Windows 10 on ARM and the Mobile Strategy

[Deekshith K P]

OEMs just announced 'always connected' devices, running Windows 10 on ARM with incredible battery life. Will (hopefully) the success of a new architecture of computers attract developers back to Windows Mobile Platform, thereby giving a boost to the lost smart phone strategy OR will the new functionality added to computers leave smart phones from the house of Windows less significant, or in other words, just useless??
Leave your opinions folks!

 

[BajanSaint69]

Depends on what they do with small form factors and c shell I would think

 

[Joe920]

For now the promised battery life seems amazing, but the first announced price ($600 for the ASUS ARM laptop) is too high for these to be a runaway hit. If they can sell 8" Win10S tablets for $300 and 10" Win10S tablets with keyboard cover for around $400, with free upgrade to full Win10 I think these will be a hit in the classroom at least.

 

[anon(10301837)]

I think a full Windows Mobile device (8in edge to edge screen, SD845, Full windows 10S) would be interesting to me... but it remains to be seen. There are lots of things that work better as Android apps. But it stands a much greater chance of working than windows phone, because of the desktop.

 

[ochhanz]

Besides the obvious potential for a windows pocket device (~7 inch), I think the extra battery time can be really useful for windows tablets or windows gaming tablets (/since they eat battery power faster). Or cheapy windows tablets which have crappy batteries could still be usable this way.
The current batch doesn't appeal to me though, although the HP one is somewhat interesting with its nice 3/2 screen reso.

 

[dan16]

I think that windows 10 mobile is good now, while they are paradoxically cutting it, but definitely it was not in 2015/2016 versions which were affected by some reliability/performance issues. Whatever the reason could be (some of them certainly related to the questionable management) it did not receive good feedback after all.
Subsequently, the only possible strategy for the future seems to be first a clear discontinuity and then to gradually attach the mobile development way more deeply to something solid and tried from the company itself: the full windows 10 professional experience. I believe this is windows on ARM, at least this is what I would do if I was a manager of theirs. And certainly if I had been, I would have managed the transition from w10m to w10s devices way more softly. There was no need to suddenly cancel EVERY lumia phone and development, disappointing all those hard-earned enthusiast people and sacrificing a substantial part of the company image. Not to mention the terrible implicit message that they gave to the developers ... We will perhaps never know what was behind this strategy mistery. I would call it the "suicide transition"

 

[ochhanz]

And certainly if I had been, I would have managed the transition from w10m to w10s devices way more softly. There was no need to suddenly cancel EVERY lumia phone and development, disappointing all those hard-earned enthusiast people and sacrificing a substantial part of the company image. Not to mention the terrible implicit message that they gave to the developers ... We will perhaps never know what was behind this strategy mistery. I would call it the "suicide transition"

, this is also something I didn't understand, why not just release a few phones or 1 per year till they are ready for their next 'mobile'/portable product. Than again, we might lack some important behind-the-scenes info or it was just a miscalculation or such.

 

[Dono Newcomb]

I gotta tell you, anytime they nerf the operating system to a limited functionality experience I will always cringe. If I want to be annoyed by limited functionality I will I will finally go buy a android or ios device, but since I like my user control intact I will stay with Full Windows. I am starting to think I should bail on Windows for Linux exclusively since all this is just so disappointing, its hard to watch sometimes. Maybe I am misunderstanding the direction this is heading, but it looks like they are making another run at the whole RT nonsense.

 

[BajanSaint69]

Makes the courier concept more doable, also paves the way for the "not a phone" (but with phone capabilities) device to be made.

 

[TechFreak1]

I gotta tell you, anytime they nerf the operating system to a limited functionality experience I will always cringe. If I want to be annoyed by limited functionality I will I will finally go buy a android or ios device, but since I like my user control intact I will stay with Full Windows. I am starting to think I should bail on Windows for Linux exclusively since all this is just so disappointing, its hard to watch sometimes. Maybe I am misunderstanding the direction this is heading, but it looks like they are making another run at the whole RT nonsense.

There are two variations of "RT" Windows RunTime and the Windows Lite O/S - Windows RT although ARM based didnot run Win32 apps through emulation.

