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Welcome to Alphabet City.
I'm your guide, Iyaz Akhtar, and you are the lovely audience.
A new Forbes report says Microsoft is working on a new foldable surface device.
And would be capable of running Android apps, and it could be released in 2020.
There's a lot going on in that one sentence right.
Let's break down the news.
See what the market is like now and how likely this is to happen.
The news of this foldable device ran on Forbes which has Jeff Lin to thank as its source.
Lin is an Associate Director of consumer electronics at a data firm called IHS Market, apparently, Lin got his information from the supply chain.
The foldable surface will be running a version of Windows 10 called Windows Core OS, which is meant for dual screen devices.
The two screens would be nine inches each with a four by three aspect ratio.
What is not clear is whether the screens are separated by a hinge, or whether they will be joined like the Galaxy folder.
Inside would be an Intel chip and either a 5G or LTE modem.
And here's why this is relevant at all to this show.
The foldable would be able to run Android apps in Windows 10.
Let's talk about some background on dual Screen devices.
Back in the early 2000s, Microsoft introduced Windows side show in Vista.
Laptops could have a secondary display on the lid.
They could show you things like emails and your calendar.
Take a look at this Aces laptop Complete with side show.
As you're aware, side show never really took off.
Last year, Lenovo introduced a laptop with an E Ink keyboard, that was in October, it was pretty cool but it did not lead to any kind of laptop revolution.
In May of this year, Intel showed off a number of duel splitting devices.
These were just concepts, so we don't know if any of them will ever be for sale.
Asus showed off the insane Zenbook Pro Duo in the same month Which is coming to market.
IT takes a different approach to featuring two screens on one laptops.
Now Windows on two screens isn't exactly crazy since the OS can support multiple monitors anyway.
About a decade ago, news of Microsoft two screen courier device made the rounds.
For a number of reasons, the Courier never made it to market.
That was a very different Microsoft, as it was being run by Steve Ballmer.
In a recent interview, Bill Gates talked about his greatest mistake while running Microsoft.
He said quote, in the software world, particularly for platforms, these are winner- take- all markets.
So the greatest mistake ever is whatever mismanagement I engaged in that caused Microsoft not to be what android is.
That is, Android is the standard non- Apple phone platform.
That was a natural thing for Microsoft to win So with all of that being said, does it make sense that Microsoft could be working on a new dual-screen device that can run Android apps?
Microsoft has been on the dual-screen device bandwagon for years, it's seem like the market is finally catching up with Microsoft ideas From a long time ago, multiple screens on one device, foldables, whatever.
The market and technology seem mature enough to try something a little different.
What about the whole android thing?
Well, we've got that Gates interview.
I think it's safe to say Say that Microsoft probably still feels the sting of losing out in the mobile market.
The Forbes report said the Microsoft device would have Intel inside.
Now normally, you see Android running on armed based processors on pretty much Everything.
There happens to be an open source project called Android-x86 that makes Android run on x86 chips like the ones Intel makes.
Back in 2012, Motorola used Intel chips in its Android phones.
Additionally, you can run Android emulators on Windows.
It is possible for Microsoft to put together tools to have Android apps, run on a Windows lash Intel machine.
On top of all of that, Intel based Chromebooks can run Android apps.
So it's very very possible.
To get Android working properly on Intel chips.
Now here is the major issue.
Having two separate app ecosystems in one machine can get really ugly.
If you put together windows and Android.
There's a mess ahead, the Interfaces of Android apps and Windows apps are vastly different.
The user would have to know how to use both and deal with the inconsistencies between the two types on one machine.
There are also issues with how Android apps are displayed on non-phones.
Microsoft would have to figure out how to make the two systems live in harmony.
Can it be done?
Do you know who has not figured that out yet?
Google themselves.
Just look at Chromebooks running Chrome OS and Android apps.
It's far from great.
Will we see a foldable Microsoft Surface capable of running Android apps in 2020?
I'm gonna say, yes.
If Microsoft has not figured out an elegant way to get Android and Windows apps to play nicely.
The Android App support maybe touted as a small feature, not a huge one.
Let's go to Comment Cove.
This is the part of the show where we shine a spotlight at the most amazing audience of the world.
You, on the rumors that the note 10 might drop the headphone jack.
Dr. Pepper says, I don't care about the headphone jacks anymore.
Bluetooth ear buds are better and convenient nowadays.
They just have to update battery life and drain the phone less.
You don't hear that opinion very often.
So thanks, Doc.
Responding to my statement that I'll probably go to the pixel do the slow software updates on my Samsung phone.
Wal Does says Samsung has always been ahead in terms of functionalities and what it gives compared to stock Android, so why do you complain?
Samsung is already ahead.
Wal, that's a good point.
Samsung has had features like Multi window and A picture and picture before official Android got them.
So why do I complain?
I think stock Android has finally caught up and I want to try out Google's latest features as soon as possible.
And lastly, this comment by earthly firefly5.
Trust yourself not when you desire to outdo others.
distinguish yourself from others be powerful, famous, be a rescuer, but trust yourself when the main desire of your soul is to be better.
Tolstoy trust yourself.
That has nothing to do with our show, but it was nice to read.
Thanks to everyone for writing in.
If you've enjoyed your stay in Alphabet City please like and subscribe.
I'm Iyaz Akhtar, see you online.
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