Windows surpassed by Android?

[n m]

Only the most naive of cool aid guzzling fanboys would think this doesn't matter.
It's all about market presence, dominance and mind share, all which MS is losing by the truck load. Wouldn't be so bad if they had a mobile presence but that got run over by the same android juggernaut.
And MS's response.....retrenchment.
They bought a piece of wet celery to a gun fight.

If you haven't visited Android Central in a while, they published an article that Android is the most-used OS in the world, taking into account desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile.

Android surpasses Windows as the world's most popular OS

What do you guys think? Should we be concerned about this? Should we separate each form factor for a clearer picture? Is this nothing of interest?

 

[vEEP pEEP]

Of course it's a big deal. Like when Nokia dominated the dumb phone market and was quickly overtaken in the Smart Phone arena by Apple and Android. They dominated for years and became complacent.

MS will be on a downward slide if all OSes head towards Android. Office only survives because it is native to Windows - and that is a huge money maker for them. What happens when Android comes out with their own Office Suite AND owns the OS market? MS irrelevance.

Imagine Android doing the opposite - being a dominate phone OS to the dominate OS desktop, embedded OS, and for everything new OS.....

MS got destroyed in the phone market despite being an desktop OS leader. They were even in the game - Windows CE.

The world is mobile. Maybe, with ARM the can launch some sort of comeback. Xbox, VR, Skype, learnings from Nokia - maybe....?

 

[Jazmac]

I actually never gave this much thought about android even being an operating system at all. I know that probably sounds weird but I just don't think about any phone running tiny apps that way.

An OS in my mind runs on the desktop. Period. That's where it has always been for me. Mac has a desktop OS. Linux has flavors galore of them. But when it gets down to running on a phone, that isn't what I consider a true OS, in the strictest sense to be.
I've always looked at small devices something more of a hybrid something in the vein of a widget.

To illustrate, its made from MEAT but I would never call a hamburger a STEAK. It once swam in the ocean but I would never consider a Filet-O-Fish a Walnut Ginger Salmon even though they are both fish. To me, calling Android an OS in the tradition of established Operating Systems that run really muscular, enterprise ready applications, is akin to being forced to take your kid brother with you on a date. Android, as nice as it is, could never something that rises to the level of an Operating System. it as being a platform for which tiny apps can consume web content. Display cute pictures with clock's that keep time on smartphones and tablets. Nothing more, nothing less. This is how they live and die. No matter the price point. No matter how fast the processor. Its a widget, not an operating system.

Don't get me wrong, I have come to respect android and IOS and Windows Phone for that matter. I own the OnePlus 3t, an Iphone 6 and a 1520. On a phone, these things do what they do quite nicely. But on my desktop, it needs to be the manly beast that I am. It has to be able to run Cities:Skylines. Photoshop, Dreamweaver, AIMP, Edge, a Virtual Desktop and whatever else I need/want to run. That is an OS. Microsoft Windows is an OS. Mac OSX is an OS. RedHat is an OS, Android is that girl you dated once who now has a mad crush on you. That chick that says, "I'll meet you there" when you and your buds head to the beach to scout new recruits.

And every man knows you don't take sand to the beach.

 

[Gary Bob]

Yeah but...

If you haven't visited Android Central in a while, they published an article that Android is the most-used OS in the world, taking into account desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile.

Android surpasses Windows as the world's most popular OS

What do you guys think? Should we be concerned about this? Should we separate each form factor for a clearer picture? Is this nothing of interest?

Yeah but the article said android was the most numerous os to connect to the internet, not the most used os in general. Big difference

 

[abhiFT]

Ha! It's completely different. How many laptops or PCs does a family own? A family with four members might own two computers, but they all will have a personal mobile. It's no surprise. Mobiles are cheaper and easily replaced. Microsoft had the opportunity to catapult themselves way ahead of android, but they failed. But who cares? I will forever use windows. Way better than Android and Mac. Huh!

 

[M_A_Adams]

If you haven't visited Android Central in a while, they published an article that Android is the most-used OS in the world, taking into account desktop, laptop, tablet, and mobile.

