[anon(10409867)]

Windows has survived for more than 30 years but the path has not been an easy one. Do you think that Android can last that long?

[libra89]

Of course it will. It might look different but the concept is there.

[tgp]

The obvious answer is that we don't know.

At this point I don't believe we have any reason to think it won't be around in 5 years. But, 5 years ago we thought that about Windows Phone, WebOS, and BBOS.

However, Android has survived all of the above, as well as holding its own against iOS. It is currently the leading OS by sheer numbers. I think it is in a good position. But the tech world does not stand still.

Who knows?

[anon(10409867)]

Especially with things like VR, AR, AI, things will not be that easy. Even a brand new OS can come up and shake the 3 older daddies. It's very much possible.

[L0n3N1nja]

Android is the world's most used OS, Windows may be older but unless Micrsoft gets it's head out of it's *** they won't be relevant in another 10 years.

[Golfdriver97]

I think it will. Not everyone wants to buy an Apple phone.

[Laura Knotek]

I think it will, since so many people are invested in Google apps, for both desktop and mobile.

[TgeekB]

Unless they pull a BlackBerry, yes.

[fatclue_98]

They should. But as we've seen with other companies before, all it takes is one dumbass CEO to ruin everything.

[Jcmg62]

As long as it remains free to use and open enough for device manufacturers to do whatever they want with it then yes, it'll continue to be the go-to platform.

The fact that it's a bit rubbish, not very secure and tends to slow down most devices within 3 months of running it is irrelevant. It's position is guaranteed through its open source availability.

Even if AR/VR takes off wildly and Microsoft's next play in mobile computing actually goes mainstream, it'll take at least a decade for those things to put a noticeable dent in Android.

I just really hope MS don't screw up this Andromeda thing...

[dkediger]

I think the real question is "Will Google be using Android on phones 5 years from now, or will they be using Chrome?"

[Timbre70]

The crucial question is, will Microsoft be relevant in the consumer space in the next five years?😄

[MatthewR413]

I actually am having this thought about Microsoft right now. I have a laptop and it works just fine and I use Windows daily because I'm a heavy Office user with my work, but when I go home I have my Amazon Fire TV and Alexa and corresponding smart home switches, devices, etc. I use my android phone to set all of this up and rather than invest in a new laptop, I've been looking at getting a 10" tablet because 90% of my time on a device at home is browsing the internet. I'm looking at sub-$200 to get a good android tablet that will do everything I want 90% of the time. I think I'm always going to need a Windows laptop for Excel and Word and Photoshop, etc.... but that's it. I don't want to travel with that laptop like I could a phone or tablet.

That also brings up the point of Alexa and Google assistant. Are OS's going to be a thing in 5 years? In 5 years, what is a OS? I don't think there will be very clearly defined lines expect maybe in the Apple universe because they are so careful to control the software and hardware sides end-to-end.

[TgeekB]

I actually am having this thought about Microsoft right now. I have a laptop and it works just fine and I use Windows daily because I'm a heavy Office user with my work, but when I go home I have my Amazon Fire TV and Alexa and corresponding smart home switches, devices, etc. I use my android phone to set all of this up and rather than invest in a new laptop, I've been looking at getting a 10" tablet because 90% of my time on a device at home is browsing the internet. I'm looking at sub-$200 to get a good android tablet that will do everything I want 90% of the time. I think I'm always going to need a Windows laptop for Excel and Word and Photoshop, etc.... but that's it. I don't want to travel with that laptop like I could a phone or tablet.

That also brings up the point of Alexa and Google assistant. Are OS's going to be a thing in 5 years? In 5 years, what is a OS? I don't think there will be very clearly defined lines expect maybe in the Apple universe because they are so careful to control the software and hardware sides end-to-end.

Good questions.
Things are always changing and I just want to see what it’s like in 5 years and be able to be part of it. I’m not married to one platform or the other, but I would bet Microsoft will still be trying to find their way.

