Windows & Windows Phone are Dead...

[antoninus99]

Windows and Windows Phone are dead. Long live Microsoft!

I see a pattern slowing evolving out of the recent leaks and announcements from Microsoft. Windows Phone 8.1, Windows 8.1, Bing apps, and the upcoming Smartwatch, are part of a new overall strategy that will come together in early 2015 with "Threshold".

Windows Phone, Windows RT tablets, and the new Smartwatch will become Microsoft Lumia devices. The brand name "Windows" is going away because these are not windowed devices. The desktop is dead on RT because the new touch friendly Office doesn't require it. Cortana will be able to replace the keyboard with voice input, but the touch keyboard will be there too. Information sharing between devices will be further enhanced through OneDrive and Azure.

Hybrid laptops and touch enabled desktops will receive the touch friendly version of "Threshold", while an integrated version of the desktop will be used on traditional PC's. These devices may also lose the brand name "Windows" in favor of Microsoft OS 9.

Why is the brand name "Windows" going away? Too much baggage from the past. Many people abandoned Microsoft for Apple because of viruses and crashes. "Threshold" is an allusion to the threshold of a new era in computing.

This is all just a guess based on my observations. What do you think? Is this the new direction?

 

[a5cent]

Hybrid laptops and touch enabled desktops will receive the touch friendly version of "Threshold", while an integrated version of the desktop will be used on traditional PC's. These devices may also lose the brand name "Windows" in favor of Microsoft OS 9.

There is no 'touch friendly' version of Threshold. There is only one version. One version that will work for both mouse and keyboard and touch input, just like W8.1 today.

Windows RT is going away, but most (if not all) of its capabilities will be ported to WP.

Otherwise it sounds plausible.

 

[TechFreak1]

Microsoft Lumia Devices sounds plausible from a branding point, I disagree on one point - Windows RT is the Runtime Enviroment therefore it is essentially Windows running on ARM SOC's but without the ability to run any x86 / x64 code. Since it does not run such code, the misconception is that it is not "Windows".

 

[antoninus99]

I agree with both of you. My choice of terms in the original post is a bit confusing. Threshold is one OS that can be configured differently based on hardware, and the merger of RT and WP was intended.

I believe Microsoft is planning a whole new marketing strategy around Lumia.

 

[Chregu]

I like windows, they are very practical to use, and I am glad Microsoft is moving back to support the desktop and doesn't try to force Metro on everybody anymore.

After all, Windows on desktops is one of the products Microsoft is really strong with, they should try to keep it that way.

 

[winboy]

I hate the fruity company and I have been using Microsoft for many many years starting with MSDOS so I'm staying with Windows and Windows Phone.

 

[navidee]

I hate the fruity company and I have been using Microsoft for many many years starting with MSDOS so I'm staying with Windows and Windows Phone.

Pretty much my views as well...grew up using MS DOS before windows came out and have never had the hatred many do for the brand. I did hate them when they released the og Xbox, but after the 360, I'm glad they broke into the market.

 

[k0de]

This is all a big fat lie.

You work for cnet?

Your comments are all bogus. Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 are alive and well for years to come.

For real man. Things are getting better over here. Stop spreading rumors that hold no water.

My dog.

 

[iyae]

The desktop won't go from RT. Not while RT is still around. Guaranteed. You are delusional if you think that.