Windows RT continues to remain somewhat of an oddity. The stripped down version of Windows designed for ARM-based processors has not met with much success so far and Intel’s new Haswell processors that promise long battery life for Windows 8 devices will not make it any easier for Windows RT in the future. But Microsoft does not appear ready to throw the towel in just yet. Windows RT may find its salvation as the line between smartphones and tablets blurs with the growing popularity of phablets.
Speaking at Microsoft’s Financial Analyst Meeting yesterday, Microsoft Executive Vice President Terry Myerson may have shed some light on where Windows RT could be headed in the future. After saying that ARM devices offer incredible battery life, Myerson said,
“Windows RT was our first ARM tablet. And as phones extend into tablets, expect us to see many more ARM tablets, Windows ARM tablets in the future.”
The quote may be an indication that the lines could be about to start to blur between Windows Phone and Windows with Windows RT as the middle ground. Both Windows Phone and Windows RT are ARM-based and use a Windows NT core and blending the two into a single platform could eventually lead to a platform that can support both Windows Phone and Windows RT apps.
If there is any doubt that Microsoft is looking to eventually offering a single common platform across its operating systems, Myerson also added,
“(W)e really should have one silicon interface for all of our devices. We should have one set of developer APIs on all of our devices. And all of the apps we bring to end users should be available on all of our devices.”
It remains to be seen if and when such a merge will happen. In the meantime, we can expect phablets powered by Windows Phone 8 such as the Nokia Lumia 1520 to launch shortly along with new Windows RT tablets such as the Surface 2 at their side.
Source : ZDNet