Surface Phone can rotate 360 degrees, new hinge APIs suggest

July 2023 · 2 minute read

If there is a new Windows 10 build coming, then by looking inside it, you can see the new APIs added to the OS. APIs reveal what features Microsoft is planning dd to their future software and hardware releases.

Looking at an earlier version of Windows OS, namely Windows 10 Build 17704, there is an API  that develops new ways for the operating system to  respond to the state of the hinges of a dual screen device.

Five hinges states in Windows 10

The full API diff, was posted on Github.com, by user Vitorgrs, and there are five lines that show information on the screen’s capabilities:

+ public enum Windows.System.Preview.HingeState {

+            Unknown = 0,

+            Closed = 1,

+            Concave = 2,

+            Flat = 3,

+            Convex = 4,

+            Full = 5,

The five states shown in the lines above are:

  • Closed – perhaps meaning that the two screens face each other
  • Concave – the two screens are opened at an angle of less than 180 degrees
  • Flat – the screens are 180 degrees open
  • Convex – Lenovo has named this as a Tent mode
  • The full state could mean that they can open nearly 360 degrees.

    • The API hints to the fact that applications must respond to those changes resulting from the orientation of the device. Microsoft patents suggest that the device positioned in Tend mode could show an alarm clock, in convex mode it could show a keyboard on one of the screens, similar to a laptop.

    We’ve mentioned Lenovo earlier for a reason. Microsoft is not the only company developing devices with dual screen. Lenovo and Asus are doing it too, and it has gone public.

    Rumors suggest that the Surface Phone could also appear in the market this year, probably as soon as Windows 10 RS5 is launched.

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