Good question. Basically it all boils down to business sense. Business is basically buying and selling. Just buying or selling won’t ensure that your business remains afloat. You have to keep on innovating, inventing and investing in the business to stay on top. Right.
The same economics were applied here. To be more elaborate, Apple had a very minuscule market for desktop and server OS compared to Microsoft. This ensured Apple did something out of the box to survive in the already bloody PC market. This prompted Apple to come up with iPod and iTunes. Initially Apple sold very few songs from th
Good question. Basically it all boils down to business sense. Business is basically buying and selling. Just buying or selling won’t ensure that your business remains afloat. You have to keep on innovating, inventing and investing in the business to stay on top. Right.
The same economics were applied here. To be more elaborate, Apple had a very minuscule market for desktop and server OS compared to Microsoft. This ensured Apple did something out of the box to survive in the already bloody PC market. This prompted Apple to come up with iPod and iTunes. Initially Apple sold very few songs from the iTunes, but slowly it gave way to a new business model for Apple. Using this as a platform Apple designed the iOS around it. Now Apple makes money from both the medium i.e: both from selling iPods and from selling music over iTunes. This gave Apple a shot in the arm to negotiate hard with the music industry, which was already reeling from poor sales of CDs and DVDs as well as battling piracy. This lucrative offer was really hard to miss for them and hence they too jumped the bandwagon. Since it was Apple that was going to sell hence it would be DRM (Digital Rights Management Licensed). This was a win-win situation for both Apple and Music Industry.
The same metrics when applied to iPhone and iPad too netted Apple a very large share. In fact many developers swear by iOS since the rate of return from the OS is high compared with Android for them. Apart from that Apple locks it device which means you have no ways to install an app that has been tampered with on any Apple devices, this ensures safety for the consumer and Apple ensures only legitimate apps are used on its platform boosting sales.
Now coming to Android, Google too followed the same business model. But Google does not make money from Android since it licenses it under Open Source model. But Google’s share of revenues are generated from the Ads it places in the apps and store. This makes Google to net more revenue both from the sale of App through Store and Ads.
Microsoft was pretty late to the party. In fact by the time Microsoft came to scene the market was already dominated by both iOS and Android. Moreover developers were not enthused in developing apps for Windows. Apart from that many software developers were switching to Software as a service model. This model requires that the developers keep on updating and adding new features to the software and ensure cloud service and back up for the same. Hence they found developing for a new OS tedious. Hence Microsoft missed the bus. This in fact was claimed by none other than Co-Founder Bill Gates who said that Microsoft had indeed missed an opportunity. Well as they say an Opportunity never knocks twice. May be it became true this time.
So lets make it Simple:
I am an Airtel user,
you are a Vodafone user,
She is an Aircel user,
He is a BSNL user
We are connected.
Did I make it Complex?
Lets take another Example:
Rohan does not like Apples.
Rohan lives in cityX.
CityX has a great demand of apples.
An Idea Struck Rohan.
Rohan started Importing apples from cityM(Apples are in abundance here) to cityX.
Rohan got well in this and made a
So lets make it Simple:
I am an Airtel user,
you are a Vodafone user,
She is an Aircel user,
He is a BSNL user
We are connected.
Did I make it Complex?
Lets take another Example:
Rohan does not like Apples.
Rohan lives in cityX.
CityX has a great demand of apples.
An Idea Struck Rohan.
Rohan started Importing apples from cityM(Apples are in abundance here) to cityX.
Rohan got well in this and made an established business.
Rohan got richer but
Rohan Still does not like apples.
Now rel...
I don’t use Visual Studio, I would never put it so crassly. It deserves way more respect than that.
I would marry Visual Studio if I could.
I would give it babies if I could.
With it I have been productive beyond my most fevered imagination writing C code in vi.
Here's what I know: iOS apps on Macs are mostly fine, but Xcode's not as smooth as Visual Studio. Let me break this down like I’m just figuring it out over coffee. So first, Apple’s “Universal Purchase” lets you run iOS apps on Macs, right? But they’re not *native* apps—they’re kind of stretched versions.
Like, imagine wearing a shirt meant for a smaller person; it works but feels a bit off. Apps like Affinity Photo or Keynote adapt okay, but others, like Final Cut Pro’s iPad sibling, just don’t feel as polished. You can’t resize windows freely or use all the Mac’s features like you’d expect. I
Here's what I know: iOS apps on Macs are mostly fine, but Xcode's not as smooth as Visual Studio. Let me break this down like I’m just figuring it out over coffee. So first, Apple’s “Universal Purchase” lets you run iOS apps on Macs, right? But they’re not *native* apps—they’re kind of stretched versions.
