Is this the Surface phone? Huawei Mate 9 Pro also teased

[dizmo]

So there's not currently a great deal of info, and it's rumors for now, but Evan Blass has always been a pretty reliable source for this kind of thing so I figured why not.

There's potentially a Surface phone, rocking a laptop-class CPU!

If real, this could be an extremely interesting device. I know there's a few people on here that are looking forward to something like this.

 

Blass first posted the concept/render photos with the tag "Powered by a laptop-class Intel processor, would this have blown your mind?"

When another person Tweeted "A nice concept, but nothing more".

To which Blass replied "Much more than a concept. Stay tuned"

 

I imagine pricing will be quite high, as with most other Surface products. Perhaps Microsoft will soon be on the same level as Apple hardware wise.

 

Needless to say, color me intrigued.

 

Concept/render shots:

 

 

Lifestyle Shots:

 

 

I know what you'll all immediately say. There's no need for a laptop-class CPU in a phone! However, I think it makes perfect sense for the Surface line. They're going for the whole "use your phone as an everything device" that you can simply dock when you get home. With a more powerful CPU, it's more feasible. The only thing I'd seriously question is battery life.

 

Huawei Mate 9 Pro

 

Also, there's a Mate 9 Pro coming, which is essentially the Porsche Design Mate 9 without the branding, smaller amount of memory, and likely a lower resolution screen.

It's also supposed to cost less than the regular Mate 9, which is rather interesting.

 

 

Source: http://www.gsmarena.com/concept_photos_or_actual_renders_this_could_be_the_longawaited_surface_phone-news-21468.php

Twitter: https://twitter.com/evleaks

 

 

[bgibbz]

I thought Microsoft backed out of the phone game. They blew there shot with mediocre at best products and have only a fraction of a percent of the market share. 

[AlTech]

12 minutes ago, huilun02 said:

Meh

No removable battery

 

We don't even know the specs of the phone, you expect people to commit to buying now?

Surface Phone, if  it's being developed, is practically guaranteed to use an ARM based SOC.

 

The head of Windows Devices, Terry Myerson, specifically said that they will continue to use ARM.

 

Beyond that, you can assume it will use the Snapdragon 830 or 821 SOC. You can also assume it will have either 4GB or 6GB RAM. And you can probably also assume it will come in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB storage.

 

Beyond that, nobody really knows. Although I wouldn't be surprised if they made their own mini pen like Samsung's S Pen.

[Eason85]

Who says it's MS who is making it? I would never buy a product with Windows 10 Mobile. I would buy a mobile phone running Windows 10.

[AlTech]

24 minutes ago, dizmo said:

snip

For a surface phone I would have expected a Magnesium Unibody chasis and possibly the display technologies showcased in NOKIA McLaren.

[AlTech]

4 minutes ago, Eason85 said:

Who says it's MS would is making it?

Microsoft, for better or for worse, has been making phones for around 21 months. There's nothing to say that they still won't stop making them. They'll just make them in more limited quantities and models.

Quote

I would never buy a product with Windows 10 Mobile.

why not?

Quote

I would buy a mobile phone running Windows 10.

Well Windows 10 Mobile is Windows 10........ So therefore you would not buy a Windows 10 phone.

 

Windows 10 for Phones (aka Windows 10 Mobile) is Windows 10 scaled down to devices between 3 inches and 8 inches. They share the same kernel and feature minor differences in their OS editions.

[Eason85]

Windows 10 mobile is an ARM OS. It is not Windows 10.

Thus, when I say I would buy a mobile phone running Windows 10, I mean I would only buy a phone running Windows if it ran all windows software.

[rwaalph]

Well i give them props for the phones appearance its good tbh but the only downfall is the os , most of the software there hasnt been updated yet and their play store thingy is bad i will rate 2/10

[AlTech]

7 minutes ago, Eason85 said:

Windows 10 mobile is an ARM OS. It is not Windows 10.

 

1. Learn how to quote properly. It's not hard at all.

2. Windows 10 Mobile also supports x86 just like Windows 10. Windows 10 IoT supports ARM.
 

Again it's all about which edition of Windows 10 you are running. Desktop supports x86 and x64. Mobile supports ARM and x86 (more recently). \

 

It is Windows 10, it shares the same "OneCore" technology with Windows 10 desktop.

Quote

Thus, when I say I would buy a mobile phone running Windows 10, I mean I would only buy a phone running Windows if it ran all windows software.

Yeah, that would never happen in a million years. The only hypothetical way of doing that would be with Continuum with a desktop monitor and accessories. But then what would be the point of doing that?

