Microsoft May Still Merge Windows Phone, Windows RT

[exfileme]

Microsoft is still shooting for one operating system to rule them all.

Microsoft May Still Merge Windows Phone, Windows RT : Read more

 

[Blessedman]

Why wasn't this the goal from the start? If they had one OS across all their platforms, all apps only required minimal modification to run on the different platforms (or non at all considering most development now includes a mobile version of the app) they would really gain some momentum. Their fragmentation makes android look like a dream! **As Ballmer cried about fragmentation in the android market.

 

[Cryio]

They should do this faster. Windows Phone development (OS updates and apps) is going way faster than the Desktop Store, be it for RT or x86.

Maybe Microsoft have more in store for us after 8.1, but they really REALLY need to take a closer look at all the dubious apps released for Windows RT. Windows Phone apps are of a way higher quality.

The merge only makes sense. But they should do it rather sooner than later.

 

[falchard]

I know the reason I never thought about buying Windows RT is because its redundant. I think its entirely possible to do this outside of games. The C# implementation can make it simple to compile programs for all Windows Devices. The exception is of course high end games that require the more powerful C++ code.

 

[JD88]

This is real simple. Windows Phone (or name it whatever) with ARM chips for 8" tablets and under. x86 Windows 8.x for anything bigger with an on/off switch for the metro interface depending on how the device is used.

 

[alextheblue]

JD88, why bother limiting x86 or ARM to certain sizes? The interface is the same either way. With a ULP x86 processor, I see no reason why you couldn't have a 7" Win8 tablet. On the other side of the coin, a high-powered Snapdragon or similar ARM chip could enable a 10" or so device that could come in at a significantly lower cost. I don't see the need for arbitrary restrictions.

Now with regards to Windows Phone, if they can better unify the APIs and the store between WP8 and WinRT/8, then I think it will improve the situation across the board. My biggest gripe is that if you run into a game that's available on both, and you want to play it on both, currently you'd have to buy it twice. I understand it might not be identical, but if it's the same software they should work with developers to make it available on both platforms if you've purchased it once - whenever possible.

 

[Bloob]

Merging the 2 would go against their policy of seeing tablets more like PCs than huge phones. The OSs might "merge" somewhat on API level, but I'd wager they will keep the UIs seperate (as they should, a tablet is not a phone).

 

[Bloob]

Why wasn't this the goal from the start? If they had one OS across all their platforms, all apps only required minimal modification to run on the different platforms (or non at all considering most development now includes a mobile version of the app) they would really gain some momentum. Their fragmentation makes android look like a dream! **As Ballmer cried about fragmentation in the android market.

If made well, often a WP app will run on W8 by just doing layouts with binding's to right data and calling your functions from event-handlers. Your app will work way better as a tablet app if you do not re-use the whole phone UI (you can still re-use some components / user controls).

 

[Blazer1985]

The moment I'll be able to open 3D Studio Max from my smartphone I'll be an happy man with a grin on my face and a burning phone on my hand

 

[sire_angelus]

i hope the transition comes soon.

 

[ddpruitt]

You know Microsoft tried this before on a smaller scale (think NT days) with their microkernel. Didn't work so well back then either. Unfortunately merging everything will just make things worse for everyone. APIs will work unpredictably, hardware won't be used to it's full potential, etc.

I know the reason I never thought about buying Windows RT is because its redundant. I think its entirely possible to do this outside of games. The C# implementation can make it simple to compile programs for all Windows Devices. The exception is of course high end games that require the more powerful C++ code.

Script kiddies really shouldn't try to respond on the technical side, sorry.

 

[Duckhunt]

How about this great idea? Keep the start button for people who want it. Let them customize the desktop how they want it. NO No NO. The 1% know best. The rest of us are just stupid. The relearning of things when you know something already is waste of time. There is enough things to do already in life. Why can't they have a button, call it classic view. ENd of story.

 

[Murissokah]

"As it stands now, Microsoft has created a unified design style across desktop, mobile a
and console..."

Yeah, thanks a lot for that. It feels great to use a 30+ inch monitor and have a tablet interface shoved at my face everytime I press the Windows key.

 

[stevejnb]

Very much like this idea and it's where I see things headed, with RT being the prototype of the purely mobile OS but having a direct crossover with the desktop OS. With the mobile environment they are creating with 8/RT that overlays the desktop environment and phone hardware reaching a point where it will run this, I hope they do away with this other category of mini-OS. Frankly, I'm sick of trying to get phones/tablets to try and communicate with desktop machines. With the whole Windows 8/RT thing, I don't have to wrestle with that any more with PCs/tablets, now if phones are going to be added to the mix, my days of arguing with distinct OS's which all want to do their own things are over.

 

[Pallimud]

Microsoft was testing the market and I think now will consolidate their tech to make development and app development easier. This is the approach Google will be doing with Android and Chrome in the future, even if they keep them distinct for marketing purposes. Chrome will just be Google's version of Android that runs on PCs, Tablets, and Phones.

 

[GreaseMonkey_62]

"...one operating system to rule them all" and in the darkness bind them.

 

[GreaseMonkey_62]

It sounds nice in theory, but not all hardware is created equal. Some things will run better on a computer than a desktop and unless software gets dumbed down, just leave it alone.

 

[warezme]

one operating system to rule them all is foolishness taken up to the stupid level. An inexpensive desktop with powerful hardware used to do your taxes, rip audio and video, play high end games and work with excel spreadsheets is in no way shape or form the same as a tablet or phone used to google stuff, tweet and play ninja fruit. So as Windows 8 has so clearly illustrated you end up destroying the usability of one or the other by forcing a common OS.

 

[stevejnb]

Warzone, could you please describe the ways in which Windows 8 has ended up "destroying the usability" of the Windows platform? Because last I checked Windows 8 was entirely compatible with your vision of "an inexpensive desktop with powerful hardware used to do your taxes, rip audio and video, play high end games and work with excel spreadsheets" and one could argue it's actually better at it than Windows 8. Get the same hardware, install Windows 8, do exactly what you listed there - done.

PS - typed from a Windows 8 tablet which is hooked up to a 55' HDTV which does everything you listed except play high end games and I will unhook and use on the go when I'm done at home. Go figure, Windows 8 as an OS can do everything you listed above, but its also slick as all hell on a whole new class of device that previous versions of Windows are utter garbage on.

 

[warezme]

one operating system to rule them all is foolishness taken up to the stupid level. An inexpensive desktop with powerful hardware used to do your taxes, rip audio and video, play high end games and work with excel spreadsheets is in no way shape or form the same as a tablet or phone used to google stuff, tweet and play ninja fruit. So as Windows 8 has so clearly illustrated you end up destroying the usability of one or the other by forcing a common OS.

 

[alextheblue]

Yeah, thanks a lot for that. It feels great to use a 30+ inch monitor and have a tablet interface shoved at my face everytime I press the Windows key.

You should look into the new settings in 8.1. You can set it so that it displays the "Apps view" list by default when you enter Start. Then you can also set it to list Desktop programs first when sorting by category in apps view. That way it's basically just a start menu that uses all your screen.

Of course you can just start typing to search. I use Search on anything that isn't pinned or a shortcut on both Win7 and Win8 - it's faster than drilling down folders in the start menu. In 8.1 you can search without leaving the desktop, too, just hit Win + S.

Between those settings and stuff like boot to desktop and shared desktop/start backgrounds, it's really not bad even for traditional non-touch desktops. There's other various goodies in there too.