We are already in the second week of the year 2022. Do you understand what that means? That’s right: Microsoft’s stated aim of bringing Android 11 to the Surface Duo by the end of 2021 has been missed.
“We are dedicated to bringing updates to Surface Duo, and we’re aiming to provide Android 11 to existing users by the end of this year,” Microsoft responded in September to observant readers. Okay, so the firm didn’t explicitly promise Android 11 by the end of 2021, but it was a strong implication, and it gave some Surface Duo customers a lot of optimism.
As previously reported by Windows Central, Duo devices have yet to obtain Android 11. While this may be frustrating for people who possess certain gadgets, it is not unprecedented. Update snafus are unavoidable with Android since manufacturers of all stripes frequently fail to provide them on schedule. Upgrades are still the same as they were a decade ago: first-party Google devices get updates rapidly, while everything else takes months or never gets updated.
In order to support the Surface Duo’s two displays, Microsoft also has to do Android work with extra controls and functionality – Android as an operating system is woefully inadequate for devices like the Surface Duo. One may anticipate that such a product would take some time to spread out. Despite this, Duo customers haven’t seen any significant software updates since the gadget was released 15 months ago – and that’s a long time.
Surface Duo customers should anticipate an upgrade in the coming weeks, according to Microsoft’s senior director of program management, Kimmo Lehtosalo. They’re nearing the end of the Android 11 validation and certification process. They had intended to release Android 11 as a Surface Duo upgrade in December, but they needed a few extra weeks to make sure Surface Duo users had a fantastic experience. They plan to start rolling out Android 11 in the coming weeks, starting with unlocked smartphones.
Microsoft suspended updates for the Launcher software for the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 via the Google Play Store in late October. It was suspected at the time that Launcher’s builds were being forked for specific Surface Duo capabilities; however, it was later discovered that this was most likely due to an internal software issue that needed to be fixed.
Both the Surface Duo and the Surface Duo 2 have been receiving their respective Launcher app upgrades from the Google Play Store since last night (instead of monthly system updates). Furthermore, the app now displays in search when it previously did not, as Microsoft worked to remedy the issue.
Surprisingly, the Surface Duo’s upgrade is more significant. It combines Android 11 with the somewhat redesigned appearance of the Surface Duo 2, featuring new Widgets in the Your Feed (Glance, News) sidebar and increased translucency. With softer sides and improved visuals, these new designs are more in line with Windows 11. Similarly, the app drawer has been updated to resemble the Surface Duo 2’s, with a new grab bar towards the top.