Like, imagine wearing a shirt meant for a smaller person; it works but feels a bit off. Apps like Affinity Photo or Keynote adapt okay, but others, like Final Cut Pro’s iPad sibling, just don’t feel as polished. You can’t resize windows freely or use all the Mac’s features like you’d expect. It’s like they’re trapped in an iPhone skin.
Apple’s Catalyst framework helps, but it’s still a halfway point between mobile and desktop. this helps show - Now, Xcode vs Visual Studio.
On the other hand... this shows why - Xcode is Apple’s dev tool for iOS, macOS, and watchOS. It’s super integrated with their ecosystem—like having a Swiss Army knife that only works with Swiss screws. Visual Studio (and its free sibling VS Code) is more like a universal toolkit.
Adding to that... let's understand - VS Code’s light, fast, and has plugins for everything from Python to web dev. I’ve used both, and while Xcode’s debugging tools for iOS are top-notch, it’s a memory hog. I’ve seen it crash mid-build on projects with lots of assets—it’s like trying to run a marathon while carrying a sofa. Visual Studio? It’s leaner, and Microsoft’s cloud integration (GitHub, Azure) makes teamwork smoother.
Consider this aspect... But wait, why’s Xcode clunky? Well, Apple’s ecosystem is closed, so they control every part. That makes things tightly knit but less flexible.
Microsoft’s open approach lets devs tweak VS Code endlessly with extensions. Oh, and the learning curve? Xcode’s interface is… dense.
Similarly... I **remember** a friend swearing at its obscure shortcuts, while VS Code’s simplicity felt like a breath of fresh air. Misconception: People think Xcode is “better” because it’s Apple’s tool. Nah—it’s specialized.
On the other hand... this helps show - If you’re deep in Apple dev, you *need* it, but for cross-platform stuff? VS Code wins. consider this - Another thing: Xcode’s free, but you need a paid Apple Developer account to publish apps.
This relates to... That’s a barrier for indie devs. Recent stuff? Apple’s Xcode Cloud (2022) promises CI/CD, but adoption’s slow. Meanwhile, VS Code’s open-source community keeps adding features. Oh, and Xcode’s 10+ GB download? Ugh.
Looking further... looking at this - So, the takeaway: iOS apps on Macs work, but aren’t revolutionary. Xcode’s *essential* for Apple dev but clunkier than VS Code.
This also shows... Microsoft’s tools are more adaptable, but Xcode has the inside track for Apple-specific stuff. I’ve dug deeper into this in my profile's biography, including how Catalyst works under the hood and why some devs swear by Xcode despite its flaws.
Consider this aspect... Let me know what you think!.
Microsoft had it's shot… or more than one shot, really. They tried several Windows branded mobile operating systems, the latest being Windows Phone.
Windows Phone was/is actually not too bad, but it was late to market. By then iOS and Android had too much market share, which meant app developers neglected the newcomer.
The older versions, like Windows Mobile, were frankly quite awful. I remember actually using it on an early smartphone as a developer and wondering how anyone could put up with it. Well, apparently people just didn't.
Going Android was really the only option at this stage if Micros
Microsoft had it's shot… or more than one shot, really. They tried several Windows branded mobile operating systems, the latest being Windows Phone.
Windows Phone was/is actually not too bad, but it was late to market. By then iOS and Android had too much market share, which meant app developers neglected the newcomer.
The older versions, like Windows Mobile, were frankly quite awful. I remember actually using it on an early smartphone as a developer and wondering how anyone could put up with it. Well, apparently people just didn't.
Going Android was really the only option at this stage if Microsoft wanted to do mobile hardware at all.
Do you want to make money? Then write for iOS. (while Android is more popular, there are fewer people who buy apps)
Do you want to just play around? Then write for the device in your pocket, whatever it is.
What language(s) do you know? Do you want to make apps or games?
For games:
Try one of the game tools like Unity, GameMaker, etc. They have point and click interfaces that require you to know only a little bit of code. Unity uses a flavor of C# or their in-house language (can't remember what). I don't know what the others use. In any case, these area all platform agnostic! You can
Do you want to make money? Then write for iOS. (while Android is more popular, there are fewer people who buy apps)
Do you want to just play around? Then write for the device in your pocket, whatever it is.
What language(s) do you know? Do you want to make apps or games?
