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Microsoft Is Embracing Android As the Mobile Version of Windows (theverge.com)
Microsoft unveiled a bunch of new hardware during a press event last night, but one of the most interesting announcements the company made was their new "Your Phone" app for Windows 10. Basically, the feature will let Android users mirror any app on their device to a Windows 10 desktop. The Verge's Tom Warren writes about how Microsoft is embracing Android as the mobile version of Windows: We've seen a variety of ways of bringing Android apps to Windows in recent years, including Bluestacks and even Dell's Mobile Connect software. This app mirroring is certainly easier to do with Android, as it's less restricted than iOS. Still, Microsoft's welcoming embrace of Android in Windows 10 with this app mirroring is just the latest in a number of steps the company has taken recently to really help align Android as the mobile equivalent of Windows.
Microsoft Launcher is designed to replace the default Google experience on Android phones, and bring Microsoft's own services and Office connectivity to the home screen. It's a popular launcher that Microsoft keeps updating, and it's even getting support for the Windows 10 Timeline feature that lets you resume apps and sites across devices. All of this just reminds me of Windows Phone. It's only been three years since Microsoft launched its Lumia 950 Windows 10 Mobile device at a packed holiday hardware event. Windows Phone has vanished in the last couple of years, and Microsoft finally admitted Windows Phone was dead nearly a year ago. The software maker has now embraced the reality that people don't need Windows on a phone. Instead, it's embracing Android as the mobile version of Windows.
Microsoft Launcher is designed to replace the default Google experience on Android phones, and bring Microsoft's own services and Office connectivity to the home screen. It's a popular launcher that Microsoft keeps updating, and it's even getting support for the Windows 10 Timeline feature that lets you resume apps and sites across devices. All of this just reminds me of Windows Phone. It's only been three years since Microsoft launched its Lumia 950 Windows 10 Mobile device at a packed holiday hardware event. Windows Phone has vanished in the last couple of years, and Microsoft finally admitted Windows Phone was dead nearly a year ago. The software maker has now embraced the reality that people don't need Windows on a phone. Instead, it's embracing Android as the mobile version of Windows.
The real competition for android is AOSP.
Last time I saw the numbers* for Mobile OS market share:
Android total: 81%
- Google's Android: 55%
- AOSP Android: 27%
- iOS Total: 18%
- Other: 1%
% do not add up due to rounding errors
So, phase 1, embrace Google's Android, while mantaining compatibility with AOSP.
Phase 2: Extend AOSP, giving it functional equivalents to the functions Google keeps behind the Google Play Services, that have either no equivalents in AOSP, or Delerict APIs
Phase 3: I hope they do not extinguish Google's Android, but at least lessen Alphabet's grip on the mobile market. This monoculture is as bad (or worse) for us than the Windows desktop and browser monopoly was in the 90's and 00's.
* Numbers come from here:
http://communities-dominate.bl...
Sorry for not posting the full link, /. threw a filter error
I do not agree with all that Tomi wites, and I do not like his writting style, but I give it to him, he has the best publicly available numbers, and I thank him for give them away for free.
*** Suerte a todos y Feliz dia!