Windows 10 on ARM runs Windows 32 applications through emulation and furthermore given the price point of the Asus NovaGo, you can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro from Windows 10 S for free. the HP Envy X2 will also enable you to upgrade to W10 Pro from W10S as well.

So unlike before you can now upgrade to the full pro version of Windows 10 on a ARM SOC. That is a game changer.

 

[Dono Newcomb]

That's interesting, it actually gives an option for people to have more later. So this is principally a price point thing then? I have just gotten used to hearing about things decreasing users control and options of late. Seems like there is so little time lately to research things thoroughly, but this could merit a closer look. Thanks for the reply TechFreak.

 

[12Danny123]

OEMs just announced 'always connected' devices, running Windows 10 on ARM with incredible battery life. Will (hopefully) the success of a new architecture of computers attract developers back to Windows Mobile Platform, thereby giving a boost to the lost smart phone strategy OR will the new functionality added to computers leave smart phones from the house of Windows less significant, or in other words, just useless??
Leave your opinions folks!

I think that’s what Andromeda is for, where it’s a foldable PC but can technically do phone stuff as a tiny focus.

But I think Microsoft will focus on both Windows 10 including foldable devices acting as phones and Android smartphones with Microsoft services. It’s a choice basically.

 

[kingtigre]

For me, it's a win. But I am not ignorant to the fact that I am not the common use case scenario.

If they just add telephony to these damn things, I'm done. My current phone will be my last. That slate already looks so appealing. All day battery, touch and pen input, photoshop, and LTE? Give me a Bluetooth headset and I'm there.

I know that I am one of a few. But if I'm already carrying my Surface around everywhere, why would I need a phone if the Surface could take my calls?

I'm currently using T-Mobile's DIGITS to take calls on my SP4 and so far it seems to work well. But without LTE and all day battery, I'm still limited.

 

[cym11]

Whether it is a mobile strategy or not, of course it changes the game. With Cshell, etc coming along the only thing to change would be form factor. Windows will be Windows with always on and call making features in a form agnostic product. Throw in BT keyboard/Mouse as well as a monitor and you will have a desktop (Continuum). OK, early days but how can it not happen. That said, it may take an OEM to get the ball rolling. I think the "Surface" phone would just be branding but from what I can see, all the pieces are falling into place. Imagine putting your office PC in your pocket at the end of the day...

 

[Joe920]

If a Mobile Win10 MS device is coming, Nadella's decision to tell mobile UWP developers to get lost is even more of a WTF move than it already seemed at the time. You know, with all due respect!

 

[cym11]

If a Mobile Win10 MS device is coming, Nadella's decision to tell mobile UWP developers to get lost is even more of a WTF move than it already seemed at the time. You know, with all due respect!

@Joe920, I get where you're coming from but I think you have to just drop the "Mobile" moniker. The way I see it, it's just going to be a PC but one that works on any form factor and if you think about it, how many apps do you really use daily. I use about 5 on my Android and two of those apps have fantastic mobile sites. With PWA's about to come to the forefront, I think this is a real game changer. Obviously a little bias there too LOL!

 

[Joe920]

With PWA's about to come to the forefront, I think this is a real game changer. Obviously a little bias there too LOL!

Well I do hope the device turns out to be amazing, and I hope that the qualcomm Win PCs are going to be small and cheap so that developers have more incentive to jump back onto the UWP bandwagon. Why Nadella asked them to jump off I'll never understand.

BTW, way back I made a thread asking people what they'd do differently with Win on ARM. The answers weren't too creative: https://forums.windowscentral.com/windows-10-mobile/451045-what-would-you-do-windows-10-arm.html

But maybe long battery life is already enough to draw new users in. We'll find out soonish!

 

[tgp]

...I think this is a real game changer.

Indeed! So was WP7, WP8, WP8.1, W10M, and the builds in between!

 

[Joe920]

^ those trusted members sure are a cynical bunch!

Despite that, I'm still excited about WOA tablets with long battery life. Bring it on!

 

[tgp]

^ those trusted members sure are a cynical bunch!

I can be trusted to be cynical! :wink:

Seriously, I'm to the point of I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it.