Surface Duo Discussion Thread

@dstrauss You might be right about them positioning this as a device that's not primarily a phone. However I think that would be a huge mistake. enough to doom it in the market if true.

If the Duo will find success at least initially , it will be in corporate (and some well heeled Surface aware consumers). Much as the millennials don't use their phones for talking, corporate users still do. The one thing those same users have picked up from the younger crowd is the reliance on texting as a supplement /alternate to voice.

The "peek" functionality that's been discussed strikes me as a half step at best. Just observing my own company and my customers, the ability to quickly scan a notification without actually opening the phone is probably near the top of most used features.

It's possible that the Duo will be such a game changing device in other ways that users may we willing to forgive it for the other features, but truly every time in recent history when MS has tried a big leap forward, users (and business partners) resisted. Windows 8 being the best example of that.

I hope I'm wrong about all that, I really think the broader market benefits from an alternative to Apple and Samsung, but here I think MS at least in the consumer space will be tested more like a new competitor versus a known quantity and thus faces an uphill battle for for acceptance.

 

1. Smartwatch for notifications.
2. BT headsets for calls.
3. Flip-mode on desk - screen on.

I use the above with my current Galaxy P-205, with a flip cover sometimes, which necessitates me having to 'open the cover to access the device. I wish the Tab has 2 screens now.

Similar use case with the Duo, I reckon.

Love modularity.

 

How well do the Galaxy watches work as notification devices for Android phones - especially interested in comments from anyone who’ve used an Apple Watch with their iPhone.

 

Not exactly a direct answer to your question (never used an apple watch), but I wanted to note that the Galaxy watches are not powered by Google's Wear OS, so they have "limited" integration with Android. You should be along about Wear OS powered watches.

Sent from my F2 using Tapatalk

 

I have a Xiaomi Stratos smartwatch.
It runs on a modified Android, not wear OS.
Yes there are nearly no companion apps, but notification works quite well.
Also it has an always on display and lasts for 5-8 days, depending on how often I use the GPS for sports.

 

Companion apps (as a Apple Watch owner from day one) are pretty hit or miss in usefulness - it's all in the notifications and plus controls (like music, etc.). I keep looking at everything being reported about the Surface Duo and wondering if it could be the two device solution IF I can monitor calls, texts, and emails without dragging it out of my pocket. That was nearly critical with the iPhone 8s Plus and I think the Surface Duo is going to dwarf that.

 

To be fair to Samsung, a lot of the limitations seem to be pettiness in the relationship between Samsung and Google (Alphabet or whatever). And I'd put most of the blame on Google, as they clearly can't design a smartwatch OS well.

 

Rumor Du jour,

Because of the highly mixed reaction to both the Duo and Neo , MS plans to have working demos in their stores and Best Buy, long before you can actually buy one and that additionally they are going to have a very active presence in all kinds of places to get people hands on time with the devices including unconventional places like Nordstroms and Macys.

Might also be the actually truth behind the early release rumors for the Duo in that they are just making lot of demo devices.

Or not...caveat emptor !

 

<<... MS plans to have working demos in their stores and Best Buy, long before you can actually buy one...>>

Went down to my local Microsoft store and got an indirect confirmation of this. When I asked if they had heard this, the response was that the store manager hadn't been given a firm date, yet. They are speculating that it will be in the summer...

 

I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate that marketing strategy, and frankly I think it’s a stupid idea for Microsoft do that. Price will of course be key.....but being able to hold and use the device.....can in many times be the sole factor in making someone buy one.

When the original iPad came out....I really had little interest in what was really nothing more then an iPod touch XL.....but......once I held it in an Apple store......I ended up buying it right there and then. Same thing with the Galaxy Note 10-inch tablet when they released the 2nd gen of it.....the second I held it I bought it. Even with the Surface Go which was demoed in store a few weeks before release.....had I been able to buy it on the spot....I would have.

Having it in stores shortly before you can buy it is one thing....like a week or two....but if it’s still months away before it’s buyable.....the passion and interest that would make early adopters buy on day one would have faded.....and competitors would also have more time to get competing products to the market.....having the Duo in stores “long” before you can buy it will only hurt the Duos sales.