Microsoft decided to give up on its dual smartphone idea after two not-so-successful attempts. Now the company is looking into the foldable segment, and wants to offer customers its own vision of a productivity-focused Android smartphone with a foldable display. However, a Surface smartphone with a bendable screen is not all that Microsoft has. The company is considering expanding its smartphone lineup with additional devices with traditional form factors.

A Report Posted by Windows Central claims (citing company sources) that Microsoft has already prototyped some Surface tablet-like smartphones. The software giant could aim those at the mainstream segment, leaving its foldable Surface for enthusiasts with deeper pockets. Jonas Daehnert’s concept from late 2020 provides a glimpse of what a traditional Surface phone could look like.

In addition to releasing a “normal” Surface smartphone with Android inside, Microsoft wants to tighten the ties between Windows and Google’s mobile operating system. The company is working on the “Perfect Together” project to create a better “ecosystem” between the two operating systems and provide an iPhone-like experience with its many macOS integrations. It’s quite interesting to hear such stories considering that the Phone Link app only works best with Samsung devices, not even Microsoft’s Surface Duo.

Microsoft has tried to storm the smartphone market many times with varying degrees of success (RIP beloved Windows Phone), and it knows how hard it is to compete with established players. For this reason, Microsoft is cooking up its “Perfect Together” project to differentiate Surface smartphones from the competition.

While these reports likely upset the poor Surface Duo fanbase, it’s great to see Microsoft not giving up on making smartphones and exploring alternative ideas.

What do you think of Microsoft’s idea of ​​making a regular Android smartphone under the Surface brand? Tell us in the comments.