Panos Panoy shows off his Surface Duo again, this time in a protective case

Microsoft Chief Product Officer Panos Panay has taken to Twitter once again to reveal the Android-powered Surface Duo ahead of a possible launch this month. The device in Panay’s hands is the first time we have seen it in what will likely be an official case for the Duo when it ships. Colored in clear and white plastic, it doesn’t appear to add too much additional bulk to the device – Panay is obviously at pains to show that it can still be used comfortably one-handed.

When the Surface Duo was officially revealed in October as a near finalized prototype, it was running the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset mated to 6 GB of RAM. However, it is possible that this could get upgraded to a Snapdragon 865 chipset in the shipping device which would help it better compete against other Android flagships. Its most direct competitor, Samsung’s foldable Galaxy Fold 2, is expected to ship with Qualcomm’s rumored upgraded Snapdragon 865+ so it is likely Microsoft won’t want to bring a pellet shooter to a gun fight.

In one of life’s great ironies, Microsoft is said to have been working closely with Google to ensure that Android is properly optimized for its dual-display approach. LG, as we well know, has favored a similar approach as it delivers an outstanding multitasking experience. LG, however, has thus far relied on adding its second screen via a bulky case accessory. Microsoft seemingly agrees will LG but is clearly more fully committed to approach with its more integrated design. Let’s hope we see it soon, and it isn’t delayed into next year as WinFuture suggests might be the case.