Android surpasses Windows as the world's most popular OS

What do you guys think? Should we be concerned about this? Should we separate each form factor for a clearer picture? Is this nothing of interest?

I have a feeling when I talk to droid users, that 'most popular' is really misleading. Most of them are far from enamored with Android -- but they like the size and variety of available apps. Not to mention the fact that depending on the age of your device, your OS may or may not be upgraded. The past generations of devices that are upgradeable are for fewer than Windows or IOS....

 

[mjperry51]

Ha! It's completely different. How many laptops or PCs does a family own? A family with four members might own two computers, but they all will have a personal mobile. It's no surprise. Mobiles are cheaper and easily replaced. Microsoft had the opportunity to catapult themselves way ahead of android, but they failed. But who cares? I will forever use windows. Way better than Android and Mac. Huh!

Beg to differ.

We run our branding design business from home, so we're probably not "typical". I personally have 3 PCs -- one W10 desktop, one W7/Linux dualboot, and a W7 laptop. My wife has two Macs - IMac desktop and MacBook Pro. My daughter uses a Surface Pro 4 for school. There are two IPhones and 1 Windows Phone.

As to usefulness, NONE of the phones will replace the desktops/tablet WRT functionality. There's no way I'll do video editing/Web Development on a phone; There's now way Michelle will design package labels or product brochures on a phone, and there's no way Jordan will do her homework on a phone.

Right tool for the job.

ETA: The general rule for selecting hardware/OS to do determine which applications you nee to do the job, then select the best system to run them on.

 

[nasznjoka]

I actually never gave this much thought about android even being an operating system at all. I know that probably sounds weird but I just don't think about any phone running tiny apps that way.

An OS in my mind runs on the desktop. Period. That's where it has always been for me. Mac has a desktop OS. Linux has flavors galore of them. But when it gets down to running on a phone, that isn't what I consider a true OS, in the strictest sense to be.
I've always looked at small devices something more of a hybrid something in the vein of a widget.

To illustrate, its made from MEAT but I would never call a hamburger a STEAK. It once swam in the ocean but I would never consider a Filet-O-Fish a Walnut Ginger Salmon even though they are both fish. To me, calling Android an OS in the tradition of established Operating Systems that run really muscular, enterprise ready applications, is akin to being forced to take your kid brother with you on a date. Android, as nice as it is, could never something that rises to the level of an Operating System. it as being a platform for which tiny apps can consume web content. Display cute pictures with clock's that keep time on smartphones and tablets. Nothing more, nothing less. This is how they live and die. No matter the price point. No matter how fast the processor. Its a widget, not an operating system.

Don't get me wrong, I have come to respect android and IOS and Windows Phone for that matter. I own the OnePlus 3t, an Iphone 6 and a 1520. On a phone, these things do what they do quite nicely. But on my desktop, it needs to be the manly beast that I am. It has to be able to run Cities:Skylines. Photoshop, Dreamweaver, AIMP, Edge, a Virtual Desktop and whatever else I need/want to run. That is an OS. Microsoft Windows is an OS. Mac OSX is an OS. RedHat is an OS, Android is that girl you dated once who now has a mad crush on you. That chick that says, "I'll meet you there" when you and your buds head to the beach to scout new recruits.

And every man knows you don't take sand to the beach.

That's just you and your ignorance or hatred... Can you check the definition of an IS please?

 

[naddy69]

You have a very bizarre definition of "Operating System". Android IS an Operating System. The fact that it is now more popular than Windows should scare the hell out of Microsoft.

 

[Hoppman]

What do you guys think? Should we be concerned about this? Should we separate each form factor for a clearer picture? Is this nothing of interest?

Only for people like Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, your basic Linux android ****** Microsoft hater. They probably still think that a PHONE OS is equivalent to a full functioning computer OS and the reality is that they aren't even close. It may let them keep thinking it is the year of Linux on the desktop though, that seems to be their ultimate wet dream.

 

[Hoppman]

PHONE operating system, and an insecure one at that.