[AlTech]

3 minutes ago, rwaalph said:

Well i give them props for the phones appearance its good tbh but the only downfall is the os , most of the software there hasnt been updated yet and their play store thingy is bad i will rate 2/10

You probably have never tried their store on Mobile and thus you have zero right to make judgement on something you have never used.

 

I used Windows Phone 8.1 back in 2015 and it wasn't very good in terms of App Support and Store. Windows 10 for Phones changed this and now more apps are high quality and support new features like Continuum. I will be the first to admit that it's not like Android's App experience. It's inferior but I'm not terribly bothered by it.

[rwaalph]

1 minute ago, AluminiumTech said:

You probably have never tried their store on Mobile and thus you have zero right to make judgement on something you have never used.

 

I used Windows Phone 8.1 back in 2015 and it wasn't very good in terms of App Support and Store. Windows 10 for Phones changed this and now more apps are high quality and support new features like Continuum. I will be the first to admit that it's not like Android's App experience. It's inferior but I'm not terribly bothered by it.

Umm i owned a windows phone then i switched immediately to android after a month using it , the store thingy cant even update my messenger, and just like you said its inferior but the only thing that bother me is i cant update most of my apps

[AlTech]

1 minute ago, rwaalph said:

Umm i owned a windows phone then i switched immediately to android after a month using it , the store thingy cant even update my messenger, and just like you said its inferior but the only thing that bother me is i cant update most of my apps

That may have been a one off experience. I have automatic app updates enabled and I can show you how my apps get updated.

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

[rwaalph]

1 minute ago, AluminiumTech said:

That may have been a one off experience. I have automatic app updates enabled and I can show you how my apps get updated.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

 

 

 

 

Sure would gladly like to know how

[MrDynamicMan]

LOL the m9 is SO blatant.

[dizmo]

1 hour ago, huilun02 said:

Meh

No removable battery

 

We don't even know the specs of the phone, you expect people to commit to buying now?

How do you know? Perhaps it has one.

Also no one said it was for sale.

1 hour ago, bgibbz said:

I thought Microsoft backed out of the phone game. They blew there shot with mediocre at best products and have only a fraction of a percent of the market share. 

Haha, while their market share is super low, they've always said they'll continue to make mobile products. Even if no one buys them.

1 hour ago, AluminiumTech said:

For a surface phone I would have expected a Magnesium Unibody chasis and possibly the display technologies showcased in NOKIA McLaren.

Might have one, we don't know yet.

1 hour ago, AluminiumTech said:

It is Windows 10, it shares the same "OneCore" technology with Windows 10 desktop.

Yeah, that would never happen in a million years. The only hypothetical way of doing that would be with Continuum with a desktop monitor and accessories. But then what would be the point of doing that?

I believe continuum would be what they're going for if the rumor is true. Usually I would put absolutely 0 weight into it, but coming from Blass it's highly likely. He's spot on with most of his stuff. Fits pretty in line with what they're attempting with the HP device.

1 hour ago, AluminiumTech said:

You probably have never tried their store on Mobile and thus you have zero right to make judgement on something you have never used.

 

I used Windows Phone 8.1 back in 2015 and it wasn't very good in terms of App Support and Store. Windows 10 for Phones changed this and now more apps are high quality and support new features like Continuum. I will be the first to admit that it's not like Android's App experience. It's inferior but I'm not terribly bothered by it.

I've tried it, I hated it. Not just the store, either.

I don't mind the live tiles/tiled wallpaper. I hate how the apps are just in a list. It all around felt unpolished.

Do they have a proper eBay app yet? Last time I tried it it was worse than Blackberry's bastardized version.

It even lacked the live countdown window.

[Murasaki]

Basically 2xpensive4me

nopenopenope

[Eason85]

I will never quote again just because your jimmies are so rustled by it.

 

Windows on mobile that can run x86 apps has a clear advantage: instead of continuum giving you the facsimile of a full Windows computer, it is a full Windows computer. There should be no reason why you couldn't plug your phone in to a monitor/egpu and have a full desktop-power experience. 

[GoodBytes]

@dizmo Please don't put 2 news items in one.

[AlTech]

27 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

@dizmo Please don't put 2 news items in one.

Can we actually have this as a formal rule?

[dalekphalm]

Interesting news - though I agree with @GoodBytes, not a fan of 2 different news items (however similar they might be) in one topic. People are going to get confused, and assume the Huawei Mate 9 Pro is the Surface Phone, when that's not the case at all.

 

Furthermore, what does "Laptop-class" CPU mean? Does that mean a super beefed up, high powered ARM SoC? Or does that mean a ultra low voltage x86 SoC? Because the implications of one vs the other are extremely different.

