On October 2nd, Microsoft surprised the world by teasing its first phone since the demise of its Windows Phone platform. The Surface Duo is a dual-screen Android OS device (not a Windows 10X trojan horse) that looks to disrupt how we think about smartphones. But what could Microsoft's next big surprise be? While no firm reporting has suggested a wearable is on the horizon, there are many compelling reasons to believe it makes sense. Here are a few. Surface Duo needs the third screen

A dual-screen foldable device goes beyond current trends. Surface head Panos Panay reminded the audience last week when he said it is "not a phone; it's a Surface." It's an important distinction that I talked about way back in 2018 and still holds now. Best VPN providers 2020: Learn about ExpressVPN, NordVPN & more But the most apparent trade-off between Surface Duo and a regular smartphone is the closed displays when not in use. Sure, if a call comes in or notification arrives, Surface Duo rings and presumably vibrates. But are you expected to open it up and check each time an alert arrives? Panay spoke a lot about "being in your flow" at the Microsoft event. Having to open your Surface Duo to check for updates constantly is the exact opposite of that mantra. So, why not make a wearable display that handles all of that for you? When you need to do real work, you then pull out the Surface Duo. Anyone who wears a Fitbit or smartwatch gets this basic concept. Trifecta: Surface Duo, Surface Earbuds, and...?

While not garnering as much attention as Surface PCs and a phone the Surface Earbuds are an essential piece of this new ecosystem. For one, it and the Surface Headphones already demonstrate that Microsoft is not afraid of more traditional wearable "smart" technology. But when you combine a dual-screen phone with those new earbuds, well, you already have two-thirds of the mobile trifecta. Apple knows this with its iPhone, Watch, and AirPods combo that has proven to be quite popular for the "hip" mobile native. Samsung, too, figured it out with its Galaxy phones, watch, and new earbuds. Why not Microsoft? It already has a history with the Microsoft Band (which failed mostly due to quality control issues and the demise of Windows Phone). That technology and know-how, including fitness and sleep tracking, Cortana, alerts, weather, and even typing on a teeny screen, is still owned by Microsoft. Envision more than just a wearable

The critical thing about a Surface wearable would be it has to be different than a smartwatch. Microsoft could push Surface Duo owners to a Galaxy Watch or any of the other Google Wear OS options already available. But even the most charitable reviews of Wear OS leave a lot of room for improvement when compared to Apple, and Google hasn't shown any serious interest in improving it.