Microsoft creating One OS to rule them all?

July 15, 2011 | By Surur

NotWindows

We already know Microsoft is unifying the look and feel of their various operating systems. Now This is my Next is speculating that Microsoft intends, by 2016, to have the same OS running on the desktop, laptop, tablet, game console and crucially phone.

They claim to have a source saying Microsoft had the ambitious plan to unify their OS offerings with the next version of Windows after Windows 8, and at the end of the life span of Xbox 360.

They take as confirmation some statements Microsoft made at WPC, when Andy Lees said that Redmond would eventually have just a “single ecosystem” for PCs, phones, tablets, and even the TV.

“You can have full PC compute power available in whatever form factor you like,” said Lees, noting that the Windows on ARM demo motherboards were smaller than mobile phones. “We won’t have an ecosystem for PCs, and one for phones, and one for tablets — they’ll all come together.”

Their source also suggests Microsoft will, after nearly 20 years, also consider dropping the Windows brand name for the new OS, a somewhat reasonable view of apps mostly not be in “windows” in any case.

When it comes to technology 5 years is almost an unseeable horizon, and it is almost certain mobile chipsets will be powerful enough to run any version of Windows. The question really is if Microsoft will have to compromise the user experience on each type of device simply due to a desire to unify them all.

What do our readers think. Can Microsoft pull it off? Let us know below.

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged microsoft

Harry van der Beek

Ecosystem is not the same as OS. I think Lees meant the “3 screens and the cloud”-idea. And this cloud is what the ecosystem bounds together. That’s what they planned for Win8 (as far as i know). e.g.: better integration with Skydrive, Xbox live, Skype, Zune, Office 365 maybe. Just as they did with WP7. Hopefully customers will then see that Microsoft has a solid cloud offer.
Anonymous

I cannot see Microsoft dropping the Windows name … ever. It is one and the same with their brand … and it is on everything they have, with the exception of the Entertainment division.

However, the idea of some form of a future version of NT, say NT 7.0, being the underlying operating system on all Microsoft platforms is certainly something they have been playing around with since Longhorn …

rsgx

Windows as a brand has left a very bad impression for many people over the years.

BSOD, viruses, slow performance, etc.

It’s improved greatly, but the reason a lot of their other products have done well is that people didn’t even know MS was behind them. Re-branding, IMO, is a good idea. It’s time.

Herbert

Unfortunately it’s NOT SOLVED.
I just moved from Vista to Seven.
I can’t believe it, my desktop does not refresh automatically. I have to refresh it myself to see the new folders.
I called the helpdesk and they told me that this is a known bug on Windows Seven and that it is officially not a priority to solve this bug. God !!!

Year 2011, new OS, and the desktop does not refresh by itself.
Microsoft and Windows really deserve their bad reputation finally.

Herbert

And I am not even talking about the numerous (how many? 50, 100?) bugs still noticed in the last versions of WORD and POWERPOINT.
Years after years, versions after versions, these software are still not able to manage properly the copy & paste function without messing up the fonts, the from and the rest of the document.

Dhaoracle

So name anyone that can do it better..

Anonymous

I also can’t imagine a world without ‘Windows’.
What would they call it?…Tiles?

Dhaoracle

Windows is the perfect name to associate all of your devices with since the tiles basically look like small Windows peering into whatever app you have placed onto your Start Screen.

http://chmun77.myopenid.com/ LorMee

I think it shouldn’t be 1 OS for all platforms. Windows on a desktop is already different from mobile, and consoles will have another different one for sure. I would say all devices will be interfacing via the same ecosystem rather than a unified OS.

Anonymous

I don’t think they plan to use the same OS, but the same “core OS”, Windows today is very flexible and they can remove parts of it and add others so it can be used for different things.

Personally I’m guessing this is what the Fusion codename is all about.
Dhaoracle

It is not one OS it is one UI… completely different experience yet very similiar navigation and connection through the web.

Phill

Seriously, they sould hire me =P I had a similar ideia, fully planned and strucutured, around 4yrs ago
Anonymous

I think they are meaning eco system. also it would be refreshing to see something other than “windows name” but i don’t see that happening. other wise WP7 would have had another name. but then again the name “windows” is getting old and dated as the world moves forward ios chrome ect. are all garbing more and more market share.
Meekermoloko

2016 is possible for this … if this is Windows 9 (or whatever they would call it).

The phone would be the most difficult since it deals with a smaller screen, but not impossible if micro-projectors are commonplace by then. Also, if the OS is part of the cloud, then that would make things easier as far as making the same experience everywhere.

True Xbox 720 games (or whatever) could also work on a phone if the main requirements would be to have 4G. It would be similar to the current OnLive service where you don’t need to have the latest graphics card to run them, just a fast connection.

