Microsoft's Windows 10 Devices event on Tuesday goes down as one of their best shows yet. The presentation was convincing, there were no real lags, and the products announced were all awe-inspiring. Well, almost. One area though that was rather peculiar was in regards to Panos Panay's presentation on new Lumias. Specifically, the short duration and lack of enthusiasm were quite evident. It felt like he wanted to get through it get on to the real story, those new Surfaces. I even joked that Microsoft may squeeze in the Lumia 550 during the event, and sure enough it got about 15 seconds of stage time. Not the Microsoft Lumias you were looking for? I have been talking about these new Lumias for some time on our #AskDanWindows series specifically about the origins of the phones. It should be clear that these new Lumias are carryovers from the Nokia days and not "pure" Microsoft devices. That is not a slight against how good they are – something we still don't know much about but rather a clear observation about how Microsoft feels about these phones. Best VPN providers 2020: Learn about ExpressVPN, NordVPN & more

It should be obvious that Microsoft stands firmly behind these devices like any other Lumias. As they should, they pack more hardware and features into one device that many Android ones spread over a range. Expandable memory, Qi wireless, an iris scanner, Gorilla Glass 4, liquid cooling, Continuum, and a killer camera are all a big deal. Still, they feel like stopgaps a bit too. Remember, these Lumias started at Nokia during a big transition time for the company. They were not designed from scratch by Microsoft something I expect to happen sometime in May 2016 with their long-gestating Intel-powered phone aka "Surface phone," which I mentioned back in July (see below). Microsoft's Satya Nadella says if OEMs don't make Windows phones they will What was on stage When you take a look at the Band 2, Surface Pro 4, Surface Book and HoloLens, there is a clear cutting-edge design aesthetic running through those devices. The Band 2's fantastic display, which is much more touch-sensitive is a carry over from the Surface. Even the Lumia 950 XL's liquid cooling system is borrowed from the Surface. Should we be surprised at any of that? Not at all. Panos Panay is in charge of all Microsoft hardware taking over the Lumia division in July. Panay even hedges at the beginning of his Lumia presentation saying he has only worked with that team for a "very short time." I read that – as did many others – as code for 'Hey, these are not my phones, and I would have done things differently.' It's distancing. Thinking about it makes sense. The Microsoft hardware team clearly agonizes over minute details in their creations. When handling the Band 2 you can feel the engineering quality. And don't get me started on how radically insane the Surface Book is from a design perspective. When you see all of Microsoft's new premium hardware and then glance over at the Lumias you cannot help but see something is, well, off. Continuum is just the beginning Microsoft Continuum for the phone is easily one of the most interesting aspects of the new Lumias. However, being able to run Universal Windows Apps on a large display means you are carrying a Windows RT device around with you. Granted, in Windows 10 the UWA model is much better, but you still cannot run x86 apps on your phone. If I had to guess – and once again this should be evident – Microsoft keeps talking about "Windows 10 in your pocket" and that idea only really resonates if you can run full desktop apps. I have reported before about a Microsoft-Intel phone, and my bet is Microsoft's goal is for you to be able to run x86 apps with Continuum from your phone. What we see with the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL is one step towards that goal. You can hear more about that in Episode 4 of #AskDanWindows from August, including some well-informed foreshadowing about this "Surface phone". AskDanWindows Episode 4 - When can we expect Win10 Mobile with Intel?