Rumors say Microsoft will release the Surface Phone shortly after the deployment of Windows 10 Redstone 3 Update in the fourth quarter of 2017. The handset is to be the showcase device for the new OS mobile features. But the actual rollout seems unlikely to happen this year.

Windows 10 moving up to Redstone 3 is believed to take place no later than November 2017 and afterwards the Surface Phone will launch. However, WCCFTech said in a report that Microsoft might just opt to delay the device a little more, perhaps pushing back its market debut to 2018 or even 2019.

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The main reason for the push back is to give ample time for the Windows ecosystem to fully transition to ARM. The report indicated that hardware specs in 2018 and 2019 are seen to be more optimized to run on ARM-based chips.

While recent reports have indicated that starting with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835, Windows 10 will start to become ARM-friendly in 2017 with the release of the mobile devices that can run x86 applications. The scenario is likely to play out this year but not through the Surface Phone.

Instead, Microsoft will issue a device this 2017 that will deliver the same features and capabilities but certainly not a Surface Phone.

"Some special phone-pc-like Windows 10 ARM device will probably arrive," WCCFTech reported one former Microsoft contractor as saying in a Reddit post, adding that the claim that corroborated in numerous postings on the same subject.

What to expect from the Windows 10 device remains unclear but for the Surface Phone, Market Exclusive is convinced that the latter will get the combo of SD 835 processor and up to 6GB RAM as main engine. The device is also getting a 20MP main shooter with Carl Zeiss lens and paired with an 8MP front camera.

On release date, which as mentioned above will only happen in 2018 or 2019, the Surface Phone will sell starting at $699 with the most premium model having a sticker price of $1100.