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Clive Bull 1am - 4am
15 December 2020, 17:24
The device marks the tech giant’s return to the smartphone sector.
Microsoft will release its foldable Surface Duo smartphone in the UK next year, the tech giant has announced.
The device, which marks the firm’s first move into the smartphone business since 2016, was launched in the US in September.
The Surface Duo will be available in the UK, Canada, France and Germany from “early 2021”.
The smartphone, first announced last year, unfolds to reveal two displays which can be used individually or together as a single 8.1in screen.
Pricing for the UK is yet to be revealed, but in the US it started at 1,399 dollars (£1,072).
Running on Android, the Surface Duo is designed to support a number of multitasking modes and includes a 360-degree hinge for placement and use in a range of positions.
Microsoft has previously had success with its Surface range of “two-in-one” laptops, which come with detachable touchscreens allowing them to double as tablets.
The Surface Duo will be a new rival in the emerging foldable phone category for the likes of Samsung and Huawei, both of which have released a number of flexible screen devices in the last year.