Australian Financial Review: Microsoft returns to phone fold with folding phone

WhistleOut Publisher Joe Hanlon, talks to John Davidson from the Financial Review about some of the pros and cons of Microsoft's folding phone:

The timing of the Duo, coming just when phone users are beginning to question the value of expensive mobile phones, and are looking increasingly at mid-tier phones, is also going to be a problem for Microsoft, publisher at the mobile phone comparison site WhistleOut, Joe Hanlon, said.

"It's certainly a risky time for Microsoft to dive back into the phone market, and with a device like the Duo that is bound to be both expensive and will rely on novelty to generate interest in it," he said.

"We know consumers are already struggling to justify the high price of new phones, so you have to wonder how many will see the value in buying one with two screens."

One way to convince users to pay for another expensive phone would be to tie it in closely with other Surface devices that run Windows 10.

"It would be great to see Microsoft develop some meaningful connection between the Duo and Windows 10, so that using a 'Surface' phone feels like an extension of what you do on your laptop," Mr Hanlon said.