The Microsoft Surface Neo could be very far away - and it's not good

The Microsoft Surface Neo could be very far away - and it's not good

If you were hoping to get your hands on Microsoft's dual-screen, Windows 10X-powered Surface Neo tablet by the end of the year, we have some bad news. Microsoft has removed all mention of the Neo being available at the end of 2020 from its website.

This comes after months of rumors and side-splitting hints about a delay for the tablet. The last we heard, Panos Panay, Microsoft's chief product officer for Windows and devices, said in May that the company would "continue to work with our OEM partners to find the right time to bring two-screen devices to market." This seemed to indicate that Neo's ETA was in flux, but the messaging (or lack thereof) on the website solidifies it.

This finding was made by Neowin and reached us via TechRadar; the Surface Neo page used to conclude with the phrase "Coming Holiday 2020," but now it says when interested consumers There is no indication as to when interested consumers can expect this device. There is still a form at the bottom where visitors can register their interest in updates, but that is all.

Now, it is worth pointing out that the Surface Duo - Microsoft's dual-screen phone powered by Android - is still expected to ship by the end of the year. In fact, given that the phone has appeared in an encrypted official video and has just passed Bluetooth certification, the Duo's release is probably only a few weeks away.

Microsoft will want to release the Surface Duo as soon as possible in order to stop Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 2, which will be announced at Samsung's Unpacked event on August 5.

Of course, the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will feature a single flexible foldable display, as opposed to the Surface Duo's traditional butterfly design. It will likely look outdated in comparison, but hopefully Microsoft can take advantage of that and make the Duo less expensive than its competitors.

Meanwhile, Windows 10X will first appear in single-screen devices like regular Surface tablets and laptops during 2021, with a recent report from ZDNet suggesting that the Neo may not reappear until spring 2022, This would be a fatal blow to Microsoft's dual-screen ambitions. Let's hope not.

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