Dual Booting may just be the ticket MS needs.

[bruceabbott2]

I read about the possibility of future HTC handsets dual booting Android and Windows Phone. This would be an awesome function for those who are afraid to commit to one platform and great for those who get 'bored' with a platform and switch back and forth.

I love the idea of this. If MS were dedicated to providing working drivers for the many handsets out there and eliminated licencing fees, I bet the install base would explode similar to how android has taken over the market being freely available for OEMs to use.

Microsoft could afford to give this OS away making money back on apps and people who use their services (similar to google). It may even entice people to make the jump to exclusive handsets like the Lumia line.

I think they should go for it. In fact, I think history should repeat itself and allow us to install whatever (mobile) OS we choose whether it be linux based Android or Windows

Thoughts?

 

[DBDev]

I think that should be great too, because I think it should get more people trying wp, and maybe stick to it :excited:

 

[bruceabbott2]

I think that should be great too, because I think it should get more people trying wp, and maybe stick to it :excited:

Exactly.

 

[Jazmac]

Never liked the concept or the idea. Now I don't have a problem with HTC putting WP on the same hardware they put the HTC One. That I would be in favor of. But if you want to do android, get an android device. It is what I would do if I did not want to do a Windows Phone. What Microsoft truly needs is for a hardware manufacturer to challenge Nokia and I mean challenge them in a big way. I would like to see HTC take on Nokia for Windows Phone.

 

[ohgood]

Never liked the concept or the idea. Now I don't have a problem with HTC putting WP on the same hardware they put the HTC One. That I would be in favor of. But if you want to do android, get an android device. It is what I would do if I did not want to do a Windows Phone. What Microsoft truly needs is for a hardware manufacturer to challenge Nokia and I mean challenge them in a big way. I would like to see HTC take on Nokia for Windows Phone.

What's the incentive ?

 

[jamz82277]

Nokia will be no longer in smartphones. MS bought them and will probably kill the name for their own. HTC taking on Nokia might as well be HTC taking on Microsoft. .... Fail

 

[Laura Knotek]

I just don't think it would appeal to many users. Even folks who dual boot their PCs are a niche crowd, usually tech enthusiasts.

Dual booting Windows and Linux on a PC requires skills, especially when drivers need to be installed for Linux, and the CLI is needed.

Typically, there will be something that doesn't work in Linux, and tweaks are necessary. If the same thing happens on a smartphone, how many users will have the skills and the patience to fix the bugs?

 

[foxbat121]

HTC will no longer exist next year anyway. I don't see this could have any impact and the idea is dumb (but with current status of HTC, it may willing to try anything) and Microsoft may not give a green light on this.

 

[xandros9]

I think the biggest hurdle is getting people to actually try it. I used to be a Windows 8 naysayer, but then I got a free upgrade through my school system. I'm a happy camper now. Switched back to 7, but now back on 8.

Also for HTC, it could be the differentiator and give it a foothold against Nokia in the WP market (I wouldn't normally go for an HTC WP otherwise). Nokia is dominating with their additional stuff like Drive, Amber, etc. Having both Android and WP on one device could really differentiate it from Nokia in the WP market and Samsung in the 'droid market. If they can channel the legendary aura of the HD2 as well, maybe making it open-er, I'd say they have a chance.

 

[wapoz]

Dual booting on a smartphone sounds completely asinine. I don't see it having any appeal outside of those that heavily tinker with their phone. For the average consumer it just muddles everything and introduces new issues with performance (manufactures focus on optimizing being split between 2 OS's on one device) and making things more complicated than they need to be (having to manage 2 app stores on 2 OS's, data in apps not being 100% shared between both Android and WP).

 

[Jazmac]

I just don't think it would appeal to many users. Even folks who dual boot their PCs are a niche crowd, usually tech enthusiasts.

Dual booting Windows and Linux on a PC requires skills, especially when drivers need to be installed for Linux, and the CLI is needed.

Typically, there will be something that doesn't work in Linux, and tweaks are necessary. If the same thing happens on a smartphone, how many users will have the skills and the patience to fix the bugs?

True. There could be a device that the truly cutting edge techno-dweebs could have fun with but average people won't be interested in a phone that could boot into more than one OS. I work with people that own android phones and had them for months and still have the bloatware widgets on the screen. They did not even know it could be removed. But these are the average "smartphone" user.

@jamz8227 Unless MS is ready to drop some serious hardware, which I haven't heard of any realistic plans, then yes, HTC could drop hardware that astounds us. It has astounded me with its HTC One. If I wasn't so against google, I would have been gone. No see you later posts, no I'll miss you guys. Just gone.

