Surface Duo Discussion Thread

Also, Android 11 rolling out today: https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/...vements-to-notifications-privacy-5g-and-more/

We'll see how long "soon" turns out to be

https://www.phonearena.com/news/Microsoft-working-on-Surface-Duo-Android-11-implementation_id125449

 

MS implies you don't have to sign into Google to use SDuo (From MS set up instructions):


Still betting we don't get to the Play Store w/o a Google account. Hope I'm wrong

 

Good catch, I'm wondering if they decided to go with a request that a couple of our largest corporate accounts made which is to it limit it to MS apps and accounts? Much as most of those here would chafe at that, the IT mentality of 'it's our device and we'll tell you what you can and can't do with it" still applies.


And just got confirmation, to access the play store you must have a google account. Apparently ONLY MS apps can be updated, maintained etc. outside of the play store, though that could change at some future point.

That means no gmail or maps BTW:

And side loading is still possible, though through intune, a sys admin can disable that for end users of corporate systems

 

at this point, whatever can be said has been said, by short term reviewers,
the reddit page has countless short ones.

will wait for the big boys to chime in after putting it through real world paces.

later
-1

 

<<...Still betting we don't get to the Play Store w/o a Google account...>>

I think that the text citation, along with @desertlap 's comment, bears out our earlier speculation.

Since I've already "sold my soul" by owning a GN9, I won't have many qualms at this point about a dual login...!

 

Finally got to "play" with the display model at BB - same first impressions - amazing hardware but fidgety software. Hard to get eh hang of not accidentally moving pages between screens - but that could all be a fact that MS did not set these up with any decent software load (like a temp Office account) to try out the apps - great job there Panos.

the one blue shirt I trust said they had "a few" unlocked 128gb and 256gb boxes, with a few more coming tomorrow. I still think it feels like V 0.8-0.9. Maybe that day one update will help with that.

 

@Bishop is it at all possible that they might ship with Android 11?

Has anybody else that has pre-ordered gotten shipping updates? I have not but they charged my account 6 days ago.

 

I think the odds are *very* low A11 was available when the units were imaged & boxed.

Could it be available for download/update on the 10th? Possible, But I’d be shocked if it were. Hope I’m wrong.

 

Android 11 was just released by google to their Pixel line, it is not available by/for anyone else.
https://www.androidauthority.com/android-11-1084805/

 

The Verge with a deep dive into the design / history:

https://www.theverge.com/21426955/microsoft-surface-duo-folding-android-phone-history