The idea of a true Android smartphone by Microsoft has always piqued my interest, these days more than ever now that Windows Phone is a thing of the past. It's fair to say that in 2019, Microsoft is "all-in" on the Android platform thanks to its efforts like the Microsoft Launcher, Edge, and Office, all first-class experiences on Android smartphones around the world. While Microsoft is all over Android on the software side, one area where it hasn't grasped the platform is in the form of hardware. Android software and apps on Microsoft hardware

To experience Microsoft software and services on Android, you must use non-Microsoft hardware. Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Google, Nokia, and plenty of other smartphone makers all offer Android hardware that can run Microsoft software when on the go. This isn't a bad thing, but an Android smartphone wouldn't be the worst idea Microsoft has ever had, especially if it keeps expectations low and doesn't make any huge bets on it. Best VPN providers 2020: Learn about ExpressVPN, NordVPN & more While a Surface Phone running Android would never sell to the quantity that Samsung smartphones do (or at least not a first- or second-generation phone), Microsoft could utilize the Surface brand to showcase the best of Microsoft's Android efforts all in one place, just like it has done for Windows PCs. I'm picturing a Surface-branded, Microsoft-built smartphone that comes with Microsoft Launcher, Edge, Office, Your Phone phone-mirroring integration, and more, out of the box. In fact, that's one of four unique selling points that a Surface Phone running Android could have: Showcase the best of Microsoft's efforts on Android.

Seamless integration with Windows PCs using Your Phone.

Provide the best security and update support on Android.

Brand recognition that can rival Apple and Samsung. That last point is more for Microsoft fans, but the first three are important. A Surface Phone running Android would be the only smartphone out there that's always guaranteed to work with all of Your Phone's features. I have a wide array of Android smartphones, yet 90 percent of them don't support all of Your Phone's features on Windows 10. Screen mirroring is only available on select devices, and while that may improve, there's no guarantee your smartphone will ever get it, or if it'll work well. Microsoft could provide a better experience if it had more control over the hardware and OS. Microsoft could also provide enhanced features, such as the ability to take cellular phone calls on your PC directly from your Surface Phone. It could also build out dedicated Phone and SMS apps that sync up with the Messages app on your PC, instead of having to relay it through the Your Phone app. There's so much more potential when you build your own Android phone. It would be much easier for Microsoft to provide better experiences that sync across PC and Android if it controlled the hardware and OS experiences at both ends. I'm not saying Microsoft should cut out third-party devices, but it wouldn't hurt to provide its own offerings in addition to supporting Samsung, OnePlus, and everybody else. It could also be the go-to device for Project xCloud, its upcoming game-streaming service. A more controlled Microsoft experience