With the demise of Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile well documented, those who have been holding out for Microsoft to break back into the mobile space with their own hardware and software have had little hope on the horizon. Further, with Microsoft seemingly putting an end to current RS3 development for mobile with the Feature 2 branch for current Windows Mobile devices, it appeared to be the nail in the coffin.
But, the road is not a dead end or at least, for the Microsoft faithful who want to see first party hardware again, there is hope on the horizon. Two independent sources inside of Microsoft have told me that there is a new hardware device being tested internally and that there is also a separate branch of Windows Mobile for this device.
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I have been hearing about the software update for some time and the added hardware component makes sense as the company is pursuing “new experiences” with this device. Additionally, the UI is expected to be different than what we know today as Windows Mobile but the exact changes are still evolving as we are in the early days of development of this experience.
There may also be another ‘cut’ in the support for older applications with the new mobile experience. I have heard, but am not able to fully confirm at this time, that Silverlight applications may not longer work with the updated OS.
At this time, everything is still in early development and plans may change dramatically in the months ahead. The timeline for release is all over the map but seeing as active development is in the works and it is slightly beyond pure development stage, the release shouldn’t be too far way. But in the world of Microsoft, this could be a year or more (or less if it receives good reviews internally and gets fast tracked).
Last week on the Sams Report, I noted how Microsoft will likely re-enter the mobile space as this area is critical to the company’s long-term success; it’s in the second half of the episode that you can find here. Microsoft desperately wants to find a way to penetrate this market and has proven that they are willing to spend big money on trying to gain any notable market share in the mobile space.
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#120521"><em>In reply to Icybubba:</em></a></blockquote><p>I think there's support for Windows in general, but not particularly Windows 10 and especially not UWP. I don't see people buying a Windows phone just because it supports F.lux and iTunes. There's little point to running full Windows on a phone because the ergonomics are all wrong for legacy programs.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#120510"><em>In reply to Brandon Mills:</em></a></blockquote><p>I think the moment Android got popular, MS's phone efforts were doomed. So while I agree they shouldn't beat the dead horse I don't see why they'd want to achieve last place in the commodity Android phone business.</p>
skane2600
<p>There are so many incompatible versions of "One Windows", what's one more? And before I get jumped on, yes, there's common code in each version, but that doesn't mean all apps can run optimally on every version.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#120821"><em>In reply to CaedenV:</em></a></blockquote><p>Well, we only have the "10,000 foot view" of the architecture of both the pre-Win10 Windows and the current version since the full documentation has never been published by Microsoft. I already knew about Windows 10 core and how more functionality can be laid on top of it to serve different purposes. But consider that if the kernel of each of the Windows 10 platforms didn't share a single line of code but supported the same user API, it wouldn't make any difference to developers (although presumably it would be more difficult for MS).</p><p><br></p><p>My original point wasn't to jump into the architecture of Windows 10 but rather to acknowledge that "One Windows" doesn't have a lot of significance to developers or users unless apps restrict themselves to the common api and ignore all the application support engines. A boat and a car may both use an internal combustion engine but if I need a ride to work in the desert the commonality doesn't help me.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#120555"><em>In reply to Tony Barrett:</em></a></blockquote><p>Well, this is the popular tech talking point: that MS is doomed without mobile. The post-PC theory is beginning to crack with the downturn in tablet sales and the inability to perform real work on phones.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#120715"><em>In reply to kevin rose:</em></a></blockquote><p>The fact that you use a linux laptop for work instead of a phone or tablet is a little evidence that the post-PC era is not here. Within this context, Linux and Mac are included.</p>
Locust Infested Orchard Inc.
<blockquote><a href="#120626"><em>In reply to Bill Russell:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote><em>Quote: "Most consumers found the tiles to be too overwhelming"</em></blockquote><p>Most consumers are too inept to know what's best for them, to make one more efficient and productive, so they fall back on what's easy, that which are least taxing on the grey matter.</p><blockquote><a href="https://www.thurrott.com/mobile/117153/microsofts-looking-reboot-mobile-new-software-hardware#120626"><em>In reply to Bill Russell:</em></a></blockquote><p><em>Quote: "That's what the masses like. They like jumping right into snapchat."</em></p><p>That's analogous to saying: 'that's what the masses like. They like to laze around, do no work, drink their favorite alcoholic beverage all day, yet get paid for doing diddly-squat.'</p><p>The masses need to be encouraged to take the effort to do the right thing, for their betterment and wellbeing, and that of society in general.</p><p>Consequently Snapchat ought to be outlawed, with Snap Inc. terminated. It provides no societal benefits whatsoever.</p>
Locust Infested Orchard Inc.
