Reports about Microsoft restructuring its smartphone business, cutting a considerable number of jobs and alliance with Windows and Devices triggered speculations about a possible Microsoft Surface Phone among tech buffs. Surface executive Panos Panay added more fuel to the already burning rumors by taking the helm of the new Microsoft Devices unit a couple of years ago.

Microsoft Surface Phone 2017 Release Date

Previous reports indicated that the Surface Phone would be unveiled in mid-2016; however, that didn't come to fruition. Now, a new report from WindowsCentral is pointing to a 2018 launch for the highly anticipated Microsoft Surface Phone. The delayed release is attributed to the long period required to come out with a smartphone that boasts jaw-dropping specifications.

Microsoft Surface Phone 2017 Specifications

Microsoft's Lumia seems to have made a comeback which began in January to fill the voids left by the lack of a Surface Phone. Multiple sources suggest that the Surface Phone 2017 could come bearing identical specs as the Lumia XL. The new Surface Phone could sport a 5.5-inch display touchscreen coupled with quad HD resolution (2560 x 1440 pixels).

Current generation Surface devices come equipped with a Windows 10 feature dubbed, Continuum. The said feature enables the user interface to automatically adapt to a slew of situations.

There's word that Surface Phone 2017 could boast the same feature. Moreover, the device is expected to feature Quick Charge 4.0, pack 6GB of RAM and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 836 processor.

As indicated by previous reports, the Surface Phone 2017 could come running the Windows 10 Mobile Redstone 3 operating system (OS). However, latest reports suggest the Redstone 3 could be ousted in favor of the more widely used Apple iOS and Android OS.

Meanwhile, the Redmond-based tech firm's chief executive Satya Nadella has rubber stamped the speculations that Microsoft is indeed hard at works on a new flagship device, SmartStockNews reported. It's highly likely that the device could be the long rumored Microsoft Surface Pro 5.

Nadella claims the Pro 5 will pack cutting-edge features making it a high-performance device and pit it against some leading market players such as Apple.