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Microsoft has never been a hardware company, but it has certainly dabbled with the idea.
With dabbling comes ideas that never make it off the ground.
A Surface Neo, Surface Duo, Surface Mini, and Lumia McLaren all walk into a bar…
This means the equipment wouldn’t run Windows apps.
Unfortunately, Courier was canceled in 2010 for reasons that are unknown.
The devices big selling point was 3D Touch, which was being co-developed with Microsoft.
This UX was super fluid and satisfying to use, and its a shame it never shipped.
Codenamed Iris, theSurface Miniwas supposed to be an 8-inch Windows RT tablet that prioritized touch and pen input.
Surface Mini began development in 2013 and was planned to be announced alongside the Surface Pro 3 in 2014.
The Microsoft Courier’s design.
The display was a high-resolution 1080p LCD panel, and the chassis was made of a felt-like material.
The kickstand was also unique, the first to support three different angles instead of two.
Microsoft ultimately canceled the Surface Mini just weeks before it was supposed to be announced.
Windows Phone on the Lumia McLaren.
Why was it canceled?
Its believed that Windows RT was the primary culprit.
Xbox Joule (2014)
Before the Microsoft Band, there was theXbox Joule.
It featured replaceable bands and a charging dock.
It’s unknown why the Xbox Joule was canceled.
Externally, the unit looked similar to the Band 2, though it wasn’t identical.
Surface Andromeda (2018)
Andromeda might be Microsoft’s most famously canceled equipment.
The Andromeda gadget was built around a version of Windows that prioritized pen and digital ink.
Unlike Surface Duo, the gear featured a rear camera.
Surface Mini running Windows RT.
Metal rails around the sides of the machine gave it a more premium feel in the hand too.
Neo would have run a special version of Windows calledWindows 10Xthat would have been able to run Windows apps.
On the inside, Surface Neo was powered by an Intel Lakefield processor, paired with 8GB RAM.
Surface Neo was canceled in 2021, afterMicrosoft scrapped Windows 10XandIntel abandoned the Lakefield processor.
Cronos featured an all-plastic exterior and a dual-camera array on the back of the rig.
The displays were also cheaper, missing the curved glance bar that the Duo 2 had.
Xbox Joule’s firmware.
The machine was all about cutting corners to bring the price down.
Unfortunately, the equipment was scrapped when the company decided that dual-screen devices weren’t working.
Both Cronos and Duo 3 were scrapped, and the companybegan working on a true folding screen phone.
The Microsoft Band 3 looked almost like a Band 2.
In 2023, Microsoft would cancel all plans to release more phone hardware.
The Andromeda hardware.
The Surface Neo was another dual-screen computer running Windows.
Surface Neo featured a keyboard accessory.
The canceled mid-range Surface Duo.
