Microsoft has indicated many times that they would love to create a successful mobile platform. They have tried and failed many times too. Therefore I think it would be unfair to say that they would not ever want to go down this road again. But once bitten, twice shy.
We all know the biggest problem was a lack of apps. Many/most app developers, and especially the crucially important utility ones, would greatly prefer a globally unified app development & distribution system like the PWA platform. Although the Android team may resist it, the logic of the market dictates that eventually Chrome will win out and PWAs will emerge dominant.
This is not just because the Chrome team is responding better to the market. If the Chrome team does not succeed, then someone will eventually fork Android to make PWAs easy and seamless. There is too much for developers to gain by freely accessing a customer (in a seamless way) as opposed to having to go through a store. This free access gives PWA creators, in one way, the kind of freedom that Windows Program creators currently enjoy.
By preparing for this potential future, Microsoft allows its own platform to naturally piggyback on the Android platform in a way that cannot be reciprocated. Edgium will allow Windows to natively run PWAs, but Android/Chrome will struggle to run .exes, most likely having to use an emulator. If Google is smart, they will try to replicate Continuum on Android with Windows. But that requires Microsoft's consent, unlike with open-source Chromium. The strategic advantage clearly lies with Microsoft. (Do they realise this? Like many of you, I am not sure if Satya Nadella is a genius with a long-term plan, or is pursuing foolish short-term profits.)
Is it thus gainful for Microsoft to release a portable Windows (e.g. Andromeda) without Edgium first proving successful? I think it is pointless for them to even try until PWAs are strong enough to make the google store much less important. And if so, are MS critics being premature in claiming that portable Windows is well and truly dead?
We all know the biggest problem was a lack of apps. Many/most app developers, and especially the crucially important utility ones, would greatly prefer a globally unified app development & distribution system like the PWA platform. Although the Android team may resist it, the logic of the market dictates that eventually Chrome will win out and PWAs will emerge dominant.
This is not just because the Chrome team is responding better to the market. If the Chrome team does not succeed, then someone will eventually fork Android to make PWAs easy and seamless. There is too much for developers to gain by freely accessing a customer (in a seamless way) as opposed to having to go through a store. This free access gives PWA creators, in one way, the kind of freedom that Windows Program creators currently enjoy.
By preparing for this potential future, Microsoft allows its own platform to naturally piggyback on the Android platform in a way that cannot be reciprocated. Edgium will allow Windows to natively run PWAs, but Android/Chrome will struggle to run .exes, most likely having to use an emulator. If Google is smart, they will try to replicate Continuum on Android with Windows. But that requires Microsoft's consent, unlike with open-source Chromium. The strategic advantage clearly lies with Microsoft. (Do they realise this? Like many of you, I am not sure if Satya Nadella is a genius with a long-term plan, or is pursuing foolish short-term profits.)
Is it thus gainful for Microsoft to release a portable Windows (e.g. Andromeda) without Edgium first proving successful? I think it is pointless for them to even try until PWAs are strong enough to make the google store much less important. And if so, are MS critics being premature in claiming that portable Windows is well and truly dead?
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