Windows 10 is undeniably impressive, but can it win you over?

I was sold on Windows 10 before I could even try the first Technical Preview. Now, after seeing the latest slew of changes unveiled at Build 2015, it is clearer than ever that Microsoft is on the right path and that Windows 10 will be the most impressive release yet. There is no doubt in my mind about it.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Microsoft expects Windows 10 to attract one billion users within the first two to three years of its release. The timer starts this summer. It may sound like an empty claim, but when you look at everything that has been done so far to make Windows 10 so exciting, and consider the huge unlocked potential, it certainly sounds plausible. While I am no fortune-teller, I can't see Microsoft getting anything important wrong. And that's something I haven't felt in ages in regards to the software giant.

Microsoft got the first step towards the mass-adoption of Windows 10 right from the get-go. The new operating system will be available as a free upgrade to those rocking Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1. Even though pirates will not be upgraded to a legitimate license, they will also be able to follow this upgrade path. Since pirates will always exist, Microsoft might as well allow them to move to a release that's actually relevant to its future.

While the free upgrade may not translate to license revenue gains in the first year, it is best to have as many users as possible on the latest release and reap the rewards over time. Think about it: what is the first thing that developers are looking for before committing to Windows? The answer is simple: critical mass. Windows 10 is primed to offer them just that.

This is something that could have a major impact over whether top developers will treat Windows 10 as the third-major mobile platform, and whether Windows software developers will want to bother with Windows Store. Let's take them one at a time.

Realistically speaking, Windows is not consistently a third choice now for most popular mobile app developers, even though Windows Phone and Windows 8.x take third place on the podium in the smartphone and tablet markets, respectively. A major developer's release schedule has iOS and Android at the top of the list, and Windows in the maybe-but-hopefully-not category, that is put somewhere out of sight.

Given a considerable installed user base, those developers will have no good reason not to support Windows 10, even if it's their third choice. I don't think it could attract every top developer in Windows Store -- because that is not realistic -- but most will be tempted.

Benefiting both developers and users, Windows Store will open up to subscriptions and introduce the ability to pay with for things through the phone bill. Both of these things will contribute towards increasing revenues from the app store.

Also, Microsoft is facilitating the launch of major titles by making it easy for developers to port their existing Android and/or iOS apps to Windows 10. This adds to the appeal of releasing apps on Windows 10, as developers will not have to treat Windows 10 as a completely separate entity, but rather as an add-on to their existing Android and/or iOS apps. Resource requirements for such a move are thus minimized.

It is not all rainbows and unicorns though. I see a problem here, one that BlackBerry has been dealing with ever since it introduced an Android runtime to its mobile operating system. Put simple, Microsoft basically risks sending the wrong message to developers. The announcement can be interpreted as "don't bother creating Windows apps, keep on prioritizing Android and iOS, it will be easy to port your titles to Windows 10".

Windows 10 is certainly primed to be the third mobile platform, in developers' eyes, but it is also primed to remain that way for the foreseeable future. Put differently, what's the benefit in prioritizing native Windows 10 development, unless revenue goes through the roof and users are demanding it? It's a question that I'm sure many existing developers are already trying to answer. I wouldn't be surprised to see some re-thinking their strategy.

To round up the Windows Store talk, let's speak about how Windows Store is designed to attract Windows software developers. I am making a distinction between apps and software, discussing apps in relation to mobile and software in relation to desktop-grade software, like the Windows version of Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, VMware, etc. You get the gist.

Microsoft will be doing something that I proposed over a year ago, and that is getting desktop software (or, legacy apps, as Microsoft has referred to them) in Windows Store. Think about this for a minute: you will be able to get major software like Adobe Photoshop up and running in just a few clicks, from the same place where you will find Facebook or Twitter. There are lots of benefits to this approach, which I detailed in the article linked above.

Windows software developers should want to be part of the Windows Store crowd. The added convenience and security blankets offered here are the main reasons to consider such a move, not to even mention the increased exposure. The current software distribution model is fundamentally broken in today's era, as, among other things, it exposes users to malware, security risks from running older releases and so on. Windows Store can fix that.

