Microsoft Surface Phone release date, specs news: leaked image a hoax?

The excitement over the release of Microsoft Surface Phone spiked recently when an image of the device was leaked online. But based on new reports, the photos of the alleged Surface Phones could be a hoax.

The images of the rumored Microsoft Surface Phone were first spotted in the Chinese social media site Weibo. The smartphone looks very similar to the design of the Microsoft Surface tablet because of the device's sharp looks and clean lines.

It also proved that the upcoming device will have a large camera on the rear portion of the phone, which also looks like the Lumia 950 XL because of the glass-covered lens and its actual design. But the main clue that the device will be under the Surface Phone line was the Surface branding that can be seen on the smartphone's body.

However, new updates claimed that the pictured device may be impossible to be the upcoming Microsoft Surface Phone because it also bore the Carl Zeiss branding. But according to Phone Arena, the Carl Zeiss lenses are no longer used since 2013. This could mean that the device in the images was one of the older prototypes of the Lumia lineup.

While details about the rumored Microsoft Surface Phone remain scarce, earlier reports claimed that the device might feature the Snapdragon 835 system on chip (SoC) upon release. It could also have the Quick Charging 4.0 support and could possibly run using the Windows 10 Mobile operating system (OS).

The upcoming smartphone is also expected to have 6 GB of random-access memory (RAM) as well as 20-megapixel (MP) primary camera. The device is also rumored that Microsoft tapped the Taiwanese electronics company, Pegatron, to manufacture the Surface Phone.

However, there is no confirmation yet about the rumors involving the Microsoft Surface Phone. Nevertheless, the device is expected to be released by the tech firm sometime in 2017.