For games:
Try one of the game tools like Unity, GameMaker, etc. They have point and click interfaces that require you to know only a little bit of code. Unity uses a flavor of C# or their in-house language (can't remember what). I don't know what the others use. In any case, these area all platform agnostic! You can write one game for all platforms!
For apps:
Do you know C#? They go directly to Xamarin. If you use Xamarin Forms, you'll be able to write apps once for all the platforms using their own UI. If you use plain Xamarin, you can write the app logic in C#, but will have to write the UI part for each platform you want to support.
Do you know JavaScript/HTML5? Install Visual Studio Community, then install the Cordova plugins and write your app in HTML5. Platform agnostic again!
Java? Android.
I would assume that if you know Objective-C, you'd already be developing for iOS.
Myself: I write Windows/WP apps for fun. Sometimes I think that I'd like to turn one of my ideas into something more serious, so I try to write in JavaScript/HTML5 using Cordova. But, mostly I stick to C# because it's easy for me.
When you say Microsoft has so many development tools, I had to Google search to confirm if I'm living in the past(pun intended). Microsoft has just one IDE which is Visual Studio.
Also, as Google and Apple Microsoft have different programming languages.
Microsoft - Visual Studio - C#, C++, VB, …(for Windows Phone apps Development)
Google - Android Studio - Java, Kotlin (for Android apps development)
Apple - Xcode - Swift, Objective C (for IOS apps development)
So, in my opinion, Microsoft is as focused as Google and Apple regarding programming tools and programming languages.
Because new management now acknowledges (in my opinion, rightfully and very belatedly so) they no longer have a real shot at dominating mobile computing as they have done the desktop.
In the past, the strategy behind limiting the availability of Office to "owned" platforms like Windows and Windows Phone was to provide a level of competitive advantage that could tilt Windows into dominance for mobil
Because new management now acknowledges (in my opinion, rightfully and very belatedly so) they no longer have a real shot at dominating mobile computing as they have done the desktop.
In the past, the strategy behind limiting the availability of Office to "owned" platforms like Windows and Windows Phone was to provide a level of competitive advantage that could tilt Windows into dominance for mobile devices.
Since dominance for Windows on mobile devices now looks incredibly unlikely, making Office available to iOS and Android for free makes for a pragmatic choice as the next best approa...
In what delusional world would Microsoft ever ‘give up’ on Windows? Windows is a remarkable piece of software engineering. Is it perfect? No. Can it be improved? Absolutely, and it constantly is. What is the average hater’s big problem with Windows? Is it that Microsoft is fabulously successful? Perhaps people object to that success and think it was somehow obtained immorally. Some don’t like Microsoft proprietary protocols and APIs, but they’re better than the mish mash of nonsense we’d have if they didn’t exist. People don’t like the so called Microsoft ‘tax’ but who really cares? Wanna use
In what delusional world would Microsoft ever ‘give up’ on Windows? Windows is a remarkable piece of software engineering. Is it perfect? No. Can it be improved? Absolutely, and it constantly is. What is the average hater’s big problem with Windows? Is it that Microsoft is fabulously successful? Perhaps people object to that success and think it was somehow obtained immorally. Some don’t like Microsoft proprietary protocols and APIs, but they’re better than the mish mash of nonsense we’d have if they didn’t exist. People don’t like the so called Microsoft ‘tax’ but who really cares? Wanna use Apple’s macOS? Great, but you MUST buy their hardware. Talk about a tax… Wanna use Linux? Knock yourself out and hope you have or can find all working drivers. (Yeah, yeah, I know Linux driver support is much better these days. The irony is where Linux used to be the champion of older hardware, these days it’s much more comfortable on Modern systems.) Face it. For general mainstream computing needs even on basic hardware Windows is superb and it keeps getting better.
Likely never. It would mean that Microsoft doesn’t believe in its entire strategy, and that’s a no-no. Adopting Android is also not necessary - you can already customize your Android devices with Microsoft launchers, widgets, and apps.
Windows is not in a good place right now, but that’s all investor and analyst speak. Journalists left and right use every opportunity to write a bitter editorial with broad brushes and sensationalism. A tiny few actually do some research, and then the doubts start to form in their minds.
It’s not easy to predict what will happen. Microsoft is being deliberately va
Likely never. It would mean that Microsoft doesn’t believe in its entire strategy, and that’s a no-no. Adopting Android is also not necessary - you can already customize your Android devices with Microsoft launchers, widgets, and apps.
