apps that it’s not worth remembering that it exists.
Even with updates and bug fixes, Duo 2 is still not a device for everyone.
Things may get better with the upcoming Android 12L update, which is designed to improve experiences on folding devices like Duo 2 and Fold 3. But I suspect that even after this update, I will continue to use the most applications on a single screen.
All of this means that despite updates and bug fixes, Duo 2 is still not a phone for everyone, not even for most people. It is best suited as a secondary device for specific tasks, just as an iPad or tablet is secondary to your smartphone. Even with the recent price cut, it’s even more expensive than an iPad or other small tablet. It is only ideal for those who will appreciate the ability to carry it anywhere, even if they already carry another phone in their other pocket.
Now that many of the bugs and software issues have been fixed, Duo 2 is getting closer to fulfilling the dream of the 2009 Microsoft Courier concept.
Rumor has it that Microsoft will not be launching a Duo 3 this year, but will keep it for 2023. This would give it more time to fix the issues and avoid the buggy releases that affected both the original Duo and Duo 2. Microsoft could also address aspects of the Duo design that make it difficult to use as a main phone (a touch screen on the outside would go a long way here). Maybe you can find a way to connect and charge the pen without resorting to a silly and expensive extra case. A recent patent filing by the company envisions a Duo-like device that uses a single panel that can be folded 360 degrees instead of two discrete screens connected by a hinge. I’m not sure what problem to fix other than clearing the gap between the screens when you’re watching the video, but it would definitely look like …