--- title: "Microsoft Raven: The Tech Giant's Missed Opportunity. What the Cancelled 2014 Surface Phone Looked Like" description: "πŸ“± Microsoft Raven: The Tech Giant's Missed Opportunity. Photos of a secret 2014 Surface Phone prototype have appeared online. The device with a metal body and Windows logo could have become Microsoft's first own smartphone. ❌ The project was cancelled after the acquisition of Nokia. πŸ”„ The idea was revisited only in 2020 with the Surface Duo. #Microsoft #SurfacePhone #TechHistory #Raven" date: 2026-08-12T09:14:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/microsoft-raven-cancelled-surface-phone-2014 tags: [microsoft, surface-phone, mobile-technology, windows-phone, tech-history] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Microsoft Raven: The Tech Giant's Missed Opportunity. What the Cancelled 2014 Surface Phone Looked Like ![Concept of the 2014 Microsoft Raven smartphone: front and back view with Windows logo](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/12/microsoft-raven-otmenennyj-surface-phone-2014/microsoft-raven-otmenennyj-surface-phone-2014-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The Microsoft Raven smartphone prototype was developed in 2013-2014. - The device design resembled the Surface 2 tablet and featured a metal body. - The project was cancelled after the acquisition of Nokia's mobile division. - Microsoft returned to creating its own smartphones only in 2020 with the Surface Duo. In the world of mobile technology, there are not only successful releases but also "roads not taken." A striking example of such an alternative history is the prototype smartphone by Microsoft codenamed "Raven." High-quality photos of the device have appeared online, which could have become the corporation's first own phone, anticipating the appearance of the Surface Duo by several years. However, the fate of this device turned out to be tragic: it never saw the mass market. ### Tablet Aesthetics in a Smartphone Body Judging by the published photos, the Raven prototype differed radically from the smartphones we were used to at that time. If in 2013–2014 the market was dominated by devices with plastic or glass bodies, Microsoft decided to go the path of minimalism and premium quality. The device body was made of light gray metal, which gave it a strict and business-like appearance. Designers clearly oriented themselves towards the successful Surface 2 tablet line. A large Windows logo adorned the back panel of the device, while the front part lacked unnecessary details, except for the characteristic touch navigation buttons. The camera, located in the corner, and the flash looked modest, which corresponded to the technological standards of the mid-2010s. ### Why the Project Was Cancelled: The Nokia Factor The main reason for the cancellation of the Raven project was one of the most high-profile deals in the history of the IT industry. In September 2013, Microsoft announced the acquisition of Nokia's mobile division. This decision radically changed the company's strategy. Instead of developing its own "Surface Phone" from scratch, the corporation received a ready-made powerful Lumia ecosystem. Continuing the parallel development of its own smartphone lost economic sense. Resources were redirected to support and develop the Lumia line, the first significant release of which was the Lumia 535. Thus, the Raven project was frozen and forgotten, giving way to the devices we know from the history of Windows Phone. ### Return to the Idea: From Raven to Surface Duo The tech giant returned to the idea of creating its own smartphone only six years after the failure of Windows Phone. In 2020, the Surface Duo appeared β€” a device with two screens that became the embodiment of Microsoft's ambitions in the world of mobile development. However, unlike the Raven concept, the Duo faced serious problems: a complex structure, high prices, and unfinished software did not allow it to win the mass love of users. The appearance of photos of the Raven prototype reminds us that the history of technology is full of coincidences. Perhaps, if Microsoft had not bought Nokia, we would today be using completely different devices, and the smartphone market would look different. ## πŸ” Fact-Check Verification - [Microsoft almost made this Surface Phone, then killed it](https://www.digitaltrends.com/phones/microsoft-almost-made-this-surface-phone-then-killed-it/) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ сущСствованиС ΠΏΡ€ΠΎΡ‚ΠΎΡ‚ΠΈΠΏΠ° Raven ΠΈ ΠΏΡ€ΠΈΡ‡ΠΈΠ½Ρ‹ Π΅Π³ΠΎ ΠΎΡ‚ΠΌΠ΅Π½Ρ‹ (ΠΏΠΎΠΊΡƒΠΏΠΊΠ° Nokia). - [New photos show a canceled 2014 Microsoft Surface Phone prototype](https://www.msn.com/en-us/technology/hardware-and-devices/new-photos-show-a-canceled-2014-microsoft-surface-phone-prototype/ar-AA29QZqP) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Π²ΠΈΠ·ΡƒΠ°Π»ΡŒΠ½Ρ‹Π΅ характСристики устройства (мСталличСский корпус, Π»ΠΎΠ³ΠΎΡ‚ΠΈΠΏ). - [Microsoft’s canceled Surface phone could have looked like this](https://www.msn.com/en-xl/news/other/microsoft-s-canceled-surface-phone-could-have-looked-like-this/ar-AA29Vrd4) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π°Π΅Ρ‚ Π²ΠΈΠ·ΡƒΠ°Π»ΡŒΠ½Ρ‹Π΅ характСристики устройства (мСталличСский корпус, Π»ΠΎΠ³ΠΎΡ‚ΠΈΠΏ). - [Surface Phone: New images show discarded Microsoft prototype](https://researchsnipers.com/surface-phone-new-images-show-discarded-microsoft-prototype/) - ΠŸΠΎΠ΄Ρ‚Π²Π΅Ρ€ΠΆΠ΄Π΅Π½ΠΎ ΠΏΠΎ источнику researchsnipers.com ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What is Microsoft Raven? **A:** It is the codename for a cancelled Microsoft smartphone prototype that was developed in 2013-2014. ### Q: Why did Microsoft cancel its smartphone? **A:** The main reason was the acquisition of Nokia's mobile division in September 2013, which made the development of its own device meaningless. ### Q: What did the Raven prototype look like? **A:** The device had a light gray metal body resembling the design of the Surface 2 tablet, with a large Windows logo on the back panel.