Like Google, Microsoft decided to go for a low-profile release of the Surface Duo amid the global coronavirus pandemic, publishing only a press release and a short understated video to introduce the new device. But for us journalists, the company went out of its way to create a well-produced, virtual live pre-announcement briefing, going over all the things that make the Surface Duo unique in detail. Microsoft has now published a video of this stream on YouTube, so if you'd like to see the 30+ minute deep dive, go ahead and check it out.

In the briefing that feels a lot like a regular, but toned-down phone announcement, Microsoft's chief product officer Panos Panay acknowledges straight away that the company is in a unique position with its new device. It already spilled almost all the beans itself when it pre-announced the Surface Duo last year, and now the team can't even interact with a live audience to make the reveal more bombastic. They eventually decided to go for the private live event that still (impressively) spans across multiple Microsoft buildings. The video even lets you peek into the Surface team's design lab while also showing off some high-res renders of the new device in Microsoft's trademark videography style. Panos Panay and team members go hands-on with the Surface Duo, too, giving us an idea of what it feels like in action.

While it's still unclear what exactly we should call this new device (it defies the classic "phone" category), this in-depth look at the Surface Duo might give you a better idea of what to expect. Be sure to check out our full coverage of the new device for a less hyped-up perspective to get the full picture, though.

Source: YouTube