 

[matt john2]

Only for people like Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols, your basic Linux android ****** Microsoft hater. They probably still think that a PHONE OS is equivalent to a full functioning computer OS and the reality is that they aren't even close. It may let them keep thinking it is the year of Linux on the desktop though, that seems to be their ultimate wet dream.

Actually a Mobile OS is all what most people need hence why things like Chromebook and Chrome OS exist.

Microsoft angered a lot of Windows 10 users with their telemetry data mining that it only make sense Linux is gaining traction and people are now considering Linux.

 

[anon(50597)]

Actually a Mobile OS is all what most people need hence why things like Chromebook and Chrome OS exist.

Microsoft angered a lot of Windows 10 users with their telemetry data mining that it only make sense Linux is gaining traction and people are now considering Linux.

A mobile OS for using Facebook, etc., sure. MS is focused on a different demographic.

Sent from mTalk on my SP4

 

[fatclue_98]

That's just you and your ignorance or hatred... Can you check the definition of an IS please?

Then count me in as an ignant hater too. As for the definition, that's a broad brush stroke. A Pebble watch has an operating system - by definition. A smart toaster or fridge has one as well but you're not going to edit video or set X-Refs on a CAD file with either.

Sent from Alcatel Idol 4S with Windows via mTalk

 

[nasznjoka]

Then count me in as an ignant hater too. As for the definition, that's a broad brush stroke. A Pebble watch has an operating system - by definition. A smart toaster or fridge has one as well but you're not going to edit video or set X-Refs on a CAD file with either.

Sent from Alcatel Idol 4S with Windows via mTalk

This is what I don't get.. Is every person on earth using cad or edits videos??? Cause this is the most defensive arguments most guys over here use... I'm a developer and have never used one of those...

 

[fatclue_98]

This is what I don't get.. Is every person on earth using cad or edits videos??? Cause this is the most defensive arguments most guys over here use... I'm a developer and have never used one of those...

Just because you don't doesn't mean squat. Why would a developer ever have to use CAD? Anybody involved in any industry that relies, or participates in, any kind of design or manufacturing will have to work with .dwg files at some point. Even a CNC machine operator has to get in on it. Us "guys over here" are on this platform because "we guys" have jobs that rely on advanced tech and don't have time to fiddle around with Snapchat. We may on our spare time but when it's time to bring home the bacon, we use tech to make our jobs easier. That's how we "guys over here" roll.

 

[Jazmac]

That's just you and your ignorance or hatred... Can you check the definition of an IS please?

That actually angered you? But do you have words to defend it or did you simply roll your eyes?

 

[editguy]

This is what I don't get.. Is every person on earth using cad or edits videos??? Cause this is the most defensive arguments most guys over here use... I'm a developer and have never used one of those...

Those (CAD and video editing, which I do) are just a couple of uses. Here are a few more (not a comprehensive list by any means):

transportation
manufacturing
retail
law enforcement
food distribution
energy
field services
mining
construction
agriculture
medical

Could any of these transition to Android? Some, perhaps. Many probably not. But Industry and Enterprise need compelling reasons (of which financial is at the top of the list) to transition to a new system. The costs for new systems and retraining can be staggering. Currently, there are no compelling reasons for any of these to move to Android. Just because in your world you haven't used any of these, doesn't mean your needs represent the rest of the world.

 

[nasznjoka]

Those (CAD and video editing, which I do) are just a couple of uses. Here are a few more (not a comprehensive list by any means):

transportation
manufacturing
retail
law enforcement
food distribution
energy
field services
mining
construction
agriculture
medical

Could any of these transition to Android? Some, perhaps. Many probably not. But Industry and Enterprise need compelling reasons (of which financial is at the top of the list) to transition to a new system. The costs for new systems and retraining can be staggering. Currently, there are no compelling reasons for any of these to move to Android. Just because in your world you haven't used any of these, doesn't mean your needs represent the rest of the world.

Agree for now.. But the game evolves and yes I know I can not code in my phone comfortably for now but IDEs are there ... But android and iOS are definitely OS do you know anbox???