MSFT Considering Android Apps For Windows Phones.

[a5cent]

Its all or nothing. Its Google top billing. Its Google defaults. Starting to sound like Microsoft circa 2000 for Google.

Yes, I was aware of that, but thank you nonetheless. In my write-up, where I hypothesized how MS might counter Android, these were exactly the issues I was thinking about when I wrote the following:

In contrast to Google, MS wouldn't dictate what OEMs may and may not include on their devices. If Samsung wants to replace any one of MS services with their own, they are free to do so.

We all hated MS for pulling these sorts of things back in the day, well, at least I did. Today, I'm more forgiving. I actually think Google is doing exactly what it must. It's up to MS to find a way to counter that strategy. MS should be well aware of how it works ;-)

 

[dkediger]

Once again, I don't want to be a Google apologist, but how is this different to what Microsoft do with Windows Phone? Does WP really offer manufacturers more flexibility than this? For example, if I make a Windows Phone, can I use DuckDuckGo as the default search engine?

I don't think that Microsoft claims to be a champion and guardian of open source. You know what you get with Microsoft. Google is making a distinction, and drawing hard lines between "official" Google Android and that AOSP stuff. They seem to be intent on diverging the API's, which will force developers to choose which model to target - AOSP or GMS. Yeah, its business tactics, but they're trying to have their cake and eat it too.

 

[dkediger]

We all hated MS for pulling these sorts of things back in the day, well, at least I did. Today, I'm more forgiving. I actually think Google is doing exactly what it must. It's up to MS to find a way to counter that strategy. MS should be well aware of how it works ;-)

Yeah, I agree. I'd hate to see browser and search elections make a return - even in Android.

 

[a5cent]

but I think that is unfair.

I'm not sure I understand you. To me it sounds as if you're saying that it is unfair of me to accuse Google of doing something that everyone in the industry does, or at least has done at some point. That doesn't make sense to me.

I wouldn't say that is unfair. That is just business, just like you said at the end of your post.

As I already said, I believe Google is doing what it must do. Google is protecting its turf. Part of that involves shedding Android's open source roots. That is what has been happening for years, and it will continue.

 

[anony_mouse]

Yeah, I agree. I'd hate to see browser and search elections make a return - even in Android.

Just to be clear - are you saying you would hate to see the legally required dialogue box that asked you which browser you wanted to use, or that you would have to see users being able to use the browser of their choice?

 

[anony_mouse]

I'm not sure I understand you. To me it sounds as if you're saying that it is unfair of me to accuse Google of doing something that everyone in the industry does, or at least has done at some point. That doesn't make sense to me.

I wouldn't say that is unfair. That is just business, just like you said at the end of your post.

As I already said, I believe Google is doing what it must do. Google is protecting its turf. Part of that involves shedding Android's open source roots. That is what has been happening for years, and it will continue.

What I thought was unfair was the claim that GMS was about Google trying to stop WP from running Android apps. To be honest, I doubt Google give a lot of thought to WP. See your post number 37. I was very specifically replying to that,
I have worked with this stuff, and actually the Android architecture is quite elegant in this respect. It is very clear which APIs are part of AOSP and which are part of GMS. Any competent developer will know they are using GMS.
If developers are using GMS more, that is because they are using more cloud services. Like it or not, cloud services tend to be very proprietary, and this is the direction that the industry is taking.

 

[dkediger]

The dialog box asking which browser, and search provider. I think the market and consumers in general are astute enough at this point to find and select their own. Ad long as alternatives aren't actively blocked/prevented from being located and installed.

 

[colinkiama]

Microsoft should release better APIs instead. Windows Phone with android just isn't windows phone anymore. The elegance and speed from every device will never be the same again .

 

[dkediger]

.....
I have worked with this stuff, and actually the Android architecture is quite elegant in this respect. It is very clear which APIs are part of AOSP and which are part of GMS. Any competent developer will know they are using GMS.
If developers are using GMS more, that is because they are using more cloud services. Like it or not, cloud services tend to be very proprietary, and this is the direction that the industry is taking.

I think Google could help themselves and clarify their standing by stepping away as the "curator" of AOSP and fall back to "contributor", so to speak.

 

[snowmutt]

Why wait till it happens. What then if it happens.

Will you continue to support MSFT?

Of course I would continue to support MS. There is very little the idea of "side loaded" apps- or whatever the proper term for this is- would change the way I use my devices.

However, I would be a little more concerned about security. As tech advances, so do the threats that come with it. Could an app from the Android market threaten the basics of WP security? It is one of those things I do not like about Android. I do not think it is a huge threat, but without Android apps it is a complete "non-threat".

 

[a5cent]

What I thought was unfair was the claim that GMS was about Google trying to stop WP from running Android apps.

Okay, now I see what you mean. GMS isn't about making it harder to run Android apps on WP. It is however very much about making it harder to fork Android, which for some reason is what was going around in my head when I wrote that. Not the same thing. I concede.

