Surface Duo gets price cut ahead of launch in UK, Europe and Canada

Microsoft’s Surface Duo has remained an American exclusive since its launch in September 2020, but the company is now keeping its promise to launch the device internationally. In a wave of press releases released this morning, Microsoft confirmed that its ambitious dual-screen smartphone will go on sale in the UK, France, Germany and Canada on February 18.

Fans in the UK will be able to purchase their Duos from Currys PC World and Microsoft direct, with prices starting at £ 1,349. The company has also signed similar distribution agreements with FNAC and Darty in France, as well as with Saturn and MediaMarkt in Germany, where the Duo will be sold for € 1,549. (At the time of publication, Microsoft has yet to disclose its Canadian pricing.)

The company also had good news for future Surface Duo owners a little closer to home: For now at least, the device is now selling for just $ 999, down from the original $ 1,399. . While we can’t say if this is a permanent price cut at this time, it’s a sure sign that Microsoft wants to give the Duo a fighting chance in a year where rivals like Samsung give away. the priority to “more accessible” – or in other words, less expensive – foldable.

While Microsoft generally doesn’t like to call one, the Surface Duo is the company’s first new smartphone since the 2015 Lumia 950 and 950 XL – a pair of devices that more or less collapsed upon release. the door. In the years since we’ve seen the quality of Microsoft’s hardware explode, and the Surface Duo could be one of the best expressions of the company’s talent for engineering. Unfortunately, the first wave of review units seemed to be plagued by inconsistent and inelegant software, resulting in reviews that killed much of the initial hype that Microsoft was hoping to capitalize on. In most cases, however, the Surface Duo’s software situation has improved noticeably thanks to a series of semi-regular updates – between that extra polish and this new price drop, the Duo might just have a chance to shine now like he couldn’t. almost six months ago.