Google, Samsung, and Apple are widely considered three of the top smartphone makers in the world. There are definitely other brands like OnePlus, Huawei, Vivo, and a few more, but their phones are not sold in all parts of the world. The reason is different for different manufacturers; for instance, OnePlus stopped selling its phones in North America and Europe due to less demand for its products in these regions.
Many years ago, there was one more name that used to compete against the current top three smartphone makers – Microsoft. That said, a prototype of a Microsoft-built Surface smartphone that was supposed to go live in 2014 has surfaced online, and honestly, it looks absolutely stunning.
It's important to understand the Microsoft smartphone history first
Microsoft is mainly famous for its Windows operating system and a long list of productivity applications that it offers. However, the company has always shown interest in entering the smartphone manufacturing industry. The first signs of this surfaced way back in 2012, when it was reported that Microsoft was working on a Windows Phone.
While phone enthusiasts were waiting for more updates on this front, the company announced that it had acquired Nokia's Devices and Services business in 2013. Most likely after this acquisition, Microsoft decided to pause the development of its Windows Phone and build a product together with Nokia, which was one of the biggest names in the mobile hardware business at that time.
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Do you really want Windows Phone to make a comeback?
The result of Microsoft and Nokia coming together was the Lumia lineup, with the Lumia 535 being the first device released in 2014 under the Microsoft name. Interestingly, the Redmond giant did launch its very own phone under the Surface brand called the Surface Duo. It was a dual-screen device that went live in 2020, almost 8 years after the first signs that Microsoft was thinking of making its very own smartphone were spotted.
We could have got a Microsoft build handset all the way back in 2014
Microsoft Surface phone prototype. | Image by Windows Central
A prototype image of what appears to be a Surface-branded Windows phone has been shared by Windows Central. It reportedly has the codename "Raven" and dates back to 2013 or 2014. Its design looks very aesthetic and cool considering the year it was supposed to go live, even when compared with devices that launched in 2014, such as the iPhone 6 or the Galaxy S5.
The phone has the Microsoft logo embedded on its back panel, which also features a single camera and an LED flashlight placed next to it. It has a silver metal frame that the company also used in the Surface 2, which was released in the same time frame. The device reportedly ran Windows Phone 8.1 and was powered by a Qualcomm processor.
While the exact model of the chipset hasn't been disclosed, considering the time frame, it could have been any of the Snapdragon 200 or 600 SoCs. The display is reported to be 720p, and you can also spot dedicated navigation keys on the front.
This device could have been more successful
As mentioned above, the Surface Duo was a dual-screen device, unlike normal slab phones. The company released its successor, the Duo 2, and followed the same dual-screen approach with it as well. However, the software used in these devices wasn't fully optimized for multiple displays.
User complaining about the Surface Duo. | Image by Reddit
However, I, personally, believe that the Microsoft phone prototype that has surfaced now would have performed better commercially if it had actually gone live. The reason for this is that it would have been a slab phone, which would not have had the dual-screen issues that the two Surface phones Microsoft released had.
Will Windows phones ever make a comeback?
Lumia phones that were released under the Microsoft branding were really great. They had bold colors and came with incredible features like PureView.
You can find many Windows fans demanding that Microsoft bring back Windows-powered phones. Well, there appears to be no sign of a Windows smartphone making a comeback, but if it ever does, I am definitely going to buy one.
If you'd like to read more about Microsoft and its smartphone endeavors, I'd recommend the following stories:
Follow me on X and Threads for more such fun smartphone-related stories.
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Aman Kumar is a news writer at PhoneArena covering Google Pixel phones, Android features, AI-powered smartphone tools, and mobile tech news. Before joining PhoneArena, he spent over five years writing about consumer technology for publications like MakeUseOf, How-To Geek, and Guiding Tech. His current daily drivers are the Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus, while his red iPhone SE (2nd gen) remains a personal favorite. Aman also appreciates bold smartphone experiments and still considers the Nokia N-Gage one of the industry’s most iconic designs.
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