Microsoft held its event in October and unveiled the Surface Duo, so we got a look at the dual-screen device that folded in a 5.6-inch book. When opened, it would offer 8.3-inches of the screen, but except seeing the hardware, nobody was able to play around with the Android software on the Surface Duo.
Android Emulator for the Surface Duo Is Now Available For Developers
Microsoft announced that they are publishing an Android emulator for developers to download and use to optimize their apps. As reported by The Verge, Zac Bowden (Windows Central), got a hands-on look at how the navigation gestures would work in the Surface Duo:
Here's a quick look at some of the (unfinished) navigation gestures that are part of the Surface Duo. This build is pretty buggy, but still interesting to see. pic.twitter.com/Jra1xVfZl2
— Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) January 22, 2020
Looking at the video Tweeted above, we see how some apps can open in one entire screen. However, users can choose to make apps span across the two displays. Microsoft recommends developers to test their apps so that they can open either on a single display or on both of them.
Once you open an app, the other apps that are pinned on the home screen will be sent on the opposite display so you can open something else. Users will notice that the Android task manager will open on a single display so that apps can be dragged and dropped on the other display.
Jonas Daehnert took that footage and overlaid it on a Surface Duo mockup image to help us get a better idea of how the Android features would work on the Surface Duo:
In context – this feels even more magical. pic.twitter.com/8yLLoioE1K
— Jonas Daehnert (@PhoneDesigner) January 22, 2020
Developers Will Be Optimizing Apps for the Surface Duo and the Surface Neo
Developers are now able to optimize their apps, and we hope they’ll make use of the extra screen or find a way to avoid that middle seam. The current Android emulator has been optimized for developers that are working on improving apps for the Surface Duo. It should be available for Windows 10X in February so that developers can begin working for their apps in for the incoming Surface Neo.
More details about the Surface Duo will surely come when Microsoft holds its webcast in February.