Windows is not in a good place right now, but that’s all investor and analyst speak. Journalists left and right use every opportunity to write a bitter editorial with broad brushes and sensationalism. A tiny few actually do some research, and then the doubts start to form in their minds.
It’s not easy to predict what will happen. Microsoft is being deliberately vague about the future of Windows 10 Mobile, and no one knows for sure why. It could be that they are giving up and don’t want investors to take notice, or it may as well be that they have something that they’ll surprise us with.
These days, there’s more innovation coming from Google and Microsoft than Apple anyway (even Amazon is more innovative), so my guess is that Windows 10 Mobile will power a new form factor. It’s also worth noting that Microsoft is more keen on seeing iOS apps being ported to Windows, than it is about slapping an emulation layer for Android ones.
Consumers are quick to forget, especially in the world of tech products, so Microsoft going quiet about anything smartphone is actually smart IMO. In order to get rid of bad perception, you need to sweep the old brand under the rug, which is to say that whatever comes out of Microsoft’s labs will not bear the name of Lumia - if it ever comes out that is.
If you think everything is peachy in the iOS and Android lands, think again. A few key players take most of the revenue from the app stores, and discoverability is now awful. It’s also very clear that Apple refuses to blend Mac OS X with iOS, and Google is really stumbling in its attempt to make Android apps run on Chrome OS.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is the only company to achieve OS core, app model, app delivery, and update model convergence. They also make some of the best development tools, and are looking to make it easier for you to find work that satisfies you (LinkedIn) and connect with people with the same interests. And they don’t lock you into their ecosystem except for DirectX-powered gaming. Their smartphone ambitions may never reach glorious heights, but I think Windows on phone-like hardware will still be a thing for as long as Android and iOS will.
Let me answer your question with similar questions: Do you think Ford is working on a car that looks and feels like a Chevy? Do you think John Deere is working on a tractor that looks like feels like a Kubota? Do you think Calvin Klein is working on a jacket that looks and feels like a Nautica?
No, there is no upside to Microsoft to work on something that looks and feels like someone else’s intellectual property. That would be a bad idea from a legal perspective, as they would undoubtedly get sued.
What would it take for Google’s Android OS to overtake Microsoft’s Windows OS or Apple’s iOS as the dominant computing platform?
I’m not sure how to comment on the assumption that Apple iOS is a “dominant” platform, so I will simply note that Android already dominates iOS on mobile devices - by a wide margin.
- Chart above is a screenshot from netmarketshare.com
That said, the question is sort of weird. When we start talking about Windows, we’re looking at Desktop/Laptop, not Mobile. Windows is almost nonexistent on mobile, (see above), and Android is not a Desktop OS. They don’t compare or compete
What would it take for Google’s Android OS to overtake Microsoft’s Windows OS or Apple’s iOS as the dominant computing platform?
I’m not sure how to comment on the assumption that Apple iOS is a “dominant” platform, so I will simply note that Android already dominates iOS on mobile devices - by a wide margin.
- Chart above is a screenshot from netmarketshare.com
That said, the question is sort of weird. When we start talking about Windows, we’re looking at Desktop/Laptop, not Mobile. Windows is almost nonexistent on mobile, (see above), and Android is not a Desktop OS. They don’t compare or compete. One cannot overtake or “dominate” the other, they aren’t even on the same racetrack!
For something with a real chance of of taking a serious bite out of Windows, I’d invite you to consider an astoundingly powerful Desktop OS. You’ve heard of it, you probably just don’t take it seriously.
No, I’m not talking about any flavor of Linux, frankly none of them have a prayer of competing against Windows - sorry *nix people. And no, not MacOS either, sorry Apple People. So what is this amazing OS?
Yes, I’m talking about Chromebooks! You know, that cheapie little laptop your kids use at school? Chrome OS now allows you to natively use Android apps - and Linux apps. Yes! You can even run quite a few full-fledged Windows programs - with a bit of tweaking. That means those cheap-ass little Chromebooks most people have been ignoring can now do more tasks, run more apps, than any other OS.
Chrome OS is also damn near immune to viruses, and highly resistant to malware. It updates almost invisibly, with zero user pain. It boots in about 5–7 seconds. (Yes, you read that correctly!!) And if all that weren’t enough… used properly, a Chromebook makes lost data a thing of the past.
Yep. If anything out there has the legs to (eventually) dominate Windows on the Desktop, Chromebook is the one to bet on.
