Microsoft apparently wants to deliver the Surface Duo with a Snapdragon 855 this summer

Microsoft set expectations for Holiday 2020 when it announced the Surface Duo last year, its dual-screen smartphone. However, now Windows Central reports that Microsoft is planning on bringing forward the release of its first Android device. Additionally, the website has confirmed more hardware details about the Surface Duo, which will not set the world alight.

Citing "sources familiar with the matter", Windows Central states that the Surface Duo could start shipping by the summer, albeit initially in limited quantities. Apparently, Microsoft hopes to be only about a month away from finishing the software for the device, with the hardware having been "pretty much" finalised too.

The website also claims that Microsoft will announce initial availability of the Surface Duo this Spring. The announcement will coincide with the unveiling of the Surface Book 3 and Surface Go 2.

With the good news out of the way, the Surface Duo will feature a Snapdragon 855 SoC, meaning that it will lack support for 5G connectivity. Windows Central also mentioned the entry-level model as having 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, with Microsoft planning to other RAM and storage variants too. The Snapdragon 855 will power all SKUs, though.

So, not only will the Surface Duo sport the bezels of yesteryear, but it will also feature older hardware. While Microsoft is rumoured to be including a "world-class camera" in the Surface Duo, opting for the Snapdragon 855 seems like somewhat of a misstep.