Microsoft Surface Phone release date: Rumored smartphone may not be launched for at least another year

(Microsoft)The expected follow-up for the Microsoft Lumia 950 (shown), the rumored Microsoft Surface Phone, may not be released for at least another year

Microsoft's rumored Surface Phone has consistently been one of the more talked about devices of this year, and yet it appears the speculation may have started too early, as it may take another year or so before the device itself is officially launched.

In a recent report, ZD Net's Mary Jo Foley touched on the status of the still unofficial smartphone.

According to sources spoken to by Foley, the best case scenario for the new phone's arrival may involve a late 2017 launch. There's also a distinct chance that it may miss out on 2017 altogether and instead show up sometime in 2018.

Notably, a 2018 release does not appear to be the worst case scenario for Microsoft's Surface Phone, as there may also be a chance that it simply does not show up at all.

Perhaps the most frustrating part of all of this for those who are still waiting for the new smartphone is that they won't know exactly what's going on for at least the next year.

Rumors about the new Microsoft smartphone have also been circulating for a while, so it's clear that there are people who want to find out more about it, though exactly when more details will be shared remains unclear.

Earlier this year, a post that popped up on Baidu indicated that the new Microsoft smartphone may feature a 5.7-inch, 2K display. The post continued, revealing that the phone may also be powered by the Snapdragon 830 processor and that it may also run the Redstone 2 version of the Windows 10 operating system. Lastly, the post hinted that the phone may come with a 20-megapixel rear camera.

Unfortunately, with the Surface Phone not expected to show up anytime soon, it will likely be a while before people find out more about what exactly it will be able to offer.

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