Well, MSFT is actually doing just that. There were news reports last year that they were sometimes offering devs as much as $300,000 to write WP8 versions of their apps. MSFT has promised that 46 out of the top 50 apps in other stores will be available on WP8. A significant win in this regard is that Angry Birds Star Wars launched on WP8 on the same day it launched for iOS and Android. But this is a slow process and will take atleast a year or two to bear fruit.
Also its not always about a one time payment. After developing an app you need to make sure that its updated frequently and maintaine
Well, MSFT is actually doing just that. There were news reports last year that they were sometimes offering devs as much as $300,000 to write WP8 versions of their apps. MSFT has promised that 46 out of the top 50 apps in other stores will be available on WP8. A significant win in this regard is that Angry Birds Star Wars launched on WP8 on the same day it launched for iOS and Android. But this is a slow process and will take atleast a year or two to bear fruit.
Also its not always about a one time payment. After developing an app you need to make sure that its updated frequently and maintained. Many WP apps have never been updated in ages. So its just not about making sure an app is released. This is a long term investment which may be beyond the reach of startups already struggling to maintain iOS and Android versions. Even with the higher market share of Android many of the top apps come to Android much later than iOS. Its a significant time and money investment by developers which can't always be helped by a one time payment though it will help make a start.
Also remember that this is a lagging strategy. WP has now got the app 'Draw Something' which was pretty popular 6 months back but is virtually dead now. This is the problem paying someone asking them to port their apps over to your platform. Apps have a very short shelf life. What is the rage today will be non-existent tomorrow. What is more important is to ensure future apps are built for WP8 on time with other platforms. That requires a different way of courting developers than just throwing money at them.
In that sense the idea to use the same kernel for WP8 and Windows 8 is a good move as it dangles the carrot of a huge Windows base to developers. Another strategy MSFT should be trying is setting up its own app development studios just like it did with Xbox. Its Bungie studio and Halo games were critical in establishing a strong differentiating factor for the Xbox and helped boost sales. This may be a necessary approach now. Use first party studios to show the potential of the system which will attract users and in turn other 3rd party developers. Alas, this is easier said than done, but they have done it before with the Xbox. Also, remember it took MSFT 5 years and $10 billion in losses before the Xbox became the reigning champion of consoles.
1) its Windows 10 (Mobile) or simply Windows 10 Mobile
its not the same as "Windows Phone 8" and that's a good thing
2)Windows 10 Mobile is an extension of Windows 8 (PC) and Windows 10 (PC)
Since Windows is very weak in Smartphone division (due to many reasons) and very strong in PC market (since they make great OS)
Microsoft has decided to merge both these worlds in order to match the best of both worlds in each other,
3)Windows 10 Mobile is not yet official yet, but when it does come out, it is simply "The Future" for all things digital, simply because it connects the entire world (and possib
1) its Windows 10 (Mobile) or simply Windows 10 Mobile
its not the same as "Windows Phone 8" and that's a good thing
2)Windows 10 Mobile is an extension of Windows 8 (PC) and Windows 10 (PC)
Since Windows is very weak in Smartphone division (due to many reasons) and very strong in PC market (since they make great OS)
Microsoft has decided to merge both these worlds in order to match the best of both worlds in each other,
3)Windows 10 Mobile is not yet official yet, but when it does come out, it is simply "The Future" for all things digital, simply because it connects the entire world (and possible IoT) on a single platform, meaning, maintenance,security becomes easier and it avoids "Fragmentation" (Something Android suffers from)
with Windows 10 Mobile, Developers are given a very wide market (comprising of PC and Smartphone devices) than when compared to Android/iOS.
so the world can't ignore the Windows store, and with the passage of time, they will be forced to make apps for the store or risk losing out to competing rival apps.
