Windows 10 has got a lot of coverage over the past year due to both earlier leaks and preview builds that are released periodically to those in the insider program. As the release date of 29th July draws closer bugs are being squashed and final test builds are being released more frequently but will this be enough to prop up the continued decline of the PC industry which has seen it hit revenues of many OEMs and also software licences sold by Microsoft?
Will Windows 10 help Microsoft relive its glory days and revive its mobile fortunes? Will Windows 10 be a game changer for Microsoft?
This is really a huge ask for Windows 10 to deliver but with Windows 10, Microsoft has made steps in the right direction.
- Common Core
Windows 10 is built on a single common core internally called “OneCore” which is the main OS kernel for phones, tablets, PCs and Xbox. Microsoft wants to unify the experience across all its windows-powered devices. What this means is that the same apps will be available from a single store and work across the different devices. With this developers can have a much greater reach when their apps are published. - Universal Apps
Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1 was an update with gave developers the ability to create ‘universal’ app. This universal app was meant to run on phone and tablet developed with as much code sharing as possible….alright I will admit the execution wasn’t was promised but it was an initial step. With the universal app model a developer would pretty much be able to create an app to target both phone and tablets, Windows 10 takes this to a whole new level allowing much more code sharing and enable a developer to create close to a truly universal app. - Improved developer tools
At Build 2015 Microsoft detailed plans to enable iOS and Android developers easily port their apps to the windows platform. This was greeted with enthusiasm but only time will tell if the developers will actually use these tools or if they find the Windows platform to be enticing enough to develop for (am looking at you Google). On top of the porting plans, Microsoft announced a new community version of Visual Studio which even had an impressive Android emulator.
https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/downloads/visual-studio-2015-downloads-vs.aspx - Free’ Upgrade
Windows 10 will be a free upgrade to those who already have licenced copies of Windows 7, 8, and 8.1. This should help increase its market share rapidly which hopefully will bring the developers who have been sitting on the fence.
With all this Microsoft has gone a long way in creating a platform for the future, but will all this enough? Only time will tell.
