Microsoft's Andromeda OS: Windows for the Surface Duo can be tried out

Microsoft had a Windows operating system called Andromeda OS in development for its Surface Duo devices. Microsoft replaced Windows for smartphones, which was reportedly canceled in 2018 and first leaked in 2022, with Android. Now, a preview version can be installed and tried out on the Surface Duo. This version of Windows would have been a continuation of Windows Phone.

Windows instead of Android

Windows insider and computer scientist Gustave Monce has managed to get an early version of Microsoft's Andromeda OS running on a Surface Duo, which was introduced in 2019, and has released it for curious tinkerers, as he writes on X. A dedicated download page contains a link to the build and another to instructions on GitHub that guide users through the installation of "Windows 8828080" – the placeholder name for Andromeda OS.

According to Monce, Andromeda OS only runs on the first generation of the Surface Duo. The second version of the Windows device, the Surface Duo 2, is not supported due to driver issues.

Monce also shows on X some UI elements of the mobile operating system, such as a Start menu with Live Tiles, which are clearly based on Windows. Andromeda OS is still based on Windows 10.

The developer points out that this is only a preview version, which is neither error-free nor stable. Furthermore, all Android and Windows data could be lost during installation. He continues to work on fixing some issues, but general stability and UI errors are likely not fixable.

"Core OS" as a unified Windows for all devices

Microsoft's Andromeda OS, unearthed by Monce, can be seen as a remnant of the "One Windows" platform that the software giant once pursued. The goal was for Windows 10 to have a unified shell and a completely modular architecture that would allow the OS to run on any platform, device category, and architecture. But that didn't happen. Instead, with Windows 11, Microsoft pursued the development of an operating system intended for PCs and laptops, while Android was used for its own Surface Duo smartphones.

However, the Surface Duo models were not particularly successful, and the customized Android version was quite buggy and was rather neglected. New Android versions also appeared late. The Surface Duo models are now also a thing of the past: the first Surface Duo received its last update in September 2023, and the Duo 2 in October 2024.

A successor to the Surface Duo does not seem to be in sight. The second generation already appeared in 2021. Furthermore, Panos Panay, the lead responsible for the device category, left Microsoft in 2023 and moved to Amazon. Other experimental Surface products, such as the Surface Book or Surface Studio were also developed under his leadership.

(afl)