Microsoft says the Surface Duo 2 will receive three years of updates

Microsoft revealed the Surface Duo 2 earlier this week, making for a massive upgrade on paper over the original model. But what should you expect in terms of software updates though? Now, the Redmond company has given us an answer.

“We are committed to providing three years of OS and security updates,” a Microsoft representative told Android Authority in response to a question about update commitments for the Surface Duo 2.

The statement matches what the company said regarding the original Surface Duo. In any event, the pledge for the Surface Duo line means Microsoft is part of a wave of Android brands stepping their game up for OS updates (i.e. Samsung, OnePlus, OPPO). It’s not quite matching Samsung when it comes to security patches, as the Korean manufacturer is offering four years of security updates, but the overall commitment is still good news.

Microsoft also confirmed to Android Authority that it was working to bring Android 11 to the first Surface Duo “before the end of this year.” This is a little disappointing when you consider that Android 12 is expected to launch in the next month or two. So we hope the company picks up the pace and delivers Android 12 in short order to both models.

Nevertheless, the Surface Duo 2 is looking like a pretty compelling flagship device from a hardware perspective. The dual-screen foldable phone now sports a Snapdragon 888 SoC, 5G, NFC, a bigger battery, and a flexible triple rear camera setup. This all makes for a significant upgrade over the original model, which felt dated and overpriced at launch.