[TgeekB]

I actually am having this thought about Microsoft right now. I have a laptop and it works just fine and I use Windows daily because I'm a heavy Office user with my work, but when I go home I have my Amazon Fire TV and Alexa and corresponding smart home switches, devices, etc. I use my android phone to set all of this up and rather than invest in a new laptop, I've been looking at getting a 10" tablet because 90% of my time on a device at home is browsing the internet. I'm looking at sub-$200 to get a good android tablet that will do everything I want 90% of the time. I think I'm always going to need a Windows laptop for Excel and Word and Photoshop, etc.... but that's it. I don't want to travel with that laptop like I could a phone or tablet.

That also brings up the point of Alexa and Google assistant. Are OS's going to be a thing in 5 years? In 5 years, what is a OS? I don't think there will be very clearly defined lines expect maybe in the Apple universe because they are so careful to control the software and hardware sides end-to-end.

Good questions.
Things are always changing and I just want to see what it’s like in 5 years and be able to be part of it. I’m not married to one platform or the other, but I would bet Microsoft will still be trying to find their way.

[fatclue_98]

Good questions.
Things are always changing and I just want to see what it’s like in 5 years and be able to be part of it. I’m not married to one platform or the other, but I would bet Microsoft will still be trying to find their way.

They'll get it right next time, they always do.

98SE good, ME bad, XP good, Vista meh, 7 (GOAT), 8 meh, 8.1 very good, 10 sucks.

They're right on schedule.

[MatthewR413]

Good questions.
Things are always changing and I just want to see what it’s like in 5 years and be able to be part of it. I’m not married to one platform or the other, but I would bet Microsoft will still be trying to find their way.

I don't know how seriously they'll be playing the consumer OS game though. Obviously MS see's the future as cloud computing, as does everyone else. Eventually i see them as a much smaller company and focused on services rather than actually making a OS like we're using now. It's not going to be like the 90's when they were as big as Standard Oil.

[justjun555]

yes it will be. because there is no competition and google will continue to evolve android by merging it with chrome os for desktop market and other solutions based on android for AR,VR and AI.

[anon(10409867)]

What about a completely new platform that offers something unique that none of us can think about right now?

[Golfdriver97]

What about a completely new platform that offers something unique that none of us can think about right now?

An issue with that is getting developers to get involved. Look at Tizen for an example. Has a better battery life than Android or even Apple, as I recall is more RAM efficient, and I think is a little leaner on how much storage it takes. Devs wouldn't touch it for building apps and programs with a 10 foot pole. Samsung even offered cash incentives to develop for it, and there were still no takers.

[anon(10409867)]

An issue with that is getting developers to get involved. Look at Tizen for an example. Has a better battery life than Android or even Apple, as I recall is more RAM efficient, and I think is a little leaner on how much storage it takes. Devs wouldn't touch it for building apps and programs with a 10 foot pole. Samsung even offered cash incentives to develop for it, and there were still no takers.

It may sound like sc-fi concept but what if the platform doesn't need devs to write code for it's apps? This doesn't look impossible thanks to recent thrust on AI & deep learning.

[MatthewR413]

It may sound like sc-fi concept but what if the platform doesn't need devs to write code for it's apps? This doesn't look impossible thanks to recent thrust on AI & deep learning.

So sort of like Progressive Web Apps? Something easily adaptable. Then, it doesn't really matter what your OS is anymore. They'll essentially be the same across IOS, Android, etc.

[Michael Flintof]

For mobile OS, it is of course here to remain healthy.
Android is open source and every device manufacturer can customize it. Who will not want to use powerful OS for free?
I can not see any OS projects from Microsoft which has serious potential to replace android. And even it's original successful version of OS "Windows" is also failed on mobile and tablet devices.
Still, no one knows the perfect future but which current statistics and calculations, Android is here for at least 5 years from now and may even more few years.

[ArtistJD]

Android isn't going anywhere any time soon

[BTK2912]

Why ask the question....!