References to a ‘Journal’ app, as well as ‘left and right’ pages made an appearance, suggesting a dual screen device in the works. “This is the accessibility title for the journal application which consists of a left and right page for content creation,” said a description of the app. Though some point out Journal could be a different name for Whiteboard, WalkingCat points out their fundamentally different descriptions. Whiteboard is described by Microsoft as a “single large canvas” with a chrome toolbar at the bottom. https://twitter.com/h0x0d/status/939199750003351552
Phone, Tablet, or Both?
The information also lines up with chatter we’ve been hearing for several months. Patents and alleged industry sources all support the idea, though it’s not clear if it will be the long-awaited Surface Phone. Reports from Windows Central suggest that Microsoft is working on a tablet foldable known as Andromeda. Sources say it will be like the unreleased Courier but will utilize Windows 10. The foldability will mean it can fit in your pocket, rather than requiring a separate bag. The device will allegedly have telephone capabilities and its likely to run on an ARM chip, alongside the latest Snapdragon processor. Microsoft is apparently aiming for a 2018 release, so that may be why we’re seeing references already. The latest chatter suggests its intended as a note-taking device, rather than a fully-fledged phone. We’ve also seen official leaks on Facebook, which show a slightly larger foldable. However, the numerous Microsoft patents suggest the company is working on plenty of different prototypes. It wouldn’t be unheard of for the company to release more than one device in the same category or a tablet that folds down to phone size. CEO Satya Nadella has also said previously that their next phones won’t look like phones. Clearly, details are very murky, and the vague statements don’t help, but it’s something to be excited about either way.