 

[osoalex]

For laggy apps, I prefer buying a Moto X.

I hope this is not happening anytime soon.

 

[Zeem Frostmaw]

LOL at rumor mill... Not gonna happen

 

[N_LaRUE]

Google just made an agreement with VMware to run Windows Apps on Chromebooks. Mac users run Windows apps through parallels. Linux users run Windows apps through Wine. Are all the companies in the industry pathetic?

First, lets be clear, PCs, MACs and Linux machines run on similar hardware. So the ability to do this is a lot simpler. So from a logical stand point it makes sense. Though I think most people would prefer not to run VMware. Not sure about Chromebooks in all this.

Devs will still develop with the WP SDK if they have the incentives. Of course Microsoft has to be selective about what apps to accept in the store, Android apps should only fill holes. Big apps used by millions of people in a daily basis should have a distinctive experience in WP. Although Apps only used in a country, in a city, retail or bank apps only used by a few thousands, an app for a school, for a few hundreds of people, those aren't economically viable in WP. So, what do you prefer an Android app or nothing?
Other incentives could be a bigger share of the revenue for WP apps, more exposure in the store, allow piracy for Android apps.

So MS chooses which apps come over? What if I want an app that MS hasn't chosen? What happens then? Should I stick with WP if I can't get all the apps?

Why develop for 3% of the market? Will the apps work well on low end WP hardware? Even though you're talking interface looks it's still development time. Will developers bother? MS would have to make if fairly easy to port the app.

HTML5 apps don't follow the WP design guidelines and are becoming more popular. As HTML5 matures more of those small apps will be developed in this tech, and these Apps are less efficient in the use of resources than Android Apps and don't follow ANY design language. At least Android apps would be consistent with other Android apps. You won't get a pure experience in WP neither in the other platforms.

The Android Dalvik virtual machine is open source, most of the API are open source too. Microsoft has to adapt it to run on top of Windows. This require a lot of resources but is not such a big feat as some people say. If a startup like Jolla or a smaller company like BlackBerry did it, of course Microsoft can do it.

The culmination of this strategy should be a Metro API on top of the Android SDK so developers could reuse most of their Java code although with a different UI for each platform.

My point in all this is simple. In what way is this better than simply buying an Android phone? Why buy a WP? What am I gaining by buying a WP? What makes it at all attractive?

The whole point of WP is that it's supposed to become cross platform with W8. Where does this fit in?

There are lots of people who simply despise Google and Android and are on WP. Do you see them sticking with WP if this were to happen? I see WP tanking if this were to happen because the users are different compared to say BB.

I have no doubt there will be some who will be completely happy if this were to happen but I won't be one of them. I want apps for WP, not a botch job.

 

[ohgood]

I want apps for WP, not a botch job.

sounds like the choice is simple, wait another year or three for wp, surface rt, surface pro, and the desktop to finally unit.

or not. or maybe longer.

I agree though about this android thing being the final nail in the wp coffin.

 

[psudotechzealot]

No thanks.

 

[wapoz]

Id most likely move back to iOS if this happened. I see no point in using an OS ( WP, BB10, Sailfish/jolla) if it needs to rely on another OS's app ecosystem. Id rather have developers that are committed to making apps that take full advantage of my devices features and design language instead of some half-assed virtualized android app.

 

[tgp]

There are lots of people who simply despise Google and Android and are on WP. Do you see them sticking with WP if this were to happen?

I agree with your post for the most part, except I would question whether there are "lots of people who simply despise Google and Android and are on WP", relatively speaking. We need to remember that the users of tech forums are probably not an accurate cross section of the general public. Of course we think about that stuff, because we're geeky like that. Remember that Google's Android has 80% of the market share, and sold 3/4 billion devices in 2013.

I know that due to the Scroogled campaigns, more people are hearing about Google's business practices. However, Android & Chromebook sales are very strong, and I wonder if Microsoft isn't actually benefiting their nemesis by advertising for them.

Other than that, I could've written that post. Excellent points!

 

[Jazmac]

Great idea. This idea worked out great for Blackberry after all. NOT!

 

[thundr51]

Ok, I've had an android tablet (asus transformer) and phone (GalaxyS) and while they are fine products I really don't see why everyone is going crazy about android apps. Seriously, I play a couple of games on them and such but honestly I don't see what the big deal is. Will someone PLEASE tell me what is this great app(s) that makes android so great? I'm not trolling, I'm genuinely asking, what apps should I be using on my android devices that aren't available anywhere else? Since I just picked up a surface pro the big apps for me that I can't get anywhere but windows are Visual studio (express editions because they're free ) and Steam. I really missed my steam library on my transformer...but there are other casual games so I'm managing.
Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way....is android popular because it's not Microsoft? Is it because the devices running android are typically cheaper than others (MS, Apple)? What is it about android that's got everyone salivating?