HaraStudio

I seem to be that MS is making the same mistake they have made for the last 20 years MS has been trying to shoehorn Windows on everything, to be the “jack of all trades” and ended up being the master of one; the PC. It has left them struggling to catch up to competition in both smartphone market and tablet market.

Now they say they are going to do it again, Ballmer and company are failing to see that the old model that made them successful in the PC market needs to be given up for something new. The inability for market leaders to react to changing a environment is usually it’s downfall.

Microsoft continues to push the ‘tablet as a PC’ ‘phone as PC’ philosophy in a desperate attempt to keep the Windows line driving everything. The choice to repeat history will likely have the same results as the first time; nice products that nobody buys because they are too complex to operate, maintain and develop apps for. Did not working last time, why will it work this time. This is an example of bad management focused on today’s profits rather then future growth.

Dhaoracle

Sorry but you are wrong they are not pushing Tablet as a PC or phone as a PC they are only trying to unify the UI experience which has nothing to do with the different core experience that you will get from each of them.
Dhaoracle

Sorry but you are wrong they are not pushing Tablet as a PC or phone as a PC they are only trying to unify the UI experience which has nothing to do with the different core experience that you will get from each of them.

arok

I think it would make sense to have one OS. Who knows what will happen by 2016. May be phones with flexible displays are common. Technology is already there and it will get even better.
Fold it and you have the phone just like today’s WP7. Expand it and you have the tablet/PC running full Windows 9 OS or whatever MS calls it then. You see the point.

I am sure many of you must be aware of it but for those who are not, please go to universaldisplay dot com and click on FOLEDs.

Herbert

Of course, what is new here?
It’s my understanding for months already that Windows 8 is designed for PC / Tablets / Smartphones.
Windows 8 will be mainly required on tablets. I am willing to purchase a tablet to replace my notebook computer, but iPad is useless since it’s locked down without USB, and all the other tablets are running Android 3, which is very laggy, and has no Office suite.
I also noticed that NONE of the tablets proposed on the market by Asus, Acer, Toshiba, etc had a Kickstand on the back. This is insane!
So finally I could not buy any tablet taht could fit my needs. I can’t believe this.
Manufacturers are lazy or understand nothing to what customers are asking!

warcroft

Oh god YES!
I hate tablets! Theyre glorified novelty toys.
I feel exactly the same way. I want one for the ease of use and portability, but none of them do what I want.
I want Windows on a tablet and to be able to do what I do an a desktop or laptop. Simple as that!
MSfan

Well hate to admit it by Apple has figured out what customers for with the iPad, have you seen the numbers they are sale… they can make them fast enough 8-(

Dhaoracle

They noticed that people wanted portability but they have not gotten the concept of having an full mobile OS.

Microsoft has figured it out and have even found a way to put a full OS on a ARM Chip. Now that is innovation in the making..

http://www.facebook.com/marsupy Paul Renda

I agree they drop the name “Windows”, but I’m just worried about what other name will they get in replacment.

I think bad names do stick and follow generations. For example, I’ve always been told by grand’pa, then dad that FIAT cars weren’t reliable, don’t buy one. Matter of fact, I’ve always discarded buying a FIAT.. and they might acually be good nowadays?

Anonymous

no, they have some models (like the 500) that are well made. most of the rest is like your dad and grampa told you.
Meekermoloko

“Fix It Again, Tony.” … and yet, I’ve just seen a new model FIAT on the streets of L.A. this past week.
Meekermoloko

“Fix It Again, Tony.” … and yet, I’ve just seen a new model FIAT on the streets of L.A. this past week.

http://twitter.com/MacsMacsbac macs

Whatever it is called windows 8 looks fantastic. I would consider buying a tablet with this.
Anonymous

if they are able to pull off their strategy of using html5 for apps, then i guess they’ll be able to forget about the hardware. so it makes sense to say “it’s one operating system” while in fact it may well be three different OSes that have the same API.
markiz

i dont see the point in this really..

The SIZE and the way of interacting makes it so that a phone will never be able to run pc-specific tasks, like photo-editing, autocad and so on.

the only thing that should be implemented is the seamless sharing of content between different devices, like media, docs, notes and stuff.. Also, mobile applications could be run on a desktop, but not the other way around..

warcroft

“The SIZE and the way of interacting makes it so that a phone will never be able to run pc-specific tasks, like photo-editing, autocad and so on.”

I dont think thats the point.
I think its more about seamless integration. Eg: Sit in your lounge, use your phone to browse Netflix, select a movie and it starts playing on your tv.
Or, photos on your PC, it displays on your TV, use your mobile to flick through them as you show them to your family.

markiz

that’s my point exactly, you don’t need to have the same os running on both devices to be able to do that.

