“Microsoft launches foldable Microsoft Surface with Android apps in 2020.

Microsoft would introduce a foldable Microsoft Surface within twelve months. That’s what Forbes says based on information from Jeff Lin, Associate Director of Consumer Electronics at IHS Markit. Lin says he’s getting his information out of the company’s supply chain.

According to Lin, the foldable Surface has two 9-inch screens with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which link together. The device should be on the market soon, namely in the first quarter of 2020 or in the first half of 2020.

Microsoft Surface runs on the new version of Windows 10 – Windows Core OS (WCOS) – and gets multiple optimizations for a dual display user interface. Also, the operating system needs several updates to run properly on a device with two screens and such an aspect ratio. The same goes for the apps that run on Surface.

Android and iCloud

These apps are not only Windows apps, by the way. Surface needs to be able to run Android apps and iCloud services in Windows 10. This is an interesting choice, as users of the Windows Phone have been asking for such options for some time. Android apps may be supported to fill the potential lack of apps for a dual-screen Windows device. In the case of the iCloud service, the question is whether this software is pre-installed or not.

Inside the device is an Intel 10 nanometer system on a chip (SoC) Lakefield. Furthermore, the device has a Always on connectivity function for 4G or maybe even 5G.

A Microsoft spokesman told Forbes that it could not respond to future products. There is also a chance that the company will change its mind and remove the device in the coming months. However, there have already been reports, including from The Verge, that Microsoft is working on a mobile device with two screens. Recently, Microsoft also showed such a Surface device.