Do you think the rumored Andromeda device will be able to replace PC's for some consumers?

[scoots37]

We've heard Polaris is rumored to make its way to traditional PC's like laptops. Since the rumored Andromeda device will have Polaris on it, and a new tablet like mode when unfolded, do you think it will be able to replace a PC for some consumers?

My only concern is the typing experience with Andromeda: do you think Andromeda will have a lapdock like the HP Elite X3 phone did or some other accessory to make typing easier? Will some consumers replace there laptops and other PC's with Andromeda devices in the future?

 

[Yangstax]

If typing is your concern, you can always get a BT portable keyboard or get a WoA Always Connected PC. Polaris is the desktop expression of Windows Core OS while Andromeda is the mobile expression of WCOS. Andromeda will come out first. All these new form factors will threaten the traditional laptop PCs especially the low-end laptops. I think all the OEMs will rush into making different versions of Andromeda devices to protect against the unavoidable decline of laptops. I have spent some time playing with the ZTE Axom M at the AT&T store recently. That form factor will definitely take off. You can see more and do much more compared to the smartphones. Andromeda will become the powerhouse of PWAs. The app gap issue for Windows Mobile will be gone forever.

 

[David Steadson]

My SP3 doesn't have the biggest screen, and most of the time I don't use it, I have it connected to 2 desktop screens. It's really only on trains, buses, and presentations I use it as a tablet/laptop. An Andromeda device could conceivably replace this, especially if they manage to come up with some kind of decent matching foldable keyboard.

 

[Wilson Samiano]

I find that I don't really use a lot of apps on my phone. Just like my Windows Phone now Android, I use Edge, MSN News, MSN Money, Outlook, Maps, and Messenger. Oh yeah Facebook. If I could do those things on Andromeda device well, I could easily switch to this upcoming device. Although the GPD Win 2 is looking like a great form factor as well. Imagine that system with Andromeda, telephony built-in, and an all day battery, I'm sold!

 

[Great deal]

The same way Continuum did lol - No it won't, we all know it won't, MS are praying that it will, a tiny screen is useless for productivity, period.

 

[Vivio vrvly]

You probably got no idea then. Same as laptops are preferable now over full sized desktop pc, tablets over laptops, foldable phone will be more "mobile" therefore more liked. If you say its about power, it would be true years before, not now with start of computing streaming over internet. Screen, keyboard,... can be also portable and will be just extension not main part of computer.

Even that foldable phone may be just extension of computer over internet, its way different than the way of todays PC's. Not to mention you would have "phone" as bonus in one device, after all camera, apps and wearable and other devices you connect to, will be needed if its phone or computer, no reason to pay 2 times for flagship right?

 

[Vivio vrvly]

Basically Microsoft can make peripheral device with just minimum specs to be as available in whole world as mobile phones, with small bonus - it will be powerful computer if connected to internet, if needed to screen, keyboard, whatever. Offline hardware can be just as different as phones, entry level, mid range, flagships.

Microsoft will after all earn money with Usage of Virtual computer on internet (and apps,...). At least I wish that happen.

 

[Great deal]

Tell that to enterprise. Its another pipe dreamthat wont make a difference, they are creating a solution for a problem that doesn't exist. A laptop is fine, it has everything in one device and they are getting thinner and lighter, ergonomics dictates everything, try touch-typing on a tiny screen, as for carrying a portable screen around, no point, get a laptop, as for screens being ubiquitous and plugging in your handheld, what if you need it and screen is NOT there to g in due to either someone else using it or broken etc. Just like continuum was doomed to fail, so is a folding pocket PC as a replacement for a full laptop no matter how powerful it is. Simple ergonomics.

 

[Richard Toft]

I hope so, but I don't think this will be immediate for a lot of users(it will take time to refine). My surface pro 4 has replaced my desktop and laptop as well as being an excellent tablet, I tried this with the Dell Venue Pro 11 and while a good device didn't quite make it. The Lumia 950 was a good first attempt tbh but the lack of support really affected it. so with the right support and processing power for a lot of users yes I think it could work.

 

[Jeffery L]

Download the Windows Store benchmarking app AnTuTu for your Windows 10 laptop/desktop and see what you get. Then compare to what the latest phones are getting by going to the AnTuTu website. You might be surprised to learn that a current phone can top an older laptop (depending on specs of the older laptop of course). I am going to be an early adopter of the Andromeda. I don't care what it cost and if it doesn't fully replace my laptop. I will just want to try it out and see how it works out. I will set it up with a docking station with monitor, keyboard, and mouse. I hope there will be something like a lapdock like for the Elite X3, because I don't want to be stuck in my den using the Andromeda at the docking station. I often like using my laptop in my family room. So I think the availability of peripheral device will largely drive how the Andromeda can replace other form factors. And such a lapdock device needs to cost less than a laptop! What would be the point if it cost the same as a laptop! I am concerned if Andromeda runs full Windows 10, that Windows 10 will drain too much power doing the thousands of tasks and services that a full Windows 10 computers needs to run (e.g. virus scanning, maintenance, etc.). Maybe they figured out how to manage battery power better with the Windows 10 on ARM computers. I would hope that a lot of the Windows 10 maintenance background stuff can be paused when on battery power. If Andromeda doesn't ship with full Windows 10 (e.g. Win32 support), and that is a possibility, then this forum discussion is a moot topic. For me, the demanding Win32 app that will be the holdout is Visual Studio 2017. If I can run Visual Studio 2017 on Andromeda and use Andromeda in my family room with a laptop form factor, then bye-bye laptop!

