A new report from Forbes is claiming that Microsoft’s upcoming foldable Surface PC, which I revealed to be in the works late last year under the codename Centaurus, will be able to run Android apps. In addition, the report also provides a few specifications, including screen size and possible CPU.
According to Forbes, Microsoft’s foldable Surface PC will sport two 9-inch displays with a 4:3 aspect ratio, along with a 10nm Lakefield Intel processor. I can confirm that Centaurus is indeed an Intel device, and does feature two separate displays, not a single foldable display like found on the recently announced Lenovo foldable PC.
I want to highlight the Android apps thing for a minute though, as this is something I’ve been hearing too. In fact, I’ve been hearing this for over a year, as it was first considered for Microsoft’s foldable pocket PC, codenamed Andromeda. Since Andromeda and Centaurus both run Windows Core OS, it wouldn’t be too difficult to get Android apps running on Centaurus if said capabilities had already been in development for Andromeda. Whether Microsoft ships the ability to run those apps is the million dollar question.
Finally, Forbes notes that the device is expected to start shipping sometime in the first half of 2020, which I can also confirm to have heard from my own sources. The report doesn’t mention when an announcement will take place, but I’m hearing whispers that Centaurus may make an appearance at an October hardware event later this year, possibly as a tease, or a full blown announcement alongside Windows Lite.
Centuaurs is on its way, and will be one of the first Windows Lite devices to start shipping. Windows Lite is a flavor of Windows Core OS, alongside other editions of Windows Core OS that run on HoloLens 2, Surface Hub 2X, and the next generation Xbox. Windows Core OS is a new, modern version of Windows with many legacy components gutted in favor of performance, fluidity, and new user experiences.