Did Microsoft just kill RT?

[drbanks]

To me, the biggest mistake of RT was calling it "Windows."

Apple successfully started a basically new OS, iOS, that had app incompatibility with its Desktop/Laptop predecessor, OS X. And the relationship between OS X and iOS is very similar to that between RT and "regular" Windows. Same underlying bits, different app shell/API.

Apple made this work, despite the fact that neither the iPhone nor the iPad will ever run Mac apps simply because they never tried to convince anyone that it was a Mac or OS X. People accepted and embraced the new OS (new in quotes) and the new App infrastructure for what it was and Apple's been printing money ever since. Similarly, Android came around, which is at its core Linux, yet did not attempt to convince anyone that "this is a linux system."

But, because Microsoft so over-valued its trademark, they just HAD to put the "Windows" moniker on RT and in the process, confused the crap out of everyone who'd be a possible consumption device consumer. Doing that at the same time they tried to turn "regular" windows into RT, resulting in the schizophrenic UI that is Windows 8 only made the confusion worse. Imagine that Apple decided that from now on, iOS will be the primary app ecosystem for both its mobile devices and its traditional laptop/desktop systems. Well, they were actually making noises like they might do that until Microsoft created a fiasco that was hard to ignore: People aren't ready to give up their trucks.

As a developer and as a user, I actually like Windows 8's schizophrenia, especially on the Surface Pro, since it has the flexibility to be a touch device with modern apps when it's in tablet mode, and a regular windows device with a mouse when it's in desktop mode. And all other things being equal, I find the Metro style to be much more soothing on the eyes. Flipboard for RT is a thing to behold.

I am convinced that over time, the app ecosystem for the RT API will grow, and that the traditional windows desktop will become less relevant. It's just that this is going to take a whole lot longer than Microsoft had hoped. And one of the great things about RT is the not great, but much better security model that it has over the traditional windows desktop. These days, we're pretty much inundated with security patches and updates for both windows and its desktop apps, yet none of those patches will ever fix the basic phishing case of convincing someone, logged into an admin account on the desktop, to download and open/run some malware.

 

[vertigoOne]

It is easy to spot Microsoft's strategy looking back. The Window's app store would have had no love if the Surface Pro had been the headlining act from the beginning. App developers needed a user base incentive to develop apps for the Window's app store. Now that the merits of this new app store are understood, RT no longer needs to be pushed to the front, but can finally take a back seat where it belongs. I don't think RT is dead yet, but I do think it is on borrowed time and the next device in the RT line may be the last depending on what happens with cherrytrail.

 

[herbertsnow]

I have no interest in having a expensive tablet that runs desktop programs. I hope RT isn't going anywhere. I don't hear any iPad users complaining about not running desktop programs.

 

[Infamy79]

No they didn't kill RT and they won't kill it either. Looks like they are waiting for the new Office Unified Application and/or the convergence of Windows Phone & WinRT.

 

[a5cent]

...or the convergence of Windows Phone & WinRT.

Except that is killing Windows RT!

If WP and RT converge, that is the end of RT as a separate OS SKU. WP would replace it entirely.

I think some may be confusing the OS SKU (Windows RT) with the ModernUI environment (provided by the WinRT API and runtime).

The OP asked if Microsoft killed RT (the OS SKU). That is not the same thing as asking if Microsoft killed WinRT (the API and runtime environment for store apps).

If WP and RT converge, then the WinRT API would live on in Windows and in WP, but the RT OS as a separate SKU will disappear. I fully expect that to happen.

 

[psudotechzealot]

Yes, and I have on problem with that.

 

[herbertsnow]

And no MS didn't kill RT just because they released a new Surface Pro yesterday. All the back seat drivers here that says so are talking out of their butts.

 

[a5cent]

And no MS didn't kill RT just because they released a new Surface Pro yesterday. All the back seat drivers here that says so are talking out of their butts.

Don't know if you are referring to me. I'd agree that MS didn't kill RT by releasing the Surface Pro yesterday. They killed it long ago by deciding to port all of WinRT over to WP.