<blockquote><a href="#120590"><em>In reply to jjaegers:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote><em>Quote: "will likely clearly be a full blown Windows 10 device running a 6" inch form factor"</em></blockquote><p>I would dearly love to see a 6.5" edge-to-edge device running Windows 10 with cellular/LTE/VoLTE capabilities (preferably an x86/x64 device).</p><p>Though if the OLED screen if foldable, an 8.5" edge-to-edge device could be plausible.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#120645"><em>In reply to timo47:</em></a></blockquote><p>Sharing code across versions has some technical relevance to MS, but to developers and customers it's the ability to run all programs on all devices without compromise that matters. That's what "One Windows" fails to achieve. It's not a reflection on MS's technical abilities, it just a goal that is unachievable by everyone.</p>
Locust Infested Orchard Inc.
<blockquote><a href="#120815"><em>In reply to CaedenV:</em></a></blockquote><p>I await the day when the mobile/tablet trunk severs both its Android and iOS branches. That will truly be a day to rejoice.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#120814"><em>In reply to CaedenV:</em></a></blockquote><p>The theory that win10s is going to replace "Home" appears to be just speculation unless you have some official MS announcement that says otherwise. If the only choices end up being "S" or "Pro" as you suggest, that MS better make sure the OEM "Pro" price is the same as the "Home" price if they want Windows to remain competitive.</p><p><br></p><p>Given that all we've seen of WoA is a few demos, it's very early to say it has "been shown to do quite well at running desktop x86 apps. "</p>
Locust Infested Orchard Inc.
<blockquote><a href="#120661"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote><em>Quote: "Windows is boring. Nobody wants it on their phone, which they want to be their "fun" device."</em></blockquote><p>If you honestly believe that iOS and Android are fun, then I'd hesitate to think how you spend your leisure time with friends and family.</p><p><br></p>
Locust Infested Orchard Inc.
<blockquote><a href="#121018"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a></blockquote><p>Do you understand the concept of fun? Evidently not, as you stated "Windows is boring".</p>
Locust Infested Orchard Inc.
<blockquote><a href="#120678"><em>In reply to Bdsrev:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote><em>Quote: "iPhone and Android are stale and there's no real innovation or improvement"</em></blockquote><p>Very well put. Indeed, iPhone and iOS are stale, and rotten apples have been fermenting for just a shade under ten long years. It's no wonder the stench from the Cupertino Orchard is truly utterly pungent.</p><p>As for Android, well that humunoid has no orifice to expunge its excrement, so its no wonder Android is stale beyond imagination.</p>
skane2600
<blockquote><a href="#120678"><em>In reply to Bdsrev:</em></a></blockquote><p>When it comes to smartphones the "low hanging fruit" has all been picked (maybe even the medium hanging fruit). For the most part, expect only minor incremental improvements. Staleness is inevitable in a mature market and there's no evidence that MS has a killer feature to contribute.</p>
Locust Infested Orchard Inc.
<blockquote><a href="#120824"><em>In reply to crasher35:</em></a></blockquote><p>It's all too easy for us to berate Microsoft for terminating "Android bridge", better known as Project Astoria, or as I'd prefer to refer to it as, Project Castratia, for reasons that ought to be self-evident, but it has been suggested Microsoft had possibly sound legal basis for its abandonment.</p><p>Unlike Project Islandwood, an iOS bridge, Project "Castratia" allowed apps to run essentially unmodified with little or no developer involvement required, thus raising some convoluted legal issues where Microsoft would build its own workalikes for certain Google APIs that aren't part of the open source Android project. As Android currently employs Oracle's Java libraries without the consent of Oracle, Google had been embroiled in a six-year legal battle with Oracle over the dispute of what constituted fair use of the Java code in Android.</p><p>In spite of Google being victorious, about this time last year (late May 2016), in Oracle's copyright and patent claims, I suspect Microsoft do not wish to be faced with a similar licensing row over Java with Oracle, though Google's judgment does set a legal precedent.</p><p>Later in September 2016, Oracle lost again to Google, with Oracle's latest motion to have the case reheard on grounds of misconduct on the part of Google's lawyers for failing to disclose the intention to develop tools to run Android on the desktop via the Android App Runtime for Chrome (ARC).</p><p>Google has since begun migrating from Java to its open source sister, OpenJDK, provided for free by Oracle under the GPL. In Google's I/O a few weeks back, Google further distanced itself from the long legal reach of Oracle, by its announcement for support for Kotlin as an official programming language for Android Development, which received wild applause from I/O's attendees.</p><p>Having some appreciation of the legal minefield that surrounds Android, the unceremonious death of Project Castratia (Astoria) should be viewed as a cautious but wise move by Microsoft. Though once Google rids Android of all its possible infringing copyright and patents belonging to Oracle, Microsoft could reignite Project Astoria. By then however, Microsoft would have released Windows-on-ARM, and possibly crafted a seismic shift in mobile computing by creating a new category of devices, whether that shall be the mythological Surface Mobile, only time will tell.</p>