A previously unreleased version of Microsoft’s dual-screen operating system, Andromeda OS, has surfaced and is now installable on the Surface Duo. This build offers the first hands-on look at what Microsoft envisioned as the successor to Windows Phone before the project’s cancellation in 2018.
Advertisеment
Andromeda OS: A Look at Microsoft’s Unreleased Vision
Andromeda OS represented Microsoft’s effort to make a version of Windows specifically for dual-screen mobile devices. Intended as a continuation of the Windows Phone family, it prioritized pen input and treated the home screen as a digital notebook, always ready for note-taking. For hat, it runs a notepad app codenamed Jamdani as its UI.
Users accessed core functions such as the Start menu and Cortana through gestures, swiping from either the left or right edge of the display. Applications opened by default on the left screen and could be moved to the right through drag-and-drop. The system handled multitasking automatically, shifting apps between screens as needed.
Installation and Current Limitations
Developer Gustave Monce recently ported a leaked, post-cancellation build of Andromeda OS to the Surface Duo. He packaged the operating system into an FFU file that users can install using his custom flashing utility. This build, though incomplete, provides the most accurate representation of Microsoft’s original dual-screen ambitions.
Monce notes that critical features such as device postures and sleep functionality do not work correctly. There are also general stability and user interface issues, and he considers them unlikely to be fully resolved due to the unfinished state of the software.
Installing Andromeda OS on a Surface Duo erases all existing Android user data. A dual-boot configuration is possible, but it still requires a complete wipe of personal information. Users must weigh the experimental nature of the software against potential data loss.
Closing words
The availability of Andromeda OS offers a rare opportunity to examine Microsoft’s strategy between 2016 and 2018, when the company wanted to reposition Windows Phone in a new hardware category. Although the Surface Duo eventually launched with Android, this leaked build reveals the original plan: a pocketable Windows device running modern UWP applications on a purpose-built operating system.
Support us
Winaero greatly relies on your support. You can help the site keep bringing you interesting and useful content and software by using these options:
