Microsoft’s mysterious dual-screen Surface will reportedly run Android apps

The rumor mill has long suggested Microsoft is working on a dual-screen Surface, but we’ve seen little in the way of specifics. Originally, rumors pointed towards a pocketable device named Andromeda, but more recently it seems Microsoft is focusing on a larger device codenamed Centaurus. A report from Forbes has shed some light on what we might expect from the device.

IHS Markit, a market research firm with “supply chain info,” told Forbes the foldable Surface could be released the first half of next year and is expected two have dual 9-inch screens and a 4:3 aspect ratio. It’s also anticipated to use Intel’s upcoming 10-nanometer Lakefield chips and feature LTE or 5G connectivity.

The software might be just as interesting as the hardware. The report claims the device will run on Microsoft’s new Windows Core OS – a stripped down, modern version of Windows we’ve been hearing about since 2017. If true, it’s likely to be the first device to run Core OS and will demonstrate Microsoft’s vision for the future of the PC industry.

Moreover, the device is expected to run Android apps in addition to modern Universal Windows Platform apps. It’s not clear how it will be able to, but Microsoft has been doubling down on in its Linux integration of late. It does raise some concerns about fragmentation in Windows, but it could also open the device up to a wide array of apps designed for portable devices.

While anything could happen between now and next year – Microsoft has canceled rumored products before – a dual screen-surface seems more of a ‘when’ than an ‘if.’ It won’t be the first to the market with a dual-screen laptop, but if done right, the new Surface could shape the direction of the PC industry for years to come.