It looks like Surface Neo was not the only device that Microsoft ended up canceling in recent years. The software giant was also working on a mid-range variant of the Surface Duo 2 dubbed as Surface Duo 2 “Dev unit” according to a listing (now deleted) on eBay.com, spotted by Windows Central.
While the eBay listing provides no details other than the device"s images, sources claim that the now-canceled Surface Duo device was supposed to be a “lower cost” and “lite” version of the Surface Duo 2. It was code named “Cronos” and was supposed to release later this year.
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Based on the images in the eBay listing, the device has “a smaller camera bump, a slightly more rounded external design with a matte finish, and flat displays.” Some of these changes in the design were made to bring the price down, though we don"t know anything about how much Microsoft was planning to sell it for.
Microsoft canceled “Cronos” in late 2021 to focus more on its next-generation flagship Surface Duo, said to be unveiled in late 2023.
As for the specifications of the so-called Surface Duo 2 Dev unit, it featured a dual camera setup on the back, non-curved displays without the glance bar, and a fully plastic body. An upper mid-range Snapdragon chipset was meant to power the Surface. This is a significant downgrade from the original Surface Duo 2, both in terms of design and specifications.
What do you think of the Surface Duo 2 Dev unit? Would you buy if Microsoft didn"t cancel the device? Let us know in the comments.
Source and images: Windows Central