Microsoft Nearly Released a Surface Smartphone with Windows Phone in 2014
Photo: Android Authority
Quick answer
Microsoft developed a Surface-branded smartphone prototype running Windows Phone 8.1 in 2013–2014 but abandoned the project after acquiring Nokia, prioritizing the Lumia lineup instead.
Between 2013 and 2014, Microsoft was developing a smartphone under the Surface brand, which could have become the company’s first fully proprietary mobile device. A recently revealed prototype, shared by Windows Central, featured a 720p display, physical navigation buttons, and a silver chassis resembling the Surface 2 tablets. The device ran Windows Phone 8.1 and likely used a Qualcomm chip from the Snapdragon 200–800 series.
The project was abandoned after Microsoft acquired Nokia in September 2013. With control over the Lumia lineup, developing a separate smartphone became redundant. As a result, the Lumia 535 launched instead, and the Surface smartphone idea was shelved for six years. Microsoft finally introduced the Surface Duo in 2020—a dual-screen Android device that failed to meet expectations due to unoptimized software and design compromises.
Experts suggest the 2014 prototype might have had greater success than Surface Duo, as it avoided the challenges of a dual-screen design. However, the device’s fate remains unknown—Microsoft chose to focus on the Lumia legacy before reimagining its mobile strategy entirely.
Common questions
- Why did Microsoft abandon the Surface smartphone project in 2014?
- The project was scrapped after the Nokia acquisition, as Microsoft gained access to the Lumia lineup and saw no need for parallel development.
- How did the 2014 Surface smartphone prototype differ from Surface Duo?
- The 2014 prototype was a single-screen Windows Phone 8.1 device, while Surface Duo features dual screens running Android with unoptimized software.
- What were the specifications of the unreleased Surface smartphone?
- The prototype included a 720p display, physical navigation buttons, a silver Surface 2-style chassis, and likely a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip (200–800 series).
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