 

x86 + Continuum would be, frankly, badass, if the experience was smooth, and they could curb battery life to be similar to an 8xx series Snapdragon SoC. That would be a business professional's dream phone. I'd definitely be interested in that, and have a Continuum Dock setup on my desk at work, connected to my 2x Monitors over DisplayPort, so I could easily switch between my work PC and my phone - hell, this could even mean some people wouldn't even need a work PC, depending on their specific tasks they do - stuff like MS Word and Excel don't exactly need a $2000 Workstation.

[AlTech]

3 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

Interesting news - though I agree with @GoodBytes, not a fan of 2 different news items (however similar they might be) in one topic. People are going to get confused, and assume the Huawei Mate 9 Pro is the Surface Phone, when that's not the case at all.

 

Furthermore, what does "Laptop-class" CPU mean? Does that mean a super beefed up, high powered ARM SoC? Or does that mean a ultra low voltage x86 SoC? Because the implications of one vs the other are extremely different.

It could mean Intel core M in  a phone. That would be exciting except when it would thermal throttle.

3 minutes ago, dalekphalm said:

x86 + Continuum would be, frankly, badass, if the experience was smooth, and they could curb battery life to be similar to an 8xx series Snapdragon SoC. That would be a business professional's dream phone. I'd definitely be interested in that, and have a Continuum Dock setup on my desk at work, connected to my 2x Monitors over DisplayPort, so I could easily switch between my work PC and my phone - hell, this could even mean some people wouldn't even need a work PC, depending on their specific tasks they do - stuff like MS Word and Excel don't exactly need a $2000 Workstation.

But people can use Excel, Word, Powerpoint etc on a currently existing Windows Phones which support Continuum......

[dalekphalm]

9 minutes ago, AluminiumTech said:

It could mean Intel core M in  a phone. That would be exciting except when it would thermal throttle.

But people can use Excel, Word, Powerpoint etc on a currently existing Windows Phones which support Continuum......

Yes, but that's where it ends. What if that person needs to use fully fledged Desktop Photoshop? What if that person needs to use any number of applications that aren't available on the Windows Store?

 

For example, we use a program built on Java that runs as the client interface for our ILS (Integrated Library System). This program is only available on Windows x86, but it can be run on a damn potato.

 

Having x86 + continuum would allow a much more flexible workflow with that program.

 

Your thinking is too constrained, you're not seeing all the possible advantages and use case scenarios that could come out of this. Perhaps they simply don't apply in your life - and that's cool But the world is diverse, and not everyone has the same usage as you.

[BuckGup]

6 hours ago, huilun02 said:

Meh

No removable battery

 

We don't even know the specs of the phone, you expect people to commit to buying now?

A removable battery isn't something common anymore. At this point it should not be expected from phones.

[goodtofufriday]

Listen. If it has ful Windows 10,Then check yes. 

[GoodBytes]

If the phone has an x86 CPU, then that means the phone will run x86 applications, else there is no point... x86 isn't efficient chip compared to ARM. Already, with such phone, you have to expect low battery life (meaning: no full day intensive use battery). Unless there is some sort of ARM and x86 hybrid Frankenstein chip inside.

 

Ultimately what it means, and we have to be realistic, is that under Continuum mode, this is where you can run x86 programs. On the go, as a phone, I doubt it, because most Win32 (x86) programs aren't high-DPI aware. So they'll look all wrong (blurry) or possibly even broken (options are out of screen, or work area is too small to do anything due to too large tool bars and such). Although, it could allow codecs and existing x86 code to run within a UWP app.. allowing for stuff like Steam in home streaming to run, and port even more easily some indi title games... although you'll need a keyboard/mouse or controller to play (which you can as Win10Mobile, already supports all this)

 

Now for the vote, I am surprised people saying that the OS is not mature.. it is mature, pretty mature I would say. Clearly people voting without knowing anything about the OS.

BUT, what I would agree, and I think this is what people meant, is that the ecosystem is not mature. Yes I agree. I expect further integration with Windows 10, and of course more apps.. but apps will only come if the user base is large. That said, thanks to Windows 10 and UWP, you do have full apps and updated/supported like: Facebook (and its Messenger app), Instagram, Whatsapp, Twitter, Netflix, Pandora, Spotify, VLC, Photoshop express, Hulu, Box, DropBox, Fitbit, TeamViewer, Evernote, Flipboard, Plex, and more.

Of course, it needs LOTS more. but it is an excellent start, if such phone comes into reality.

 

Personally, I hope that people are open into diving in another OS. Competition is good, and I feel like iOS and Android really lacks innovation. Both OS feels, at least to me, I don't know about you, stagnate. Yes yes, they are new features, but they come out very slowly.