The Microsoft Surface Duo is well-known for its unique foldable phone experience with dual screens, but it initially lacked robust software support from Microsoft compared to its competitors.
A developer named Thai Nguyen, who previously worked with Microsoft has taken matters into his own hands. He has released a test build of Android 13 for the Surface Duo, providing users with the chance to extend the device’s life beyond the official updates, as XDA reveals.
The Android 13 build is based on Pixel handsets’ software, and it offers a clean experience with notable features. While users may run into some bugs from time to time, such as screen orientation issues and missing pixels in split-screen mode, Nguyen recommends using DSU Sideloader for easy installation and the ability to revert to the original software if it necessary.
The Microsoft Surface Duo features an 8.1-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1800 x 2700 pixels and protection offered by the Corning Gorilla Glass 5 technology. In its folded position, the tablet has a 5.6-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1350 x 1800 pixels. The device initially came equipped with Android 10 out of the box, it is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chipset and an octa-core processor consisting of 1×2.84 GHz Kryo 485, 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 485, and 4×1.78 GHz Kryo 485 cores.
Microsoft Surface Duo offers two storage options: 128GB with 6GB of RAM or 256GB with 6GB of RAM. The main camera is 11 MP with features such as HDR and panorama, the capability of recording 4K videos, while the selfie camera utilizes the main camera and offers similar features and video capabilities.
We need to keep in mind that the aforementioned project is still in its early stages, but even so, it opens doors for others to potentially create future OS versions for the Surface Duo. Users interested in trying out the unofficial Android 13 update should head over to the XDA forums to see the instructions.