Microsoft Surface Duo - All you need to know about the dual-screen Android phone - Android

Two screens, many possibilities

Undoubtedly, the most defining characteristic of the Microsoft Surface Duo is its dual-display format. You can close the whole device up like a book which will protect the inner 5.6-inch displays while you carry it around. If you like, you can also swing open the whole thing 360-degrees so each display is back-to-back. You can also put it into a tent mode or just lay it flat.

If you want to run two apps simultaneously on each display, that’s possible. This would allow you to work on a spreadsheet while watching a TV show, for example. You can also fold it out like a little laptop and type on a virtual keyboard while leaving the top display clutter-free.

Related: I’ve been using a dual-screen laptop for months, and I don’t want to go back

There’s also an app continuity feature here. This allows you to push an app from one display to another as if it were one big tablet. Certain apps will also automatically format themselves depending on how you’re using the Surface Duo. As an example, you could be using Google Maps on one panel to find a local restaurant. When you tap to open the restaurant’s website, that will open on the second panel, leaving your viewing of Maps uninterrupted.

Finally, you might be wondering where the camera is. The rear panels of the Surface Duo are bare except for the Microsoft logo. The only camera is the front-facing selfie cam, which is embedded at the top of the interior right panel. This makes it ideal for selfies, obviously, but you can also fold the device so both displays are outward-facing and then spin the whole thing around. The back display will show the camera’s viewfinder, allowing you to operate it as you would a “normal” smartphone.