Anonymous

But look: Think of you, with you phone in your pocket, in your bag, you have something like the Padfone, but a lot nicer and at home a docking station with USB , HD, or whatever will be used in 2016. You just use one Device for everything. With the size of a Phone. The main problem right now is the Battery sizing and weight. If someone will invent a Battery, which is smaller lighter and more effective, he got my vote for the nobel prize.

markiz

if all of the possible problems with that setup can be solved elegantly (like receiving a call while working on something on desktop), that would be great.

in any case, they are not making it look easy right now, when wp7 and pc communication is really lacking.
Dhaoracle

there are already atteries out there that is paper thin and could recharge themselves from Radio, Kinetic, and UV energy.

Anonymous

I think eventually MS sees the OS as just an endpoint, almost a thin client that accesses all of your data on the cloud. Also, they won’t have the exact same OS, I’m sure there will be editions for the type of device used, but the kernel and the development tools will be the same, just having different abstraction layers for the various devices. We see this already in Windows 8 with the support of ARM processors.

markiz

That is a great explanation, thanks. As just a consumer, i don’t understand most of the really technical stuff. what you said about the “core” of the os being the same does make sense.

Dhaoracle

Exactly you explained better than anyone here… That’s is what I see them doing which will make them very successful.

http://twitter.com/stevedhalai Steve Dhalai

It’s not about being seamless it’s about Developers being able to run near identical code on PC, Phone and Xbox. Imagine Rockstar Games developing GTA5 for Xbox 360 and then all they need to do to put it on Windows Phone and PC is change the Control Scheme.
Dhaoracle

That is exactly what they are doing. I don’t think that they are trying or will ever put a entire Windows OS onto a phone. They don’t have a reason for it when the Windows 8 OS will run just like a WP7 only with the power and experience being totally different which would make a lot of customers want to buy all of their products.

Their products will all be recognizable and connected through Skydrive and other means.

http://twitter.com/doministry doministry

Please DON’T MAKE THOSE SQUARES as a homescreen on PC. It’s so tacky!!!

Pacific

They are not squares. These are tiles(and live tiles). It will be great for businesses, because they can implement and lock down which Windows apps can be run on the desktop. This is to keep employees from wasting the company time. It will be a win-win for both businesses and MS.

Anonymous

You do know that Windows administrators can do that now right? Group Policy and Systems Center Managers are very powerful.
AlantiveCo

Call them what you will but even on my wp7 phone I find them to be pretty clunky after the newness wore off. And I do not need Windows to management my employees, thank you very much, this is my job.
AlantiveCo

Call them what you will but even on my wp7 phone I find them to be pretty clunky after the newness wore off. And I do not need Windows to management my employees, thank you very much, this is my job.
http://twitter.com/doministry doministry

They ARE squares right in my face even if I DON’T want to see them. I want a decent looking homescreen. Tiles can appear once you enter a start menu. On WP7 it’s so dreadful and ugly after some time because you can’t make even your own background. Really claustrofobic.

Dhaoracle

Then go and get an even more cluttered ANDROID phone no one is forcing to look or interact with this phone.
jenp

There’s going to be a “PC mode” that looks like the standard desktop we all know. You don’t have to stare at the squares, that’s optional.

http://twitter.com/alamfour alamfour

check out my new tablet blog at http://tabletslatepad.squarespace.com
Anonymous

I can’t wait, this is going to be great!
Aceofspades25

I don’t see why not… The same engine could drive all platforms with a different UI sitting as a layer on top of it, depending on the type of input devices the user is expected to use. Apps will then specify which screen sizes and input devices they support. Many apps will be built to support both PC and smartphone and may appear differently on different devices.

GurstafW

I think it is crazy to put a small screen UI on a large screen. Trying to make it all in one leaves everything a bit compromised. Bad idea.

Dhaoracle

Why whe the UI is based off the phone version??

The way that the Windows 8 is it would be possible to put it on a phone (even though I wouldn’t like it) but possible. I like how they have a Unified UI so that you can know that all of their products are connected in all ways.

mrjlwilliams

Well, Microsoft already made the announcement in their demo video, they want to run an OS doe all of there products. This is nothing new, but as they stated it will still have the original functionality of the ‘now’ windows.
Anonymous

I guess the new name would be “Tiles”
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/6G3ZZJCHOLYP3S5CRCIHQ7WDSE MVIM

I thought this unified OS rumor has been around for a few months now…
Anyway, they should retain the Windows name, as the Live Tiles that are now going to appear all across Microsoft’s ecosystem are in many ways windows into content being provided by hubs, websites, and applications. In fact, that UX design is more “window-like” than the traditional Windows UI, as they provide a peek into what is on the other side of the live tile, whether it be social content, pictures, news, or something else.
Guest

MS has been talking about one unified OS since the 90′s. I doubt very much they’re going to get there by W8. Sorry.