10 Features Microsoft Should Build Into the Surface Phone

Can the Surface Phone save Microsoft’s smartphone business? To even have a chance of doing so, the handset will need to have the following features.

If all the market data shows anything, it’s that big screens are now what consumers want. That’s precisely why Microsoft’s Surface Phone must come with at least a 5.5-inch screen. The latest reports suggest a 5.7-inch screen might be even better. In any event, Microsoft can’t skimp on screen size (or quality).

Cameras are one of the few frontiers where companies can innovate and deliver something special. So, Microsoft can differentiate the Surface Phone from other smartphones by delivering a high-end camera with special features. Building a device that doubles as a real replacement for a high-end camera could help the company attract power users who enjoy taking high-resolution photos and videos with their handsets.

Windows 10 Mobile is an all-around solid operating system. Yet, Microsoft hasn’t done a good enough job selling that message to the average consumer who is still reeling from terrible earlier versions of Windows Mobile. The company has a strong mobile operating system, but it needs to do a better job showcasing it to the world.

It is imperative that the Surface Phone comes with an outstanding design. Building a device that looks like any other smartphone could be the death knell for Microsoft’s smartphone ambitions. The company must offer a sleek, attractive Surface Phone that makes other attractive devices, like the iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy S7, look rather old-fashioned in comparison.

Biometric security is another must-have feature in the Surface Phone. If nothing else, biometrics appeals to enterprise customers, who might prove to be extremely important to the device’s sales. In addition, Microsoft needs to seriously consider hardware-based encryption and other security features. Users care deeply about privacy and the security of their data. If Microsoft can make them believe its device will deliver both, it could be successful.

A recent image leak purporting to show the Surface Phone in action depicted a device with a case that could double as a stand and physical keyboard. While it’s unknown whether the image was real, it illustrated an interesting concept that could separate the device from others. It’s that kind of outside-the-box thinking that Microsoft needs to make the Surface Phone popular.

Microsoft needs to bundle the most powerful chips into the Surface Phone. Whether the company opts for a Qualcomm processor or something else, Microsoft must make sure its Surface Phone is the most powerful smartphone on the market. The company also must make sure it delivers the 8GB of RAM it’s rumored to be adding to the device.

According to one report, Microsoft could offer up to 512GB of storage in the Surface Phone. That would be a good idea. One of the big complaints about smartphones today is that they lack enough storage. Offering a 512GB Surface Phone model would help to differentiate the device and give users enough storage without needing to rely on Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage solution.

Conventional wisdom suggests that taking on Apple can be trouble in markets where it’s dominant. However, Samsung has been drawing comparisons with Apple for years with great success. Microsoft must do the same. For the company’s Surface Phone to be viewed equally as appealing as the iPhone, Microsoft needs to showcase how its top device matches up and even beats the iPhone.

Finally, Microsoft should shock the world with something new and exciting in the smartphone. Delivering the same old features just won’t work. For the Surface Phone to be successful, Microsoft needs to offer a new technology, a special feature or a twist on the familiar. A little shock and awe could go a long way in Microsoft’s attempt to revitalize its ailing smartphone business.