Microsoft's canceled Galaxy Z Fold competitor appears in a newly discovered patent

Microsoft launched two dual-screen products, and the third one was reportedly on its way, but the company scrapped it last year. There were rumors that the company would've utilized a proper folding screen for the Surface Duo 3, just like Samsung does for its Galaxy Z Fold lineup. But we never saw it happen.

Now, a newly discovered patent shows what the Microsoft Surface Duo 3 would've been like if the company hadn't scrapped the lineup. It shows the folding phone featuring a proper folding display instead of two screens being held together with hinges.

The patent also shows that the Surface Duo 3 was planned to have an external cover screen, which would've been a first in the series. Besides that, the diagrams show a triple camera array on the back, and the design of the camera layout looks similar to what we see on the latest iPhones (renewed iPhone 12 Pro Max curr. $380 on Amazon).

These camera lenses on the back of the devices were positioned on the left and have a camera bump that spans across the top portion of the Surface Duo 3. The cover display also has a camera on the top with what seems to be a centered punch-hole. However, the internal foldable screen appears to be lacking a selfie camera.

Sources claim that Microsoft Surface Duo 3 would've allowed magnetic accessories to be attached to the back, and the patent shows a kickstand taking advantage of this design. If it became a real device, it could've possibly brought something similar to what Apple offers with its MagSafe ecosystem.

While all of this would've made the Surface Duo 3 an interesting smartphone, the device, codenamed Neon, won't be seeing the light of day. Microsoft has already abandoned all of its efforts on Android smartphones, and it even has no plans to push any more major software updates to the Surface Duo 2.