Windows Phone users have been anticipating the release of Windows 8 for their mobile systems, but don’t really know what to expect. Is Windows 8 going to be the same old Windows Phone operating system we’ve seen since its inception? Or, are we going to see something completely different, as far as carrier and desktop interaction is concerned? Windows phones have declined in popularity, particularly due to the growing popularity of Android OS and Apple’s iOS. And why not? The two operating systems have a lot to offer in the department of productivity, power usage, and application portability. Why should anyone, in their right mind, switch over to a Windows phone when Windows 8 Phone is released?
Microsoft’s Windows 8 Phone platform is said to be its last stand against the other popular phone operating systems. The company has a ton of catching up to do, since the updates to Windows 7 weren’t exactly monumental and usage has declined considerably when users have seen that they can switch over to more affordable or more versatile phones that can do everything Microsoft’s gimmick phone can do, and more. Let’s see a couple of differences inherent in Windows 8 and Android OS.
Hardware Capabilities
Microsoft Windows 7 Phone hasn’t done much in the department of hardware, and the other two competitors – iOS and Android – have far surpassed anything Microsoft came up with on that phone. Apple’s iOS has dual-core compatibility, for example, and so does Android. In fact, Android goes a step further, allowing for peripheral memory like microSD. Windows 7 Phone had none of this, and both will be integrated in Windows 8. That will put it ahead of iOS and right on par with Android. This basically means that you’ll be able to see smoother video playback and great response time, as well as the possibility for additional memory.
Mobile Payment
The latest craze with QR codes is making Microsoft hop in on the action and integrate mobile payment capabilities, but this time without any “Wallet” applications. Instead, Microsoft wants to play by the rules and integrate a carrier-based wallet system that will allow a carrier to brand it as much as it wants. In theory, this will be better than any other mobile payment feature out there so far.
Desktop Portability
There’s good news for aspiring Windows 8 Phone developers: The application programming interface (API) in Windows 8 Phone will be similar to that of the desktop environment, allowing for easy portability within desktop and phone environments. For users, this means that some of your desktop apps in Windows will be able to run on your Windows Phone, as long as they don’t use third-party frameworks that are not compatible with the phone itself. A developer can integrate a mobile and desktop running version into the same application without having to create a separate project. This obviously would work well for those who don’t make such bulky apps.
How Many Apps?
Many people ask me, “But how many apps will Windows 8 have?” That obviously can’t be controlled by Microsoft, since it’s up to third-party developers to create apps, but Microsoft says that they’ll have 100,000 apps on market by the time they release Windows 8 Phone. Let’s see if they keep their word.
Opinions? Questions? Rants? Let it out in the comments section!
Miguel has been a business growth and technology expert for more than a decade and has written software for even longer. From his little castle in Romania, he presents cold and analytical perspectives to things that affect the tech world.
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