Surface Phone rumours are back, thanks to a morsel of code buried in the latest version of Microsoft’s Whiteboard desktop app.
Whispers of a premium smartphone designed by Panos Panay and the team behind the likes of the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop had died down following the demise of Windows 10 Mobile.
Of course, Microsoft never confirmed it was building a flagship Windows 10 smartphone.
However, a number of prominent figures had teased the development of a productivity-focused mobile phone.
CEO Satya Nadella raised hopes amongst Microsoft fans earlier this year when he claimed that a smartphone from the company could be “the ultimate mobile device”.
And now, code buried within Microsoft’s Whiteboard app hints at a foldable Surface Phone.
One of the most persistent rumours about the so-called Surface Phone was that the smartphone would include a hinge, enabling owners to increase the size of the display by folding opening the device and increasing productivity.
Code within the Microsoft software points directly to a device with this design.
According to a reliable Windows tipster, known as WalkingCat online, the Whiteboard app includes references to “Journal; app’ left and right page references.”
This is a clear hint that Microsoft is working on a device with a separate left and right interface.
The Journal app referred to within the code could be designed for said hardware.
WalkingCat detailed another reference within the Whiteboard app.
“This is the accessibility title for the whiteboard application which is a single large canvas for creation with a chrome toolbar at the bottom,” the leakster tweeted.
Earlier this year, a user claiming to be a former employee of a Microsoft contractor posted on Reddit, stating the Surface Phone wouldn’t launch for at least another year.
The source – who shared the news under the handle zombieacc – said the device would “probably” be released in late 2018 or 2019.
The source went on to claim that despite this delay, Microsoft is not giving up on the Surface Phone, which is set to be one of the most powerful devices launched by the company.
“Nobody knows what they are working on right now, but they don’t seem to be giving up,” the user added.
“Some special phone-PC-like Windows 10 ARM device will probably arrive in late 2018 or 2019. I have no more info on that, but I think Windows 10 ARM is much further away than some of us hope.”