Apps might be deal breaker

[savagelizards]

I've heard of all this, but this still looks like Windows Phone apps working on Windows 8, not the other way around. And I personally would find it odd if they did... I mean, it's easy to scale up phone app for display on a large screen. But to try and scale down apps from Windows 8 onto Windows Phone... That sounds messy.

I'm not trying to call you a liar, but this all looks like it's referring to Windows Phone 8.1+ apps running on Windows 8.1 Update 1+, in addition to making it easier for developers to make apps for both app stores due to a larger amount of code and APIs being shared. Basically, how it currently works on iOS: where iPhone apps can run on iPad, but iPad apps can't run on iPhone.

Again, how would they take apps specialized for big tablets displays, for small phone screens? The code isn't the issue, it's the fact that they wouldn't display very well on a small screen.

No worries... I understand what you mean about screen sizes, but I think that responsive design is a part of the mix.
Consider that an aspect of Windows 8.1 update 1 is support for smaller tablet sizes.
In fact, the whole dynamic is actually closer than it seems when you consider that the 1080p surface pro screen is running the same resolution as the 1080p Nokia Icon.

So in theory, my Icon could display the same screen information as my Surface Pro. The only difference will be scaling some of the touch targets, since a target size that's comfortable for a 10" display could be smallish on a 5" screen.

So yes, the way I read this the same code supported on both platforms will allow apps to work across both platforms in both directions.

 

[worldspy99]

Wow thank you. Tune in has both stations.

You are welcome. I am still serious about test driving WP by getting a Lumia 520 or a used 822 or ATIV S on Verizon and then deciding to jump in full throttle after Build 2014 with a Lumia Icon.

 

[Starrbuck]

TuneIn has the one I was interested in as well, and many more. Thanks for the tip.

 

[DavidinCT]

MLB 13 is in the store but, MLB 2014 comes out Opening Day according to their website (am another one who lives by this app).

MLB.com At Bat | MLB.com: Mobile

As for DirecTV, I am in the same boat but, I have Dish Network....iOS and Android have the dish Sling app, Windows Phone ? Nope, even the CS people say it's not in their plans at any point right now. You might be able to find a app to set shows to record but, watching streaming live tv, don't get your hopes up at least any time soon.

I want this so I can watch the games when I am away....

I use streaming radio, I use TuneIn....Has every radio station I want on it...

 

[michail71]

I do not see many reasons most Win8.1 apps couldn't run on WP8.1. It may be a little tricky for some of the smaller screen devices.

The few things that would be tricky is the right click/press hold and charms bar integration you get on Win8.1.

 

[savagelizards]

I do not see many reasons most Win8.1 apps couldn't run on WP8.1. It may be a little tricky for some of the smaller screen devices.

The few things that would be tricky is the right click/press hold and charms bar integration you get on Win8.1.

You make a good point about charms. I wonder if they would add charms to WP at some point.

longpress = right click would work just fine I think...

 

[xchange]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJbz1NZMCzI

what a load of misleading marketing.

 

[a5cent]

We are less than a month from WP 8.1. When that drops, anything that will run on WindowsRT will also run on your WP 8.1 device. Microsoft has already said that all WP 8 devices will get the 8.1 upgrade.

Not that I don't enjoy your enthusiasm, but you are mistaken. :-/

The image you linked to actually disproves the hypothesis that the same app will run on both WP8.1 and W8.1... it explicitly states that the developer requires two different projects, with two completely separated UI's, and that this results in two different programs, one for each OS...

Actually, the image you linked to just describes a formalized project structure for sharing code between WP and Windows store apps. Any developer can already do this today. The point is that visual studio can now setup such a project structure automatically, instead of requiring devs to do it manually. While that is nice, it isn't a big deal.

So, at least for now, a unified app store will mean only that the developer can upload two separate apps, one for WP8.1 and one for W8.1, but they may be listed under the same store entry. They won't be the same app, and we definitely won't be running Windows store apps on WP. I can actually guarantee that we will never be doing that.

Running WP8.1 apps on W8.1+1 however, well, that is just around the corner.

 

[michail71]

A nice separation between UI and non UI code should make that rather easy. MVVM Patterns! Not that I find MVVM all that fun most of the time.

 

[a5cent]

A nice separation between UI and non UI code should make that rather easy. MVVM Patterns! Not that I find MVVM all that fun most of the time.

Completely agree, but again, nothing that can't already be done today. ;-)

In regard to the possibility of running W8.1 apps on WP:

So far, this thread has only considered the differences in UI. While certainly important, people are ignoring the other 98% of the OS, which is just as important, if not more so.

It is like claiming a Cesna's autopilot unit should be able to fly a 747, because both cockpits are similar... both have seats, windows, and a few knobs and switches. For planes, such a claim is obviously ridiculous, but it's easy to make that mistake for software, because software is a step removed from the physical world we can easily and directly experience. As users, the UI is the only part of an OS we can directly experience/perceive, which is really just scratching the surface.

 

[Jim Chapman]

The advice that we developers are getting from Microsoft is very much that it will make sense to develop common projects for WP8.1 and W8.1 - i.e. one common code base with two separate UIs. Indeed that's already possible, if you're following an MVVM design pattern. What changes with WP8.1 is that

1. The project setup is a bit less fiddly - more is done for you automatically
2. The underlying API calls to get at OS functions (file access, networking, thread management, that kind of thing) look much more similar between WP8.1 and W8.1

But you really ought to develop completely separate UX and UI concepts, rather than trying to hit both the tablet market and the phone market with a single design. People use tablets and phones in different contexts (so a UI path that works fine on a tablet may seem too long and drawn out on a phone), and the amount of screen real estate available for UI signposting is very different.
The fact that you can share Model and ViewModel code across the platforms is certainly helpful, but the truth is that designing and building the front-end consumes a large proportion of the total time taken to develop an app - and sharing a common View across W8.1 and WP8.1 is not really a good idea (strictly it's not even possible - as far as I understand it, the XAML mark-up is not compatible between the two platforms, though it is close).