This is obvious to some, but a matter of semantics to others. Smartphones, despite the word "phone" in the name, and their use for voice communication after their primary use for web surfing, listening to music, gaming, text-based communication and more are categorically more PCs than phones. Usage patterns have transitioned from a phone-focus, and manufacturers purposefully design these devices to fit tablet (and in Samsung's Dex's case, desktop) usage scenarios. Device dimensions average between 5.5- and 6.5-inches, are powered by laptop and tablet processors, have 4 to 8 gigabytes of RAM, up to 512 gigabytes storage and expandable storage capacities into the terabytes. They have high-resolution displays, advanced artificial intelligence (A.I.) and high-speed mobile broadband always-on connectivity. Best VPN providers 2020: Learn about ExpressVPN, NordVPN & more Someone reading these specs years ago would have been convinced they were describing a mini tablet computer. And they would have been right. Smartphones are mini tablet PCs with telephony being just one capability among many. Apple's A12 processor, that powers its iPhone and iPad, Samsung's Continuum-like Dex and recently revealed Infinity Flex Display that unfolds to a 7.3-inch tablet, (and Microsoft's ecosystem-deprived Continuum-powered Windows phones) indicate we've moved from a phone to a pocket PC paradigm. This is a challenge and opportunity for Microsoft. Smartphones became tablet PCs Smartphones disrupted PCs, then became tablets

Consumer-focused smartphones impacted the PC market as they overlapped traditional PC tasks like web-surfing, music, messaging, email and more. Leisure computing activities like gaming, watching videos and more eventually demanded larger displays which fueled the slate tablet market. The iPad, Android tablets and later Windows tablets further impacted the PC market. Bigger smartphones did to tablets what tablets did to PCs Ever-expanding smartphone dimensions eventually did to tablets, what smartphones and tablets did to PCs. The slate tablet market has been declining since its 2014 peak. Beyond the diminishing size advantage, slate tablets offer little value over the always-connected and equally powerful smartphones mini tablets in our pockets. Still, with Surface Microsoft created the growing, productivity-focused 2-in-1 PC category that is both Windows laptop and tablet. Apple, Google, and others mimicked this category. Apple added a keyboard and pen to its iOS-powered, touch-centric, iPad Pro. Google launched Pixel Slate with customized Chrome OS, keyboard and pen. All these devices clothed the failing leisure-focused slate form factor in a productivity-focused laptop-like package. Microsoft's Andromeda must bridge the productivity-focused 2-in-1 and pocketable folding tablet scenarios. On the other end of the tablet spectrum, is Samsung's folding phone that expands into a 7.3-inch tablet. This, and other devices like it will be expensive and still must prove viable in the market. However, a device that gives users more screen real estate while still having telephony seems to fit current market trends and consumer usage patterns. Thus, on one end of the tablet continuum is the laptop-like 2-in-1 that gives productivity value to tablets. On the other end are foldable pocketable devices that give ultra-mobility value to leisure tablets scenarios. Our mobile devices are tablet PCs by design and function and have moved from a position where Microsoft is weak, phones, to where it is strong, PCs. Microsoft can seize the opportunity to introduce a PC that that embraces the productivity-focused aspects of 2-in-1s and the pocketable, foldable aspects of a leisure-focused tablet with telephony. But does it have the will? Samsung's Infinity Flex Display is the next step

Samsung's Infinity Flex Display that unfolds into a 7.3 -inch "tablet" with the power, specs, and OS of smaller slate devices should convince naysayers that calling these devices tablets isn't semantics. Now that folding "phones" are officially crossing the phone-tablet barrier these devices will have to occupy measurable categories as phones, tablets or something else (think 2-in-1s). As folding devices grow in popularity their perception by consumers may eventually transition to the tablet PC category as the form factor will better match their current tablet PC usage patterns. This may be affirmed by official categorization as a new tablet category or within the existing tablet category in time. If so Microsoft won't have to struggle to introduce Surface Andromeda against a smartphone backdrop. Though it will be niche and face ecosystem challenges Microsoft launching a pocketable Surface PC with a unified platform has an opportunity. The end of the slate shaped smartphone Positioning Surface Andromeda as PC