Despite promising three years of regular updates to Surface Duo, Microsoft so far has been relatively slow with releasing new firmware. While Google Pixel owners are already looking to get the first preview of Android 12, those rocking Surface Duo still wait for Microsoft to ship Android 11. There is no official information on when the new Android version for Surface Duo lands, but rumors say that the first major update will come out this Summer.
Author: Taras Buria
Taras is here to cover stories about Microsoft and everything around, although sometimes he prefers Apple.
Microsoft released Windows Terminal 1.5.10411 and 1.6.1012 Preview
Windows Terminal developers finish this week with two fresh releases. The one in the Stable channel received version 1.5.10411, and the Preview release is version 1.6.10412. Here what is new in these updates.
Microsoft patented swappable panels for Surface devices
Microsoft has a massive portfolio of different patents that often reveal some interesting ideas and original takes on regular hardware. WindowsUnited uncovered a patent that describes swappable panels on computers for additional customization. It does not mention specific Surface devices in the description (Microsoft uses a vague "computing devices" moniker), but the patent's images use the Surface Laptop as an example.
Samsung prepares three new apps for Windows 10
In addition to several neat features available exclusively for Samsung phones in the Your Phone app, Samsung prepares additional apps for Windows 10 devices. Aggiornamenti Lumia spotted three upcoming apps on Microsoft Store from the Korean smartphone manufacturer: Samsung Free, Quick Share, and Samsung O.
You can now remove recent searches from the address bar in Edge
For those using the Microsoft Bing search engine in Edge, there is a new convenient feature. You can now quickly delete previous search terms from the address bar or the New Tab Page search box. Microsoft today announced this feature on its Tech community forum and briefly described how it works.
Microsoft reportedly tried to buy the Pinterest social network
The Financial Times reports that Microsoft attempted to buy Pinterest with little to no success. Pinterest is an image-sharing social network with a market cap of $53.96 billion. It is no stranger to Microsoft, and two companies have many times partnered on different Microsoft products. For example, Pinterest was among the first developers to support dual-screen experiences on Surface Duo. Also, the social network is integrated into Microsoft Edge's collection feature.
Surface Duo is coming to the UK on February 18
Microsoft is finally ready to start selling its quirky dual-screen smartphone Surface Duo outside the US. After launching the smartphone in the US only in September 2020, Microsoft will bring Surface Duo to the UK on February 18. Besides the UK, Microsoft intends to start selling this device in France, Germany, and Canada, but it is yet to announce the specific date and price for these countries.
Dark Mode is coming to Google desktop search
Google desktop search is on track to become the latest web service to adopt a dark mode. The company confirmed that it is currently testing a dark mode on desktop computers.
Skype Preview 8.69 is out with Electron 11
Skype Preview 8.69 is available for those who signed up to receive beta versions of the popular messenger. This version is rolling out on Windows, macOS, and iOS with some important changes.
Enhanced Dark Mode is coming to Word
You can now enable Enable Dark Mode in Word, its enhanced version.
Dark theme is not new to Microsoft Office apps. In fact, these apps have two dark modes since the release of Office 2016. But there is still some room for improvements, and the good thing is that these improvements are coming soon to Word.
