Ok so from what we learned yesterday, it would appear that there really isn't a Windows 10 Mobile that kills off both Windows Phone's OS and Windows RT.. It appears they just phased out the Windows RT devices, and future Windows tablets will either run Windows Phone's OS or if they are above 8 inches they will run Windows 10's desktop/laptop/everything SKU.
Problem is...Windows 10 is Intel only, unless..they do what they did before. Compile that SKU for the ARM architecture. Which means everything will be just like Windows 10 on x86/x64 but it won't run any apps except what comes from the store or is part of Windows 10. That's simply put, - Windows 10 RT.
I think the hype was leading to they are getting rid of the desktop, yay, the desktop environment is finally gone, all in Modern 2.0! But really, all from what we learned, Windows Phone's OS hasn't really been replaced, it's just taking up the roles and duties of Windows RT on small ARM tablets.
Even small tablets running Intel will run the regular SKU for Windows 10, not the Windows Phone OS. And this is something that bothers me more, I don't want a taskbar if I have a hardware button on my tablet. This is the same kind of problem Windows Phone users have with this new hamburger menu on the top essentially abandoning the app bar at the bottom. I actually prefer Spartan's new UI on Windows Phone, I was extremely irritated having just one button and I had to assign it while other browsers have more options available without having to use a menu.
But anyway getting off track here. It appears Microsoft is about to confuse their consumers even more by attracting developers to the platform by saying these are all Windows 10 devices, develop for all! But we've had this since 8.1. And WP8 had that same shared core that Microsoft is touting as OneCore in Windows 10. It's like they keep touting One Windows and we expect even more greatness to happen but it's just to attract developers.
Here's my conclusion from yesterday...
1. Microsoft killed off Surface on ARM with 10.6" screen. No need for Windows RT at this screen size.
2. Microsoft could've brought a GDR release or a 8.2 of the phone OS over to small tablets, but instead built hype and is planning this for the rename to Windows 10.
3. Windows Phone's OS isn't changing, the same OS will continue to run on your phone. More and more pieces of the OS are being decommissioned and replaced with universal apps. This is similar to how Android's AOSP apps and components gradually became replaced by updatable Play Store apps. Such as the Google Keyboard, the Google Camera, the Chrome browser, the launcher itself, etc. This is not the same as replacing Windows Phone's OS at all.
4. Windows 10's desktop/laptop/hybrid/Intel tablet SKU will become more of a desktop OS. For example, Aero Snap appear to be coming back to replace the Modern Snap. Essentially you move windows around and they snap using Aero Snap, and now with additional options it allows you to snap regular windows even File Explorer. The taskbar will be there or be hidden, either way it is a sore thumb when you have a hardware key. Gestures appear to be basically on the way out.
5. This Intel SKU of Windows 10 will be compiled for ARM but called Windows 10, same consumer confusion, now without a name. Desktop is anything but gone. Taskbar and all, even if it is hidden, tablets like the Surface 2 will still confuse consumers because now there won't be a start screen, instead Continuum's screen will replace it. Everything will act like Windows 10, until you try installing iTunes and it still doesn't work but the name of the SKU is still Windows 10 so they call customer service and complain that its not Windows RT anymore, its Windows 10, and they have to explain it still can't run Intel apps.
6. OR...they scale up the Windows Phone OS and introduce a new start screen experience that is horizontal and features no desktop functionality at all but with the universal app support, the apps just scale accordingly to the 10.6" screen size. This is honestly what I hope they do, I don't want my Surface 2 (typing on right now) to feel like the desktop is here more than ever but it can't do anything because it's still on ARM. But I don't want a vertical scrolling start screen taken straight from the Windows Phone start screen experience.
/end rant. Sorry! It's just I'm really curious what Surface 2 owners out there are thinking. I mean we saw all this built up hype and honestly this tablet isn't like the first Surface RT, it definitely blazes through the Modern UI like a piece of cake. With it's 1080P screen and two-stage kickstand, the only flaw is the sound on here. I love this tablet. It hasn't aged at all. To feel like oh, no new OS for you, kinda just sucks. This is my third Surface, I feel left behind. I heard an update for Windows RT is coming, I just don't like that because this is phased out OS, that we might get lucky and get the Windows 10 variant, or we'll get a scaled up weird Windows Phone OS experience.
