WINDOWS 10 in MOBILES !!

Microsoft's has announced Windows 10 for mobiles, in its fight for one OS on all platforms. Microsoft's problems in the phone market has never really been because of failures in the core OS; they've been about hardware, distribution, and third-party developer support. Over the next few months, we'll get the answers to some of the questions we have there. All the stars must align for Windows Phone to finally break some good market share.

Microsoft is to announce new phones for Windows 10 at the Mobile World Congress trade show, which shall be held in US later this year. Right now, the Windows Phone lineup lacks widely available flagship phones. Microsoft's 41-megapixel camera technology dead-ended in last year's Nokia Lumia 1020 $149.99 at Amazon, and the 2014 flagship Lumia Icon  was buried as well. With healthy midrange and low-end offerings, Microsoft needs to announce some phones that will put Windows Phone 10 back on the map as an aspirational OS, not just as the best thing you can get under $100 or 6000Rs.

Hardware is one big Microsoft problem, but we also need to learn a lot more about how the Windows 10 app situation will shake out. Windows 10 operates across two incompatible architectures: the ARM system used in most phones and many small tablets, and the Intel chips in tablets and desktops. (That gap is what sunk Windows RT, which was unable to run older software.) It also has touch and non-touch modes, and small and large screen modes. How will the new APIs balance these different concerns so Windows Phone users can run the best, most powerful apps? How good will Xbox gaming on Windows Phone really be? And will Windows Phone finally get feature-complete apps for popular Web services?

Let's posit that it's still even possible to create a third mobile ecosystem. IOS and Android, they say, have such strong network effects that it's impossible to break in. A really good reason, it's been obvious for a while, has been better Xbox integration. Xbox, by far, is Microsoft's strongest consumer brand. It's actually something people seek out. The Xbox One may not be the top console out there right now, but between it and the 360, Microsoft has an installed base of tens of millions. If Microsoft is able to integrate XBOX with Windows 10 for Mobiles, then the doors open for Microsoft in the mobile market, both on flagship level and on App level.