 

[neo158]

Don't know if you are referring to me. I'd agree that MS didn't kill RT by releasing the Surface Pro yesterday. They killed it long ago by deciding to port all of WinRT over to WP.

Wrong, they ported SOME of the WinRT APIs to WP in 8.1 not all of it.

 

[Roland Stoll]

Wrong, they ported SOME of the WinRT APIs to WP in 8.1 not all of it.

Wrong, the mid-/long-term decision has alredy been made: WinRT and WP will merge together... so Microsoft said...

 

[a5cent]

Wrong, they ported SOME of the WinRT APIs to WP in 8.1 not all of it.

Don't put words in my mouth... ehm... posts. Never said that, never would. ;-)

You can read my earlier posts, or what Roland mentioned. It's a long term goal. WP8.1 was a huge step in that direction, but only the first.

 

[neo158]

Don't put words in my mouth... ehm... posts. Never said that, never would. ;-)

You can read my earlier posts, or what Roland mentioned. It's a long term goal. WP8.1 was a huge step in that direction however.

Well, that's true it is the long term goal but at the moment only some of the APIs have been ported as of WP8.1 and I suspect that WP9 will have the rest of them ported across.

 

[a5cent]

Well, that's true it is the long term goal but at the moment only some of the APIs have been ported as of WP8.1 and I suspect that WP9 will have the rest of them ported across.

Exactly what I said in a earlier post... and that is the end of RT (as a separate OS SKU).

 

[neo158]

Exactly what I said in a earlier post... and that is the end of RT (as a separate OS SKU).

I would guess that the Surface Mini, which hasn't been killed off but pushed back, will probably run WP9 and just have the WinRT APIs.

 

[Keith Wallace]

Well what about remote desktop?
Surely you could run your x86 applications off your desktop pc or laptop (given that pretty much everyone would have a desktop pc or laptop lying around) thus giving you the best of both worlds. How ever I'm not sure what the performance would be over a unlimited 4g connection and port forwarding, as you would need to take into account your cellular reception / mobile broadband signal. But I have seen a user post a video with his surface connected to his pc (i think) via remote desktop through Wi Fi and there was no visible performance drops. Once i find the video I will update this post.

What is the world I'm getting the best of form RT? I could just get an ASUS T100 with x86 support for less than a Surface 2, and it'll include the keyboard dock. I could remote to my desktop with that just the same, but I wouldn't be basically crippled from meaningful function without the remote access.

 

[Chregu]

What are the advantages of bringing the RT APIs to WP and what is the specific reason that RT was needed as an intermediate step?

 

[a5cent]

I would guess that the Surface Mini, which hasn't been killed off but pushed back, will probably run WP9 and just have the WinRT APIs.

I have no idea, but it would make sense for a small and light device like the Mini to run a small and light OS like WP. RT is almost just as heavy as Windows and doesn't really make sense on devices intended to compete with iOS and Android tabletts. You could be right.

 

[stephen_az]

I really doubt it. If nothing else, RT lives on as the Phone OS. I mean, 8.1 really did merge it into the RT space, big time.

No offense but the idea that WP 8.1 "merged into the RT space" is just not true. It grasps at the old line about 8.1 being unification across the platforms which was never more than a rumor among people who knew nothing more than anyone else but wanted to sound relevant. They continue to have virtually nothing in common beyond the name Windows and the fact they use tiles.

 

[1101x10]

No offense but the idea that WP 8.1 "merged into the RT space" is just not true. It grasps at the old line about 8.1 being unification across the platforms which was never more than a rumor among people who knew nothing more than anyone else but wanted to sound relevant. They continue to have virtually nothing in common beyond the name Windows and the fact they use tiles.

It's very true. WP universal runtime is RT (well, it's not totally finished and there are additional phone only functions but it is around 90% the same). Windows for ARM is RT + Desktop. When the desktop component is no longer needed you have a single OS.

 

[neo158]

My feeling is that RT won't be killed off but will end up being merged completely with Windows Phone, I think that we will still see 10" tablets running it with a "Start Screen" style interface but the core of the OS will be shared with Windows Phone.

So it will essentially be Windows Phone with a different interface.