Rumor has it that Microsoft is all set to release a new smartphone this year, but it isn't the one everyone's expecting. 

Anticipation has been building for some time now for the release of the new Microsoft Surface Phone and the predictions have pointed to a possible release some time in 2017.

Now someone on Reddit claiming to have worked for Microsoft as a contractor has shared some information that is very juicy if it's true.

The Reddit user confirms that yes, there is a Microsoft phone coming out this year but no, it's not the new Surface phone. 

Also, the Reddit user claims not to know the specifics around what the new device will be like, although they did guess that it would be similar to the Microsoft Surface Phone. 

"Microsoft will release a new phone this year. Not a Surface phone. I don't know what this new 2017-phone will be like, but I recently heard that a release is still planned," they wrote.

So when can we expect the new Microsoft Surface Phone if not later in 2017?  Well, this particular contractor's best guess is 2018 at the earliest, but even possibly 2019.

"Some special phone-PC-like Windows 10 ARM device will probably arrive in late 2018 or 2019. I have no more info on that, but I think Windows 10 ARM is much further away than some of us hope," the contractor added.

That would be in line with other reports doing the rounds.  The Germany-based website, DrWindows, for example also speculated that we would not be seeing a Microsoft Surface Phone until at least 2019, and that the next release from Microsoft would in fact be a new Windows 10 phone. They tipped that for release before the end of 2017.

In terms of the specs we can expect from the new flagship, The Christian Post reports that it will be a powerful little device that is effectively a pocket-sized laptop, thanks to the Win32 support feature. That's certainly something to look forward to.