 

[njoi fontes]

nothing of what you said makes any sense... windows 10 adoption continues to grow and has already surpassed windows 7 and the PC market in general (which is 90% or more windows) is growing again... so ya, everything you said is nonsense

 

[Stan77]

I need a big screen, a good keyboard, large storage and lots of computation power for what I do.
That said, if I ever buy Andromeda, then it will be as a viable alternative to a smartphone, not to replace my desktop or laptop machines.

 

[mlpa]

Andromeda's reported form size, role, niche, functions should logically replace a user's smartphone. Make no mistake, Surface Note (or whatever it will be called) is a direct attack on the smartphone market by inventing a superset category ie the new category of 'pocketable PCs'.

(Assuming Andromeda comes to market as a viable pocketable folding PC, x86 desktop tablet when unfolded, ARM smartphone with telephony stack when folded and other reported features)

 

[Hansjuerg Wuethrich]

Since October 2017 i use my Samsung Note8 with DEX Docking Station as my daily driver. On the go i have my note 8 with the sPen and at home i can use it on my 27" Curved Screen via DEXDockingStation. So yess. 1000% an Andromeda device could fully replace a Desktop PC, because my Note 8 does this even today !

 

[BanditoTR]

I think it would replace my personal fun time PC but not my work PC. All I need for my personal PC is browser, Robinhood, Outlook and being able to use uTorrent. If uTorrent is able to be run via emulation and I am able to get text and make calls I will be ok with the device. There's no Robinhood app for Windows but if Robinhood for Web works the same as the app I won't even need Android no more. I don't play games on Android whatsoever and don't depend on Google app either. I won't miss the invasion of privacy either.

Of course of Continuum is part of the equation, I will prefer to have a way to use it in a monitor if needed, specially to see movies. They have done it before and I used it a lot. If VLC for mobile works as the desktop version I wouldn't have use my personal laptop whatsoever.

 

[BanditoTR]

Hi, it will use Windows Core not a full blown Windows 10.

Windows Core is like the basics of what Windows have that will be shared between devices like Onecore.

But the difference would be drivers, etc...and more importantly the shell.

What they did is like take everything that shared between multiple devices like registry and put it in a single place. Then what differentiates mobile from desktop just put it in their respective place. That would be for example the Shell.

So a mobile device won't suffer from a full blown Windows 10 resources hogging because what a desktop needs to function won't be in a mobile device.

 

[Wevenhuis]

I think the question is rhetorical. A (new) windows pc device will always cater to someone. I just hope microsoft doesn't ruin the courier concept. I think business sense will prevail and a first andromeda device will not live up to expectations. That said a pc or mobile device will be a new learning curve for anyone on any platform. Will it be the new best of both worlds as a crossing between a smartphone, tablet and pc. Will microsoft be able to pull off a journal device, without the machine becoming too much of a classic desktop design on a new hardware shell? Can microsoft look beyond windows in terms of software design? Time will tell.

 

[GreyFox7]

In the same vein as people could "do their entire job on an iPad" it depends on what your job is. If it doesn't require much, sure it will work. I don't expect it to work for me. Not now, not next year, not the year after that. In 4 years we'll have the Snapdragon 885... which would probably do todays i5 level workloads, if that workload remained constant (which it wont) then maybe I could replace my Desktop/Laptop with a mobile device. I would expect an incremental percentage of my workload to be accomplished by a mobile device in the future but not all of it.

 

[mvierling]

If it is from Microsoft, then no. It will be over priced and under powered, just like the Surface Studio is. If I'm using it at my desk as a daily machine, then I want it to be full powered.

 

[Jcmg62]

I used Continuum extensively (4-6 hours a day) on my Lumia 950 and was a big fan of the idea. It definitely had some rough edges which needed ongoing development to smooth out and as MS pulled away from Windows Mobile it became apparent that it wasn't going to improve, which was a real shame.

The concept of moving across form factors with one device, with it being small enough to carry in your pocket and powerful enough to become a foldable tablet, laptop and desktop is incredibly enticing.

MS should have brought out a "Razer Project Linda" laptop device years ago when they started pushing Continuum on the Lumia 950.

But yeah, I think it's going to be a journey. I'll probably throw my credit card into the ring no sooner than Andromeda 3.0

I want to see MS build it, improve it and show some genuine and lasting support for it before committing.

 

[Allen Steen]

Smartphones have already replaced a good portion of normal folks desktops and laptops. For the people out there that just do facebook and youtube what else does one need?