Microsoft to unveil phone-laptop hybrid on January 21

Microsoft is hosting an event on January 21 where it will showcase its upcoming Windows 10 operating system. The new OS will unify mobile, tablets and PC platforms and introduce a universal app marketplace. However, it looks like the Redmond giant will also unveil new phone hardware at the event, according to a new report. Microsoft will introduce a phone-laptop hybrid that could appeal to enterprise customers, as per a report by The Information. The device will go into production at a later stage and could sport a slide-out QWERTY hardware keyboard. The keyboard-equipped business smartphones were pretty common during the Windows Mobile days when smartphones were mainly positioned as productivity devices. The Dell Venue Pro, which was a Windows Phone 7 device, was also equipped with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. With Windows 10, Microsoft’s OS will feature a single code base inside allowing the same apps to run on phones, tablets and PCs. Perhaps Microsoft wants to demonstrate this capability through the new hybrid-device.