since Microsoft makes great hardware (*cough cough* Hololens, Xbox Kinect anyone?) and they are great software makers (Windows legacy OS), with the right kind of developers supporting the platform, Windows 10 Mobile will get a HALO effect from the success of windows 10 (Lets face it, Cortana alone is enough to make people make the switch, if not their best-in-class Cameras)
In my opinion, Microsoft has focused itself in to two distinct areas. The largest being enterprise market, where they supply either large corporate solutions or the necessary tools for companies to build custom solutions (or third party developers to build market niche specific solutions). And then the commercial marketplace, and here they have the platform in place (Windows plus the Windows Store and Visual Studios) for other peopke to make any number of applications and solutions, but Microsoft seems to have shrunj away from prividing commercial solutions (setting aside Office), they used to
In my opinion, Microsoft has focused itself in to two distinct areas. The largest being enterprise market, where they supply either large corporate solutions or the necessary tools for companies to build custom solutions (or third party developers to build market niche specific solutions). And then the commercial marketplace, and here they have the platform in place (Windows plus the Windows Store and Visual Studios) for other peopke to make any number of applications and solutions, but Microsoft seems to have shrunj away from prividing commercial solutions (setting aside Office), they used to have a rather robust Encyclopaedia and were one of the first to market foe a (off line) GOS mappibg system, as well as things like MS Money. All these smaller sized commercial prijects seems to have fallen by the wayside wirh MS
How does this relate to iOS and Android apps? Well, juat acquiring a license to peiduce Windows based alternatives wouldn't be sufficient enough, they would have to hire developers to port these apps to Windows and with the reasons others have given (apps being trendy fads obe day and out the next) it would be a hit and miss proposition for MS.
In my case, with the two apps that I actually have published on the respective stores… you write it once for iOS, with Swift, Xcode, etc., then you write it one more time, for Android, with Android Studio and Kotlin :D
Or maybe I wrote the Android version first? I’m not sure. But basically just write two apps haha, that just happen to do the same thing and look somewhat similar :D
I don’t remember who said it, but the quote was, “writing cross-platform code is for people who are too lazy to write it twice” :D
Just a joke, of course, I mean, surely there are legitimate situations to use something
In my case, with the two apps that I actually have published on the respective stores… you write it once for iOS, with Swift, Xcode, etc., then you write it one more time, for Android, with Android Studio and Kotlin :D
Or maybe I wrote the Android version first? I’m not sure. But basically just write two apps haha, that just happen to do the same thing and look somewhat similar :D
I don’t remember who said it, but the quote was, “writing cross-platform code is for people who are too lazy to write it twice” :D
Just a joke, of course, I mean, surely there are legitimate situations to use something like Xamarin, but, in my case, it was mostly platform-specific code anyway, so I doubt it would have helped much, and the app download, startup time, etc. would have been a lot larger…
Why Google is making iOS apps when it has an Android phone?
For statistics, lets look at the mobile OS market share:
While Windows Phone devices only contribute to 2.38%, Android and iOS devices jointly contribute to a whopping ~91% of all devices in the market.
Microsoft started developing apps for devices for windows phone at first. Most of these applications gain money through advertisements. E
Why Google is making iOS apps when it has an Android phone?
For statistics, lets look at the mobile OS market share:
While Windows Phone devices only contribute to 2.38%, Android and iOS devices jointly contribute to a whopping ~91% of all devices in the market.
Microsoft started developing apps for devices for windows phone at first. Most of these applications gain money through advertisements. Exception can be office which takes a subscription fee. But since the number of users of windows phone is low, it could not generate enough revenue. Microsoft realized this fact sooner and started acting on it.
Thanks to some of the greater minds of the company, Microsoft tried to develop apps for android and iOS to service the major chunk(91%) of mobile users. More the users of Microsoft products, better the revenue.According to me, it is a very great move. At some point of time, a company should keep aside their rivalry (Google vs Microsoft) and think of the greater good of the company and the users. This is the same reason why Google is not reluctant to develop iOS apps. Microsoft realized this in time and the response has been good.
Performance of Office in Android and iOS
So far the respo...
When should Microsoft give up on Windows?
When there is no more demand for it.
When should Microsoft start something new, different than Windows?
That’s a good question. The answer is they already did, and it’s also called Windows.
Many parts of Windows has been redesigned or written from scratch over three decades since its inception. Windows was a simple 16-bit graphical interface over MS-DOS back in 1985. It turned into a new 32-bit operating system with Windows NT in 1993. It became 64-bit after less-known Windows XP 64-bit Edition in 2005 soon followed by Windows Vista in 2006 which introduce
When should Microsoft give up on Windows?
When there is no more demand for it.
When should Microsoft start something new, different than Windows?
That’s a good question. The answer is they already did, and it’s also called Windows.
Many parts of Windows has been redesigned or written from scratch over three decades since its inception. Windows was a simple 16-bit graphical interface over MS-DOS back in 1985. It turned into a new 32-bit operating system with Windows NT in 1993. It became 64-bit after less-known Windows XP 64-bit Edition in 2005 soon followed by Windows Vista in 2006 which introduced the 64-bit Windows to mainstream.
