On September 22, 2021, Microsoft announced a second-gen Surface Duo. The smartphone with a somewhat unconventional design received plenty of much-needed improvements: the latest CPU from Qualcomm, 5G support, NFC, screens with 90Hz refresh rate, bigger batteries, etc. Surface Duo 2 runs Android 11 out of the box, and Microsoft promises to deliver Android 12 soon.
When it comes to the device's lifecycle, nothing has changed. When Microsoft released the original Surface Duo, they promised to deliver regular updates for three years. The same applies to the second-gen Surface Duo. A Microsoft spokesperson revealed to Android Authority that Surface Duo 2 would be getting updates for the same three years.
While it is great to see Microsoft addressing the primary hardware problems of the original Surface Duo, the software support remains an open question. Microsoft failed to deliver the Android 11 update for the original Surface Duo during the first year of service, and monthly firmware updates have been lackluster at best. The software giant says it plans to release Android 11 for the first-gen Surface Duo "later this year," but we do not know exact dates or whether Microsoft will deliver its promise this time. You can learn more about the lifecycle of Windows-based Surface devices on the official Microsoft Support website using this link and this link for Android-based devices.
Surface Duo 2 will be available in select countries on October 21, 2021. Despite significantly improved hardware in Surface Duo 2, Microsoft maintained the original $1,499 price tag for the base configuration with 128GB storage and 8GB of RAM. Users can choose a black or white option with 128, 256, or 512GB of non-expandable storage. Surface Duo 2 is now available for pre-order on the official website.
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