Rumors are circulating the social media about a new Microsoft Surface Phone. It seems this device could replace the company’s Lumia line, and it is likely that they enter the market by mid-2017.

2016 has been a good year for Microsoft, after the success of the Surface Pro 4 mobile. Now, there are rumors about the company producing a new surface phone. According to Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella, Microsoft is after something unique.

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Microsoft 10 Mobile-powered Surface Phone. Image Credit: Evan Blass (aka @evleaks) via Twitter

“We will continue to be in the phone market not as defined by today’s market leaders, but by what it is that we can uniquely do in what is the most ultimate mobile device,” said Nadella.

A pleasant surprise for all Microsoft customers 

In 2012, Microsoft launched the Microsoft Surface, a line of tablet computers. Additional to the acquisition of Nokia’s devices, the multinational re-entered the smartphone hardware market. 

Microsoft is without a doubt trying to increase its competence in the smartphone and tablet market. On the matter, Nadella has said that the upcoming device will be made thinking of a specific group of customers who need specific features. He did not mention the Surface phone at all.

However, a number of experts believe that it is certainly the product he was making reference to. These statements have raised a lot of excitement on Twitter.

“These are all good strategies and are being put into good effect by the teams in Redmond. But the obvious conclusion here is that Microsoft will be debuting a smartphone in the near future that demands an ‘ultimate’ moniker. Everyone not living under a digital rock knows what that device would be. The Surface Phone,” says columnist Ewan Spence.

The device is believed to be released next year.

What will the Surface Phone bring? A 6 GB RAM?

The upcoming Surface Phone will support Quick Charge 4.0 and house Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 835 processor, which is something that Samsung is probably adding too to its Galaxy S8.

Apparently, it will come with two memory options. One prototype will have a 4 GB of RAM, while the other is apparently housing 6 GB of RAM. This is way different to old rumors that called for an 8 GB RAM.

The 6 GB of RAM phone will be able to run x86 apps through Continuum. The prototypes can’t run X86 apps by themselves yet, but can install them, via Continuum.

On the other hand, the 4 GB variant of the Surface Phone will not support that functionality.

About the size of the phone, it has been reported that the prototypes will be 5.5-inch Quad HD one. As well, it can come in a business version of a 6-inches screen.

The Surface phone could include a stylus pen and a keyboard cover like the Surface Pro tablet.

Source: Tech Times