Imagine, for a moment, a world without Microsoft Windows.
Yeah, I know, Mac fanboys have been dreaming of that since the mid-1990s. But based on some chatter coming out of Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference this week, it could happen, but Apple wouldn’t necessarily be the cause.
Well, not directly, anyway.
Writing at the This Is My Next blog, Nilay Patel quotes Microsoft mobile chief Andrew Lees as declaring that, soon, there will be “a single ecosystem” for various devices running Microsoft’s software – phones, computers, tablets, TVs.
…“You can have full PC compute power available in whatever form factor you like,” said Lees, noting that the Windows on ARM demo motherboards were smaller than mobile phones. “We won’t have an ecosystem for PCs, and one for phones, and one for tablets — they’ll all come together.” Lees went on to say that Microsoft wants to provide “coherence and consistency” across different devices, “particularly with Xbox,” and that the goal isn’t just to share UI, but also core technologies like Internet Explorer.
Usually, when a Microsoftie uses the word “ecosystem”, he or she is referring to a whole universe of devices that work together thanks to the company’s software. It doesn’t necessarily mean that all those devices are running the same software.
But Patel says he’s heard from sources who indicate that Microsoft is starting to think exactly that, creating a unified software platform that would run everything from PCs to smartphones to the next version of the Xbox.
Even more interesting, he’s heard that it may not be known as Windows in the not-too-distant future.
Our sources also tell us that Microsoft is seriously considering ditching the “Windows” brand name in favor of something new when all this goes down. The idea is to rebrand this new super-OS with something that better fits with Redmond’s vision of the future. Obviously that could well change over the next few years as this plan takes shape — Steve Ballmer in particular has always been quite enamored with the Windows brand — but dropping the name is apparently at least on the table, and that’s a big step.
Now, this wouldn’t happen tomorrow, and it likely wouldn’t happen with the next version of Microsoft’s flagship operating, now presumably known as Windows 8. But as Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet points out, the fact that Microsoft has now ported Windows to ARM chips – the processors that power many smartphones – means it would be possible to make a true version of Windows for smartphones. That would be something very different than the old Windows CE or Windows Mobile, which were completely different programs that had a quasi version of the Windows interface grafted onto them. The Windows paradigm of Start buttons and cascading menus didn’t really work well on a small phone screen, but Microsoft has thrown out that whole approach with the Metro UI powering Windows Phone 7. Design is now moving the other way, with a phone-inspired interface being grafted onto a desktop OS.
Whether that works out remains to be seen. But the point is this: by thinking this way, Microsoft may finally have hit upon a way to do what it has always wanted to do – run Windows, literally, everywhere.
Foley, though, raises some good points how applications would work in this scenario.
The biggest question mark in this “one big Windows world” scenario is on the apps front. Even if Microsoft can’t/won’t have the same Windows operating system on phones, PCs and TVs, does that mean the same apps can’t run across all of these devices? In other words, would the Angry Birds game on Windows Phone automatically work on a Windows 8 tablet and on your Xbox? The “write once, run anywhere” goal — is it possible when the underlying operating systems are different — even though their user interfaces look very much alike?
Some developers with whom I’ve spoken think the differences between the platforms are relatively trivial, since Windows Embedded Compact is a subset of Windows. At one point, Microsoft was talking about plans to make its Silverlight browser plug-in available everywhere — on phones, PCs, set-top boxes and Xbox. (The Silverlight on Mediaroom and Silverlight on set-top plans — codenamed Taos and Santa Fe –may or may not still be alive). But in recent months, that talk has waned.
Other developers think that new apps that are written in HTML5/JavaScript will be able to run on any Microsoft platform that has an HTML5 browser built in, and that HTML5/JavaScript will enable Microsoft, its partners and its customers to gloss over underlying Windows-level differences.
Does this still sound technically challenging? At least one company is already doing it: Apple. Keep in mind that iOS – which runs on iPads, iPhone and iPod Touches – is a derivative of Mac OS X.
Whether Microsoft drops the Windows name is somewhat irrelevant to the technology itself – it’s just marketing, after all. But Windows is a strong brand with plenty of attachment from users, and Microsoft wouldn’t toss it away lightly. But it’s interesting that factions within the company are apparently debating it.
What do you think? Does a Windows by any other name still appeal to you?
Once again, Microsoft attempts to copy Apple. That’s no surprise.
As the article points out, iOS is based on the OS X kernel. I believe OS X has a compact kernel whereas Windows is based on the old Windows NT kernel that’s anything but compact. This will make it more difficult.
The idea of running anything anywhere sounds good until you consider cases. Apps like Microsoft Excel and Adobe Photoshop are not going to play well on a small screen device like Windows Phone. Ditto for typing intensive applications like MS Word. Touch screen apps don’t play well on non-touchscreen devices like your desktop computer. A GPS navigation app is worthless on a stationary desktop computer.
You have to wonder what Micosoft’s real intention is with this strategy. Is it to push technology forward or is it an attempt to lock in their current users by making it appear that their current investment in Windows software will migrate over to any other device in the Microsoft ecosystem?
Really? I thought Apple copied Microsoft and their OS for mobile devices, Windows Mobile from 2000. Remember Windows CE? That was what, 1996?
@ Bill in Houston – Smart phones were really crappy back. A realtime OS like Windows CE wasn’t up to the task. Apple took a look and said, “We can do better than this!” Hence the iPhone was born along with a horde of iPhone copy cats like Microsoft, Google, Palm/HP, RIM/Blackberry, Motorola, HTC, Samsung, etc.