Problem is...Windows 10 is Intel only, unless..they do what they did before. Compile that SKU for the ARM architecture. Which means everything will be just like Windows 10 on x86/x64 but it won't run any apps except what comes from the store or is part of Windows 10. That's simply put, - Windows 10 RT.
I think the hype was leading to they are getting rid of the desktop, yay, the desktop environment is finally gone, all in Modern 2.0! But really, all from what we learned, Windows Phone's OS hasn't really been replaced, it's just taking up the roles and duties of Windows RT on small ARM tablets.
Even small tablets running Intel will run the regular SKU for Windows 10, not the Windows Phone OS. And this is something that bothers me more, I don't want a taskbar if I have a hardware button on my tablet. This is the same kind of problem Windows Phone users have with this new hamburger menu on the top essentially abandoning the app bar at the bottom. I actually prefer Spartan's new UI on Windows Phone, I was extremely irritated having just one button and I had to assign it while other browsers have more options available without having to use a menu.
But anyway getting off track here. It appears Microsoft is about to confuse their consumers even more by attracting developers to the platform by saying these are all Windows 10 devices, develop for all! But we've had this since 8.1. And WP8 had that same shared core that Microsoft is touting as OneCore in Windows 10. It's like they keep touting One Windows and we expect even more greatness to happen but it's just to attract developers.
Here's my conclusion from yesterday...
1. Microsoft killed off Surface on ARM with 10.6" screen. No need for Windows RT at this screen size.
2. Microsoft could've brought a GDR release or a 8.2 of the phone OS over to small tablets, but instead built hype and is planning this for the rename to Windows 10.
3. Windows Phone's OS isn't changing, the same OS will continue to run on your phone. More and more pieces of the OS are being decommissioned and replaced with universal apps. This is similar to how Android's AOSP apps and components gradually became replaced by updatable Play Store apps. Such as the Google Keyboard, the Google Camera, the Chrome browser, the launcher itself, etc. This is not the same as replacing Windows Phone's OS at all.
4. Windows 10's desktop/laptop/hybrid/Intel tablet SKU will become more of a desktop OS. For example, Aero Snap appear to be coming back to replace the Modern Snap. Essentially you move windows around and they snap using Aero Snap, and now with additional options it allows you to snap regular windows even File Explorer. The taskbar will be there or be hidden, either way it is a sore thumb when you have a hardware key. Gestures appear to be basically on the way out.
5. This Intel SKU of Windows 10 will be compiled for ARM but called Windows 10, same consumer confusion, now without a name. Desktop is anything but gone. Taskbar and all, even if it is hidden, tablets like the Surface 2 will still confuse consumers because now there won't be a start screen, instead Continuum's screen will replace it. Everything will act like Windows 10, until you try installing iTunes and it still doesn't work but the name of the SKU is still Windows 10 so they call customer service and complain that its not Windows RT anymore, its Windows 10, and they have to explain it still can't run Intel apps.
6. OR...they scale up the Windows Phone OS and introduce a new start screen experience that is horizontal and features no desktop functionality at all but with the universal app support, the apps just scale accordingly to the 10.6" screen size. This is honestly what I hope they do, I don't want my Surface 2 (typing on right now) to feel like the desktop is here more than ever but it can't do anything because it's still on ARM. But I don't want a vertical scrolling start screen taken straight from the Windows Phone start screen experience.
/end rant. Sorry! It's just I'm really curious what Surface 2 owners out there are thinking. I mean we saw all this built up hype and honestly this tablet isn't like the first Surface RT, it definitely blazes through the Modern UI like a piece of cake. With it's 1080P screen and two-stage kickstand, the only flaw is the sound on here. I love this tablet. It hasn't aged at all. To feel like oh, no new OS for you, kinda just sucks. This is my third Surface, I feel left behind. I heard an update for Windows RT is coming, I just don't like that because this is phased out OS, that we might get lucky and get the Windows 10 variant, or we'll get a scaled up weird Windows Phone OS experience.
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