Microsoft Surface Duo Receives Android 14

It was already leaked in the spring that Microsoft was no longer interested in further developing Android 12L for the Surface Duo devices. For owners of the devices, it now even continues with Android 14 – albeit unofficially.

Ex-Microsoft developer launches Android 14

This is reported by the online magazine Neowin. Accordingly, a former Microsoft developer has set out to equip Surface Duo owners with the latest Android ROM.

The end of support for the first Surface Duo was back in September, but these devices can now also be updated to Android 14 at your own risk.

Both the Surface Duo and Duo 2 received the first unofficial Android 14 ROM from former Microsoft engineer Thai Nguyen. Nguyen had already ported Android 13 to Microsoft smartphones. The first release for Android 14 is now based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and includes the following:

From the changelog

• AOSP base image with Google applications
• The option to disable the hinge gap on the Surface Duo 2.
• Settings app icons from Surface Duo ROM.
• Over-the-air updates for future build updates.

The first unofficial Android 14 ROM is “raw and unpolished,” according to Nguyen. The developer says that users should expect “a lot of errors.” If you still want to try it out, you can download the files from GitHub. In addition, unlike Android 13 for the Surface Duo series, Android 14 does not offer the so-called Pixel Experience with the associated functions and extensions.

Microsoft’s further plans for feature updates remain unknown. The Surface Duo 2 will still be officially supported until 2024.

Microsoft has committed to releasing software and firmware updates for another year. Most likely there will only be an update for Android 12L. The hope of ever getting Android 13 from Microsoft, let alone the recently released Android 14, is no longer there.