News - Windows for free, if a device screen is under 9-inches

[HEXUS]

Tablet and phone maker freebie is referred to as 'Windows for Internet of Things'.

Read more.

[badsyntax]

Sadly I won't be able to grab a 7" screen from an eBay seller and make something with this offer.

[Dooms]

So manufactures will save $15 per device. Maybe drop the price by $5?

[LSG501]

So manufactures will save $15 per device. Maybe drop the price by $5?

You're expecting the end user to actually see some of this reduction in costs... shame this wasn't posted on April 1st lol

[peterb]

This isn't about reducing the end user price - its about encouraging mfrs to move away from Android towards Windows.

[jim]

You're expecting the end user to actually see some of this reduction in costs... shame this wasn't posted on April 1st lol

It's a competitive market, so I don't see why not.

[crossy]

Hmm, less than impressed with the title on that presentation - "Universal apps across all Windows devices". So I can take a WP8 phone app and run it on a W8 desktop, or take a desktop app and run it on a Windows RT device? No, didn't think so.

If Microsoft want to increase the uptake then I think what is desperately needed is a Nexus 7 type device. A "reference" tablet that's directly supported for OS updates, while being of a reasonable spec and very affordable. 8" would be a good size, since you could match the iPad Mini (while still undercutting it on price) and Note8/Tab8, but still being that little bit larger than the Nexus 7.

It is thought that Microsoft can make its money from paid for subscriptions sued with its free OS.

Well I suppose that's one way to get market share - drag anyone who does pay for Office 365 plan into court. Here's hoping that other vendors follow this bold step! Yes, okay, I know ... it's a typo

[LSG501]

You're expecting the end user to actually see some of this reduction in costs... shame this wasn't posted on April 1st lol

It's a competitive market, so I don't see why not.

Don't get me wrong I would love to see the prices drop as well but when most manufacturers (and shops) are moaning about the lack of profit from low end devices already I can't see it happening.

The OEMs can now save $15 per device 'manufacturing' cost which is another $15 of profit for each device sold, 90% of end users won't even know about this reduction. Then you've actually got shops which will also be after their share of the profits too.

[Corky34]

Maybe a silly question, but how are they going to tell a 9 inch and under license from all the others ?

[jim]

Don't get me wrong I would love to see the prices drop as well but when most manufacturers (and shops) are moaning about the lack of profit from low end devices already I can't see it happening.

The OEMs can now save $15 per device 'manufacturing' cost which is another $15 of profit for each device sold, 90% of end users won't even know about this reduction. Then you've actually got shops which will also be after their share of the profits too.

Of course, but that's the case for everything. If memory costs drop, or the OS, or the metal, or the screens, or salaries. It happens all year round, and prices fluctuate appropriately.

If they want to steal market share, and they do, then they can cut their prices and do so. Of course, they could all agree to keep the prices artificially high, but that would be collusion and they might end up in court. Realistically, I'm sure that end-users will see that price drop - it's just that none of them will actually notice it because it's a fairly subtle change in the price of a phone and could easily be masked by other things.

[Agent]

Maybe a silly question, but how are they going to tell a 9 inch and under license from all the others ?

It's for OEMs, so it'll be BIOS / Digitally signed and activated.
If devices from a OEM pop up with the wrong license, they'll get sued massively. No OEM with the ability to make a tablet is going to use dodgy licenses, the liability is too big.

[TheAnimus]

Hmm, less than impressed with the title on that presentation - "Universal apps across all Windows devices". So I can take a WP8 phone app and run it on a W8 desktop, or take a desktop app and run it on a Windows RT device? No, didn't think so.

It is exactly that.

Now it's up to the developer how they want to implement it, if you've got a phone app and say a modern UI app, you can make it so if you've bought one, you can have the other for free, but there is also the new universal runtime, which is code once, run anywhere. Obviously you have to ensure the UI works on a phone as well as on a larger screen, but you can do this.

It is also because you can finally run a MUI app on the desktop too.

[crossy]

It is exactly that.

Now it's up to the developer how they want to implement it, if you've got a phone app and say a modern UI app, you can make it so if you've bought one, you can have the other for free, but there is also the new universal runtime, which is code once, run anywhere. Obviously you have to ensure the UI works on a phone as well as on a larger screen, but you can do this.

It is also because you can finally run a MUI app on the desktop too.

Got any links etc for that - because the way I see it at the moment, the major failing of all MUI'd apps is that you're going to need at least 2 1/2 versions:
1. The desktop one (x86);
2. The phone one (ARM);
3. The tablet one (ARM) mainly because the 'RT app store seems to be distinct from phone and desktop ones.

UI design could be a pain, but iOS and Android folks seem to get on fine, so I'm going to assume that there's similar assistance in the development resources available for Windows.

So if there is a "write once, run anywhere" method for MUI apps, then - to me at least - Windows Mobile (phone/RT) becomes a LOT more interesting. As I've said before, I've been impressed with the Windows Phone 8 and WindowsRT devices that others have in the house.

Still think that the "internet of things" space - as a whole - rightly belongs to Linux. Simple, straightforward and runs on pretty much anything.

[Wozza63]

I think this will kill Windows Phone, development funds will be cut if they aren't receiving money from each device. Not many apps are sold on the store either. Shame, I would rather the paid OS, i think its really paid off in a well performing and optimized OS

[jimbouk]

Taking a swipe at ARM in the tablet space? If you can get 'proper' Windows on a sub-9 inch tablet for free why would you choose RT, or Android even? Except it's x86 only...

What they should have done in the first place really. "Windows tablets are real computers, they run normal apps. Other tablets are toys" would be my sales gumpf.

Many years and many expensive mistakes later M$ might actually be pulling their act together.

[TheAnimus]

I think this will kill Windows Phone, development funds will be cut if they aren't receiving money from each device. Not many apps are sold on the store either. Shame, I would rather the paid OS, i think its really paid off in a well performing and optimized OS

Err I don't think it will MS have committed enough cash to it, they just want adoption. Android has shown that the value you can extract from a user is enough to give away the OS free to manufacturers.

Got any links etc for that - because the way I see it at the moment, the major failing of all MUI'd apps is that you're going to need at least 2 1/2 versions:

The main thing is that the MUI app will be running on the desktop, in a window now.

But these two talks give a good quick overview:
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014/2-649
http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014/2-507

There are two techniques you've got there, one is the new WinJS thing, which I think is going to be for simple, marketing type things. The other the new Common XAML UI! Just when you thought you'd learnt enough XAML UI frameworks (I'm upto 5 now) they bring you yet another!

Still think that the "internet of things" space - as a whole - rightly belongs to Linux. Simple, straightforward and runs on pretty much anything.

I don't know. I think a lot of that space doesn't even belong to linux as it has a large footprint and demands for many 'sensor' like things.

As for more smart elements of IoT then I disagree, I prefer NT as an architecture to Linux, also having done some embedded linux before, I can tell you, it certainly isn't simple, straightforward or easy. I still have flashbacks to working with USB, granted this was 10 years ago, but it was a never again level of hurt.

The reason I quite like it, is the TinyCLR and Micro framework are now *propper* open source, by this I mean apache 2, and taking pull requests. If Microsoft can manage a benevolent dictator role, this could work out very, very well.