Beyond that, Google hasn't been able to beat Samsung and probably never will with its own OS. What gives you the impression HTC couldn't best MS?

 

[juanitoriv]

Dual boot won't happen!!! The talk was about putting WP on HTC's Droid hardware like an HTC One in Droid, and an HTC WOne/W1/E1ght in WP.. I can't believe how thus topic has cartwheeled..

Goodness..

 

[bruceabbott2]

Dual boot won't happen!!! The talk was about putting WP on HTC's Droid hardware like an HTC One in Droid, and an HTC WOne/W1/E1ght in WP.. I can't believe how thus topic has cartwheeled..

Goodness..

Regardless.. I still like the idea of being able to choose my OS on my own device.

 

[Winger67]

Nokia will be no longer in smartphones. MS bought them and will probably kill the name for their own.

I don't know about MS dropping the Nokia name. While they could in the US, I think they may want to keep the Nokia brand for international markets.

 

[AndyCalling]

True. There could be a device that the truly cutting edge techno-dweebs could have fun with but average people won't be interested in a phone that could boot into more than one OS. I work with people that own android phones and had them for months and still have the bloatware widgets on the screen. They did not even know it could be removed. But these are the average "smartphone" user.

Really? Have we now reached the point where we'll have to start selling users to smart phones rather than smart phones to users? Scarey... very Terminator.

 

[N_LaRUE]

I don't know about MS dropping the Nokia name. While they could in the US, I think they may want to keep the Nokia brand for international markets.

They only have the brand for 10 years regardless so it will be dropped eventually. I expect it to happen sooner than later. Same with Lumia.

 

[N_LaRUE]

As for if a dual boot would be a good idea. If it were to happen I'm not sure it would be a good thing. At this stage WP compared to Android is like comparing Linux to Windows. In this case WP is Linux. WP does most things OK. If you're a hardcore Android person you wouldn't bother with the phone at all. If you're someone who's curious you might be tempted but I don't see the advantage of doing this for WP. It may convince some people but others may start to see very blatantly where WP fails big time. Not sure if we really want that at this stage. Also mixing up the hardware considering how strict WP is with it I fail to see it working well.

 

[gab1972]

I hate to say this, but if there is a dual boot Windows/Android phone, it'll be a disaster in more ways than one. Consider this...

On an Android phone, you can MAKE the UI look like Windows! Before jumping to WP, I had an Android Galaxy Nexus and was using an app called Launcher 7 which had all the functionality of WP8 (even though the app was called launcher 7 implying Windows 7). I even had a WP8 messaging app called Messaging 7. The point is that once people see how easy it is to make Android look like something they've been using, they might start thinking, "why do I even need WP if I can make Android look like whatever I want?" Granted, there's no telling what the hardware performance will be like, but still, it could sway some people. Almost like giving them a Windows device and then saying, "Here. Take this other device and play around with it to see what you think."

Conversely, those who start liking Android are going to quickly get frustrated when Google announces updates. Statistically, HTC devices have one of the worst track records for getting updates. Not saying it's all HTC's fault, but they have some to do with it. These devices will have to work with both OS's. Some BS excuse will most likely come out that the new version of Android (or even Windows) is not compatible with dual-boot phones. Fragmentation at it's finest - except now, it's from either end!

What if something in Android breaks things in Windows...or vice versa? I'm not saying this is logically possible...but maybe technically possible? Possible performance issues? It's like buying a TV/DVDcombo. Worst investment ever. If the TV breaks, you're left with a really expensive and bulky DVD player. And if the DVD player breaks, you STILL have to buy a DVD player.

Not to mention apps. Buy it in Android and you either have to buy it again in Windows or boot into Android to use that app and then boot into Windows to use that other app.

While dual-booting might solve some envy and give people more options, I really think it'll be a nightmare more than anything else. Do not want.

 

[psudotechzealot]

No, It will never happen. Google wants WP & the Surface & Surface Pro dead.

 

[ohgood]

No, It will never happen. Google wants WP & the Surface & Surface Pro dead.

I think it's the other way around.

Microsoft wants far more than just android dead, they want android , iPhone, Google and apple dead, not just the competing mobile platforms.

Google just wants to keep in trucking, gathering, sorting, and regurgitating information for profit.

I really don't think Google or apple are concerned about a surface-like segment device. Yet. Right now it seems those two companies are waiting to see if the surface 2.0 will sell. If it repeats, expect no interest from apple or Google.

As far as windows phone, it's not a threat to their profits, so watching and waiting works there too.

Microsoft has the burden of vetting viable projects and gaining market share in segments already controlled by the others. They have to innovate, and act extremely quickly at every opportunity to gain market and mind share.

Longer reply then intended, but covered stuff.