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Posts Tagged ‘operating system’

The newest and major version of Microsoft’s operating system Windows 8 has opened this week and has just made one the biggest changes in the platform history.

At a Microsoft’s conference, they have spent more than two hours to discuss in detail the next OS. The software is yet to be released and used by consumers next year. However, a clearer picture of Microsoft’s position to the industry, shifting their purchases from personal desktops to handy notebooks, and now, they’re open to more portable devices like smartphones and tablets.

In other words, Microsoft’s ace in broadening their landscape is Windows 8. It is a powerful product which works on almost all machines with a convenient interface which adapts along the way. With that vision, we can differentiate Microsoft’s purpose to that of Apple’s. Apple has created a different OS for their portable, and kept a different one for their Intel-based devices.

But then, the separation affected consumer’s views on operating systems, the frequency of updates, and introducing of features after years or months of purchase. If OS’ are separated, the maker can iterate quickly, and they could provide major releases every year while still continuing to offer updates on Mac OS X.

For Microsoft, they have been releasing new versions of Windows every few years. But users are more used to having frequent service updates. Apple and Android are proofs of providing users frequent software updates.

Microsoft’s week  mostly centered on Windows 8 updates. This may indicate that Windows Phone may be attracting some interest from developers in light of its partnership with Nokia.

As reported on a Windows Phone Blog, Windows confirmed they will be sending out updates on Windows Phone 7.5 to customers, particularly on Samsung Focus 1.4 phones on AT&T.

Another wave of updates will be sent out by Windows manufacturers to select Windows phone models. These updates are expected to improve smartphones’ overall function.

It was a hard push for Microsoft in adopting Windows Phone. This is due to the recent wide-ranging software updates on Mango and in their new partnership with Nokia.

This partnership, is expected to spark interest from developers which is suffering from the tough Google Android and Apple’s iPhone combination.

According to research conducted by IDC and Appcelerator which surveyed about 2,160 developers just few weeks ago, Windows Phone has already exceeded Research in Motion’s Blackberry OS as a subject of developer interest. It is now placed behind Android and Apple’s iOS. The report shows Microsoft is enjoying this symbiotic success with Nokia’s partnership.

The research also revealed why developers have put interest in Windows Phone 7 now than last year, 48 percent said it was because of the Microsoft-Nokia’s recent partnership deal.

Currently, Microsoft is keeping their stream of updates on Windows 8. Their operating system is expected to arrive this year. The recent update last November 14, have explained detailed attempts in refining Windows Update to address the concerns of users regarding the constant restarting of their PCs and laptops which makes it annoying.

A radical reinvention has been made by Microsoft to its operating system. This is the most extensive overhaul since their version of Windows 95.

At a time when everything in the market has evolved, this reinvention might be just in time. Especially computers and other mobile devices are starting to be used in different ways, it thus require a new system to operate these devices.

By far, Windows is still the most dominant operating system on all PCs all over the world. However, Apple is still dominating the market when it comes to tablets like iPad. Apple’s iOS operating system and Google’s Android are also leading the market on smartphones.

With the new Windows 8, Microsoft aims to show that they can dominate computing as it moves to new platforms of hardware. Microsoft will be conducting a conference for developers this week which is called “BUILD”. Windows 8 and other new products are to be presented in this conference. Developers all over the world will be traveling to Anaheim, California to hear the top executives of Microsoft. They will be given road maps of the company’s new offers. There will also be sessions to help these developers on Microsoft products on what to build and work for.

So far, there are few information on the new Microsoft. Windows 8 is still known as its code name. The first version was designed to work on both PCs and Web tablets. The interface will be touch-screen(optional for computer makers) but a traditional trackpad/keyboard/mouse interface.