Microsoft Surface Duo 3 had an open button and magnetic kickstand

In the image below, you can see that the Surface Duo 3 would have the same shape as its predecessor but instead of having two separate screens connected by a hinge, it would have a single Galaxy Z Fold-like display that could be folded in half. The patent also suggests that the now cancelled phone had a triple camera setup with the camera island spanning across the device.

The patent suggests the now cancelled phone had an open button. (Image Source: Patently Apple)

The report goes on to say that the cover screen and the internal display were edge-to-edge and the phone even had an in-display camera sensor for selfies and video calls. While this is pretty standard on most modern foldable phones, the patent also shows a magnetic Magsafe-like kickstand accessory that could be attached to the phone at different angles depending on if the phone was closed or open.

Another interesting addition is that the Surface Duo 3 had a power button that could also be used to open the phone, thus eliminating the need to manually open the two halves.

Microsoft launched two foldable phones – the Surface Duo and the Surface Duo 2 in 2019 and 2021 respectively. However, they were never commercially successful. Since then, the tech giant has given up on making any new Android-powered phones.