@davesmall — by that reasoning, people took a look at the crappy iPhone and said “We can do better than this!” and Android was born.
Dave, we get it. You love Apple.
@ No Whining and Bill in Houston
No. Android said, “We can copy that.” Microsoft said, “We can copy that.”
What’s not to love about Apple. They’re the leader in the technology space and the other companies are attempting to follow and copy.
@ No Whining – Here’s where the rubber meets the road.
Apple’s stock closed at an all time high today of $364.92.
Microsoft stock closed at $26.78 today. That’s down considerably from the high of $58.37 that it hit briefly in 1999, just the year before Steve Ballmer took over as CEO.
For comparison, Apple’s stock was selling at about $20 per share in 1999.
@davesmall: I have no animosity against Apple. I’m glad Apple is enjoying its success. I do have a problem with fanboys saying anything to hype Apple or disparage its competitors; especially things that are obviously not true and fabricated. In the context of your investments — if Apple or an analyst said the same thing to investors, the SEC would be asking questions. There are plenty of good things to say about Apple without making things up. It’s ok to be a fanboy — but you cross the line. So cut the @#$%!#.
Prepare for the post from AlwaysWhining pointing out where he can buy 13.62 shares of MS stock for every ONE share of that lousy rotten fruit stock and when HIS stock selection rockets into orbit with the release of Win8, Phone8, and FlyingCar8 he’ll be Gates rich enough to spend the least amount of money on anything he chooses. WikiPedia is holding a page open for him for being the only person (excluding brokers) ever to get rich off making poor stock choices.
@e2w: …really?
@davesmall
” They’re the leader in the technology space and the other companies are attempting to follow and copy.”
Dave, even you have to admit that iOS 5 appears to be copying from competitors pretty heavily, iMessage and Notification Center being egregious examples.
No OSX is based on a Monolithic Kernel who’s roots date back to the 1970′s…
No, OSX is based on a Monolithic Kernel who’s roots date back to the 1970′s.
Changing the name is not needed, Windows 7 has sold 300 million copies I don’t think microsoft needs to change its namew I like the name windows very elegant name.
Great! Now virus writers will only have to write one version of their malware for everything.
Yeah. I thought about venturing some names for the universal OS in comments to the 7.14.2011 linkpost. One OS to rule them all. Fanboys are besides themselves. MS OS dominates PCs. In a couple of years, MS **newname** will dominate everything else. Maybe they’ll name it ‘Orange’.
Software developers are horrified that Microsoft is pushing them to code future Windows8 apps in HTML5 and Javascript ONLY!
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2011/06/html5-centric-windows-8-leaves-microsoft-developers-horrified.ars
I have a name idea for the new Microsoft universal OS:
“Jabba the OS”
No matter how much lipstick, rouge, eye shadow, mascara, weaves or push up bra you put on it, it still wouldn’t be a pig worth kissing. However, loose the weight and ditch the vintage steamer-trunk baggage for pocket sized overnight case simplicity and you’d have something worth sitting on the beach along side of even if her name was George.
Won’t happen. Microsoft will try its hardest, though. This is just a rehashing of some of their predictions from a number of years ago. Other machines and chip makers have too many special uses for everything to be run on a single platform. Can you smell monopoly?
I think it is different this time Dr. Dave. Mobile devices have achieved a critical capability in processor / display performance necessary for using the internet and will double in capability in the next 2 years. The market is crying for a uniform OS similar to the plethoria of OSs common to the early days of the PC. Despite some attempts by Sun (Java) & Google, I do not see anyone displacing MS as the dominant PC OS. MS, on the other hand, has an excellent opportunity to develop a universal OS across all devices.
Not surprising, since Office Communicator has basically taken over the function of the desk phones in my office. The hard sell will be the corporate accounts who will fear employees watching television, playing games and googling everything but company business on company computers. Oh, wait, that’s already happening! The real issue will be whether the platforms can be modularized in such a way that the features that companies don’t want you to have can be blocked, turned off or monitored for abuse of privileges.
Passing on a suggestion I read elsewhere for a possible reimagining/rebranding of Windows — Metro. If the point of an all encompassing OS is to unify the UI across multiple devices then it makes sense to focus the branding on that UI experience and less on the specific tasks accomplished by the devices themselves. The Metro UI on Windows Phone is very well done. A real first for Microsoft.
Such an OS already exist. Its call Linux. It comes under a variety of names including Mac OS X, which is based on the BSD branch.
I agree completely, however, Linux is a rational choice. We’re talking about Microsoft, the creators of Clippy and Bob, among so many other stellar innovations. If they were to adopt a *nix platform, they’d probably resurrect Xenix and go from there.
I think you mean Unix, not Linux.
Mac OS X is derived from BSD, which is a form of Unix. Linux is considered a Unix clone.
He inadvertently meant the new OS to be named Linus but only if they leave that security blanket labeled Legacy behind once & for all.
As I said when this was first linked, this is a phenomenal opportunity if done correctly. To do it right, MS will have to rewrite the OS from scratch – no backwards compatibility, only looking forward. We just might be there with the increase in power of processors.
Competition is good!
if this happns i will unplug my internet for good because hackers will have a fleid day for every
Appears hackers got to you mid sentence. Here starteth a conspiracy!
This article makes alot of assumptions, IOS 4 and Mac OSX are related under the skin but no this isn’t the same thing. What Microsoft reveals i’n September will paint a Much clearer picture.
Microsoft universal OS maybe call “XWindows 360″