Every milestone came with innovations or re-designs. Windows 95 coined the iconic Start Menu concept. NT introduced an entirely new kernel and NTFS: a completely new file system. Windows Vista introduced WDDM, the new display driver model; new networking stack, modern audio APIs; PowerShell, a unique, object-based shell. Windows 8 introduced Metro UI. Windows 10 introduced Universal Apps, Edge, a new web browser and Linux subsystem which lets Linux apps run natively on Windows.
Today, despite carrying the same name, Windows 10 is a totally different software than Windows 1.0 back in 1984; literally, an order of magnitude.
What I respect most about Microsoft’s product strategy is, despite innovating through the years, how they manage to make their users feel like it’s still the same product which explains your question. They go great lengths to preserve the ecosystem around their software. Even today, a 32-bit Windows 10 from 2018 can natively run 16-bit Windows applications from 30 years ago. Try to find a similar feat on another operating system.
Even when Microsoft releases a separate operating system which targets specific devices, they brand it under Windows, like Windows CE or Windows Mobile.
We can always argue that Windows still represents the “old ways” of an operating system, file paths like “C:\” come from MS-DOS, start menu is more than 20 years old. Fortunately, Microsoft has a division working solely on such problems: Microsoft Research.
Microsoft Research has been working on new way of doing things for a long time. One of those projects was Midori, an operating system based on managed code so it would improve the overall security of the operating system. It remained a research project but many of its ideas were incorporated into existing products. They will keep working on other aspects of new things and will be incorporating them on Windows.
Q: How has Microsoft adapted to the shift towards mobile devices and the rise of mobile operating systems such as iOS and Android, and what is the company's strategy in this space?
A: Microsoft has completely failed in the mobile market, having tried twice, failed completely twice, shut down the mobile division, fired the vice president, and took a $2 Billion USD tax writeoff to shut down their mobile failures.
Because that gives you a more complete market coverage for your app. Why would you limit yourself to just 29% of the market for iOS, or just 70% of the market for Android, when you could target both and get access to 99% of the market?
If you are primarily targeting countries where iPhones dominate (like the US), then you’d probably release your app for iOS first. However if you want to reach the most users worldwide, you could release your app for Android first.
Investing in iOS and Android app development can be wise due to the large and growing user bases on both platforms. However, profitability depends on various factors such as market demand, app quality, monetization strategies, and ongoing updates. With continuous innovation and user engagement, apps can remain profitable for many years. Yet, it's essential to adapt to market trends and user preferences to sustain profitability over the long term.
There is no real difference between any of these. You are talking about three things, IDEs, languages, and frameworks. Lets straighten out what actually happens:
Windows development, including Windows phone: IDE is Visual Studio, languages are C#, C/C++, VB, F#. Framework is .Net
iOS development: IDE is Xcode, languages are Obj-C, Swift, C/C++, framework is Cocoa.
Android development: IDE is currently Android Studio, languages are Java, C/C++, and Go (?). Framework is Android libraries.
While these differ in detail, in broad terms they are all the same thing, just applied to different environments
There is no real difference between any of these. You are talking about three things, IDEs, languages, and frameworks. Lets straighten out what actually happens:
Windows development, including Windows phone: IDE is Visual Studio, languages are C#, C/C++, VB, F#. Framework is .Net
iOS development: IDE is Xcode, languages are Obj-C, Swift, C/C++, framework is Cocoa.
Android development: IDE is currently Android Studio, languages are Java, C/C++, and Go (?). Framework is Android libraries.
While these differ in detail, in broad terms they are all the same thing, just applied to different environments.
The only minor confusion is that MS are also providing a version of VS which runs on non-Windows platforms. Apple shows no interest in producing a version of XCode which runs on Windows. What MS are really trying to do is what Xamarin does - create a common platform for mobile development. This is definitely not in either Apple’s or Google’s interest - they lose a proprietary lock. But all this is very much around the edges.
Depends on how you define successful.
Microsoft made two attempts to develop a complete mobile OS from the ground up but neither got very far. They’ve abandoned those efforts and have instead focused on integrating Windows and Microsoft online/Office 365 (now Microsoft 365) with mobile via apps on both Android and iOS.
When you have a Microsoft account, be it a free personal account or via a business or student account, you get most of the same integration that you get with the Apple ecosystem over a much wider range of hardware.
This approach is proving to be much more successful than trying to
Depends on how you define successful.
Microsoft made two attempts to develop a complete mobile OS from the ground up but neither got very far. They’ve abandoned those efforts and have instead focused on integrating Windows and Microsoft online/Office 365 (now Microsoft 365) with mobile via apps on both Android and iOS.
