Surface Phone: 7 features we want from Microsoft

NEW DELHI: Microsoft has been facing rough time in both smartphone market for quite sometime now. According to new figures from research firm Gartner, Microsoft's Windows Phone platform fell below 1% during the latest quarter. Microsoft recently also announced exit from feature phone business.

However, it's still not all over for Microsoft in the smartphone market. The Redmond giant is reportedly apparently working on a Surface Phone. CEO Satya Nadella is said to have special plans for it.

However, for the so-called Surface Phone to succeed, Microsoft needs to offer something out-of-the-box. Here are seven features we want Microsoft to add in its speculated Surface Phone.

1) Get Google onboard

Android rules the smartphone market. Period. This means almost everyone uses popular Google apps like Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube. Other Google services like Drive, Docs also have a lot of takers. If these official Google apps are not present on Windows Phone and people have to work around third-party apps for these essentials, then there is no point in launching a revamped Windows smartphone in the form of Surface Phone . The future Windows smartphone has to offer seamless experience while using Google's essential apps. The least people can expect is the official YouTube app on a brand new expensive Surface Phone.

2) Ditch plastic for metal or anything else

Almost every Windows Phone looks the same or at least feels the same. While Android smartphone makers have put steel, aluminium, glass, ceramic and even have managed to include wood (sort of), Microsoft seems to have only one material in its kitty -- plastic.

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3) Premium design

Invest in a design team or partner with people who can make a good-looking phone. The Surface Phone should look and feel premium as anyone can guess that the smartphone will be expensive. Microsoft is yet to deliver a premium device and the Surface Phone offers the perfect opportunity.

4) Stylus

Windows Phones are mostly focused on productivity. While stylus pens never found enough takers, Microsoft might take inspiration from Samsung and include a smartpen with the Surface Phone, like the Galaxy Note 6. However, if the stylus is just a plastic stick, then it will take the Surface Phone nowhere.

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5) New UI

The market has already seen variety of Windows Phones over the years. If the Surface Phone also appears like any other Windows phone, it may not find too many takers. No matter which version of Windows Phone powers the Surface Phone, it needs to be different and more importantly clutter free.

6) Detachable keypad

Catering to productivity needs and staying true to the name "Surface", Microsoft can think about adding a detachable keypad or may be a smartcover which comes with QWERTY keypad. Tesla Model S for kids starts shipping

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7) Bring the power of desktop to Surface Phone Microsoft has a lot of ambitions with its UWP (Universal Windows Platform) apps. UWP is of course a great idea to bring some form of uniformity in the Windows ecosystem. However, Windows is mostly about PCs that is '.exe' files. One good reason why people love Windows on PCs but not on mobiles is the lack of apps. Users can virtually find any kind of software to run on Windows PCs. However, the story is completely different on mobiles. If Microsoft is able to bring the 'power of .exe' to Surface Phone, it would be a game changer.
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