Yesterday I said that what many users would like to see is a single platform from Apple, one that would merge iOS and Mac OS. Today, I want to focus on Windows; we want a single Windows – not one for phones, one for tablets and one for computers. After Xbox One, we need Windows One!
Microsoft is definitely heading in this direction with Windows Phone looking a lot like Windows 8. There’s also the semi-useful Windows RT which should die as far as I’m concerned. What we should be able to do is dock a Windows Phone device and get the full-blown Windows 8 experience with all the apps desktop users get to use.
I believe Microsoft is already working on this but there are many issues along the way. For one thing, most Windows apps still lack proper touch support. On the other hand, Windows Phone lacks some basic things Windows Mobile used to have like proper Bluetooth stack with support for HID profile allowing us to connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. And while we’re sure the Redmond giant is working on these and other problems we can’t help but speculate on what’s coming.
Wintel partnership, take 2
Existing Windows Phone devices are using Qualcomm’s processors but with Intel’s mobile chips steadily getting better, Microsoft may opt to get back to its “old” partner and yet again conquer the world. Wintel partnership did just that, making a ton of cash for both companies along the way.
Intel said that its mobile Atom chips could also be used in netbooks so could see something like this in the near future. I’ve been using the Padfone example before, and I’ll use it again here. Just imagine a Nokia Lumia smartphone with a tablet shell that converts to a full-blown PC when docked? Sounds like a dream come true.
The processing power of the Atom chip may be limiting for some users, but for a majority of folks who rely on MS Office and web browser 99% of the time, such a device would be more than enough. Plus, we could also imagine that a docking station has its own processor, making the desktop mode that much faster. In fact, this could be an intermediary solution until mobile chips get faster and Microsoft optimizes its OS. Love how it sounds and I’m hoping that MS’ engineers are working their butts off to turn this idea into a reality. Can’t wait. 😉