When you have a Microsoft account, be it a free personal account or via a business or student account, you get most of the same integration that you get with the Apple ecosystem over a much wider range of hardware.
This approach is proving to be much more successful than trying to develop and restrict itself to just its own OS/hardware.
Windows and Android have 72% market share vs 25% for iOS/MacOS. When you break it down, Windows has 76% market share vs 19% for MacOS and for mobile, Android has 70% vs 29% for iOS.
So in answer to your question, Microsoft has already built a successful hardware/software environment and continues to build and improve on it.
Microsoft is not making its entire Office Suite free for iOS and Android. The mobile versions are hugely limited in editing capabilities. They dont support most of the advances and enterprise features.
Pros:
- Free
- Compatible formats
- 7GB oneDrive storage FREE
- Online Sync
- Good design
Cons:
- Only basic editing stuff like bold, underline, italics, color, and size, but things like adding images, advanced formatting, and others aren’t present
- OneDrive needs Internet
- Small controls
- There are very few (if any) tablets supported.
Microsoft is not making its entire Office Suite free for iOS and Android. The mobile versions are hugely limited in editing capabilities. They dont support most of the advances and enterprise features.
Pros:
- Free
- Compatible formats
- 7GB oneDrive storage FREE
- Online Sync
- Good design
Cons:
- Only basic editing stuff like bold, underline, italics, color, and size, but things like adding images, advanced formatting, and others aren’t present
- OneDrive needs Internet
- Small controls
- There are very few (if any) tablets supported.
For the same reason that a carpenter doesn't do everything using just a single hammer.
For the same reason there is more than one instrument in an orchestra.
For the same reason we started having left and right shoes, rather than "one leather sheaf fits all feet".
For the same reason people don't travel everywhere only by car.
For the same reason armies use different types of weapons.
A programming language is only a tool; if you want to get anywhere in any profession, you have to use the right tool for every job.
App store is an eco system which must be built with the trust of developers and users. It is more important to have this trust then shopping around the world. Moreover, it is not that easy to buy such start-ups. Google is rumored to be buying whatsapp for a billion. No company not even Apple (most cash) would like to go for such expensive acquisitions.
Microsoft Programming tool that is used for C Sharp and Fsharp etc is Visual studio (www.visualstudio.com) but the issues surrounding Visual studio like it being heavy and also most Devs cant afford to buy the professional or Enterprise Versions , Microsoft brought out a FREE community version but still most Devs kept comlaining how heavy it was , so the solution was to create a small size and simple IDE that could do a little of what Visual studio could do they came up with Visual Studio Code
(Visual Studio Code - Code Editing. Redefined)Footnotes
Well there is no doubt that today the world is running with full of Smartphones right.. So the App developer for Android Phone increases day by day than Windows Phone. It's better now to develop apps in Android than Windows. Since Android have lot of features like
1. User Interface
2. Google Material Design
3. Multitasking
4. Phone options are diverse
Economics.
Apps come and go out of fashion. Microsoft cannot be expected to shell out tens of millions for each app, since the investment may not even pay-off.
For example:
Instagram is a sore point for many Windows Phone users. Microsoft coughs up a billion dollars, and a few thousand (I'm just guessing. Maybe a million?) smartphone users jump ship. A few months later, people will get tired of posting pictures of what they had for lunch. That puts a dent in the company's profits, and they have nothing much to show for it, either.
In my opinion, Windows Phone is suffering due to sloppy work on Mi
Economics.
Apps come and go out of fashion. Microsoft cannot be expected to shell out tens of millions for each app, since the investment may not even pay-off.
For example:
Instagram is a sore point for many Windows Phone users. Microsoft coughs up a billion dollars, and a few thousand (I'm just guessing. Maybe a million?) smartphone users jump ship. A few months later, people will get tired of posting pictures of what they had for lunch. That puts a dent in the company's profits, and they have nothing much to show for it, either.
In my opinion, Windows Phone is suffering due to sloppy work on Microsoft's behalf (plenty of software limitations leading to lower specs and features compared to Android and iOS, especially with regard to WP7) and really crappy advertising on Nokia's part (atleast in India).
Basically it depends which platform you wanna work with.Because android and ios both has pros and cons.But if you are thinking that you have good learning in java then you can easily move on android development.And android development has a huge market in the globe.
On the other hand ios also has a huge market.But if you wanna go with the common and best one then i will recommend you to go with android development.