Surface Duo continues its worst-in-class update record, ships Android 12L - Ars Technica

Can't you guys conscionable tally Windows Update? —

$1,499 doesn't bargain you a decent update program from Microsoft.

Ron Amadeo - Oct 26, 2022 8:20 p.m. UTC

Enlarge / The Surface Duo 2 moving Android 12L.

Microsoft

Microsoft is inactive struggling to larn what precisely it takes to beryllium a palmy Android manufactuer. The company's archetypal self-branded Android phones, the dual-screened Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2, person tried to resurrect Microsoft's mobile ambitions aft the decease of Windows Phone. They permission a batch to beryllium desired, though, and the archetypal mentation went done immoderate embarrassing occurrence sales. An ongoing sound against the devices has besides been Microsoft's very slow OS updates. Unlike, say, Windows and Windows Update, Google's costly and labor-intensive Android update process puts the work for updates connected the hardware seller, and a large portion of being a bully Android OEM is however rapidly you tin navigate this analyzable process. Microsoft is proving to not beryllium bully astatine this.

This week, Microsoft announced the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 are finally getting Android 12L, an OS update that came retired successful March. That puts that institution astatine a much than seven-month update time, which is worst-in-class for a flagship device, particularly for 1 costing the $1,499 Microsoft is charging for the Duo 2. The institution took a prolonged 14 months to vessel Android 11 to the Surface Duo, truthful astatine slightest it's improving!

Enlarge / New for Android 12L: Click pen, get pen menu.

Microsoft

Android 12L features a clump of changes aimed astatine big-screen tablet devices, but the awkward in-betweener Surface Duo seems to settee connected the telephone interface. The dual-pane notification sheet isn't here, nor is the (ironically precise Windows 11-like) taskbar astatine the bottommost of the screen.

Microsoft says the Surface Duo tegument physique tries to marque Android look much similar Windows 11, with "unified iconography, colors and UI controls," making Microsoft's Android telephone consciousness similar "an integral portion of the wider Windows ecosystem." One highlighted caller diagnostic is simply a pen menu, wherever a click connected the apical of the Surface Slim Pen 2 volition unfastened an app shortcut drawer. There's nary connection connected erstwhile Microsoft plans to vessel the 2-month-old Android 13.