Microsoft brings Android OS development for Surface Duo in-house by hiring Movial employees

Microsoft is forming a team internally under the Microsoft Devices division that will handle the development of the Android OS for Surface Duo going forward. According to my sources, upwards until now, Microsoft had contracted the OS work out to tertiary-party vendors such every bit Movial, who had the expertise required to bring Android to life on Surface Duo.

Movial is a software, services, and blueprint technology visitor that was working closely with Microsoft on Surface Duo during its image and development stages. Microsoft has now acquired the local operations of Movial in Romania, Taiwan, and the Usa, and is bringing on-board all the Movial employees that were working on the Surface Duo equally full-time employees at Microsoft.

Microsoft is not acquiring Movial every bit a whole. Movial volition continue to operate as a standalone company, with employees at its headquarters in Finland remaining at Movial. SeeNews reports that Movial'due south Iasi office volition become Microsoft Romania's fourth research and development centre, as information technology on-boards 60 employees from Movial in that location.

A Movial spokespersion said the following:

This transaction involves people in Movial operations in Romania, Taiwan and the The states. Movial will continue operating as an independent company going forwards, standing to provide software engineering and design services. The transaction enables Movial to focus efforts on some key competency areas, such every bit cyber security. In the brusk term majority of our remaining staff will be located in Helsinki, Finland merely nosotros are also hiring in other locations.

A Microsoft spokesperson also said:

Microsoft recently completed an agreement with Movial to hire employees across several offices as part of the visitor'southward efforts to boost Windows and Android development efforts.

Microsoft bringing the OS development for Surface Duo in-house is a big sign that the visitor is taking its renewed mobile phone efforts seriously. I'thousand told that with the Os team in-firm, Microsoft itself will handle postal service-launch software updates for Surface Duo that will add together new features and experiences over time.

This same squad volition besides handle Android Bone piece of work for Surface Duo V2, which I'm told is at present in early evolution. Microsoft is currently ad task positions looking for Android engineers to work on Surface Duo. Microsoft is gearing up to release Surface Duo later this summer, and plans to provide a steady stream of Os and app updates post-launch.

Microsoft's ain Android apps, including Microsoft Launcher and SwiftKey, are already all adult in-business firm. It was just the Android Bone specific work for Surface Duo that was outsourced externally.

Context: When MS switched to Android on Duo, information technology didn't have a team that could immediately brainstorm working on what it wanted with Android, so MS hired third-political party vendors to do that initial background. Now that work is complete, MS is bringing them in-house to continue post-launch.
— Zac Bowden (@zacbowden) July 7, 2022

Surface Duo is expected to launch with a Snapdragon 855, 6GB RAM, 64/128/256GB storage, and an 11MP camera with two 5.half-dozen-inch AMOLED displays. We also understand that Surface Duo does non take 5G support, wireless charging, or NFC capabilities. Pricing for the product is still unknown, but nosotros're expecting it to be somewhere in "premium smartphone" territory.

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