I am not entirely sure how Windows software available in Windows Store will work with Continuum mode, which lets Windows 10 users leverage their smartphones and the usual (compatible) peripherals to enable a PC-like experience. Will such software, designed for the x86 architecture, be available to those rocking ARM-based devices? I'm reaching out to Microsoft for clarification.

Speaking of Continuum mode, it is one of the most intriguing additions to Windows 10 for phones. It will require a mouse, keyboard and monitor, all compatible of course, to work, but can you imagine just how useful it can be at times?

It wouldn't make sense to repurpose a Windows 10 smartphone as a PC replacement, but, when all the right tools are available, why bother editing something on that tiny screen when you can do it much faster and much more comfortably in Continuum mode?

I wish that Microsoft would copy the Continuity and Handoff page from Apple's playbook, and introduce something similar in Windows 10, so there's even more cohesion between all the form factors it supports, but even so Continuum can be mighty useful on its own.

I am somewhat skeptical of its immediate practical application though. You can't escape the hardware compatibility requirement. Outside of friendly environments, where users are likely to have appropriate hardware, where can Continuum be of real use?

A subset of Windows 10 users will most certainly see it as an extremely cool feature to have right away. There is real potential here, but the smartphone hardware needs to be designed around it, so that it can be pitched as a tangible benefit. We'll just have to wait for the first Windows 10 smartphones to see what it's like, and, of course, grab compatible hardware.

Another big step forward in Windows 10 is Microsoft Edge. Previously known as Project Spartan, the new browser will offer a consistent user experience across all form factors, it looks modern, supports modern technologies, and, for power users, works with Chrome and Firefox extensions.

Developers will, of course, have to port their extensions to work on Microsoft Edge, but it is, nonetheless, a fantastic feature with great potential. Microsoft wants to get rid of Internet Explorer, and convince Chrome, Internet Explorer and Firefox users to switch, and the potential unlocked by such extensions will only help smoothen the transition. It's not the only thing that matters when making such decisions, naturally, but it is a key factor for many of us power users.

Fundamentally, Windows 10 has changed for the better. But it is also changing on the outside, in ways that users will interact with frequently. The latest build introduces a new lockscreen option which enables users to view more information, Cortana gets a new user interface, the Start menu receives some tweaks of its own, and, for the nostalgic crowd, transparency -- Aero-like --makes a comeback. All the right Windows features are there, it's just gaining a bit more polish.

There are some unbelievably cool things unveiled at Build, such as Windows Holographic, but for the bulk of Windows users, what is truly relevant are the new additions aimed at typical desktops, laptops, smartphones and tablets introduced by Windows 10. And, more so than before, is it an appealing upgrade. For those getting a new device, choosing Windows 10 is a no-brainer. That is, if they want to invest in Windows going forward.

Photo Credit: Andresr/Shutterstock

Microsoft Lumia 540 Dual Sim smartphone sports big 5-inch HD, IPS LCD display with pixel density of 294ppi

NEW DELHI: Microsoft has introduced its latest smartphone: Lumia 540 Dual Sim. The budget smartphone sports a big 5-inch HD (1280×720 pixels) IPS LCD display with pixel density of 294ppi. It runs on Windows Phone 8.1, upgradable to Windows 10.

The smartphone is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 200 processor and packs 1GB RAM. It features 8GB storage which is expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. The phone also comes with an additional 15GB of free OneDrive storage and a further 15GB after activating auto-upload to OneDrive.

Lumia 540 Dual Sim sports an 8MP autofocus rear camera with LED flash and a 5MP wide-angle front camera. Connectivity options include USB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 3G network supports.

Weighing 152gm, the 540 Dual Sim runs on 2,200mAh removable battery. It will be available in glossy cyan, orange, white, and matte black colour options.

The smartphone is expected to go on sale in parts of Asia (including India), Europe, Middle East and Africa (IMEA).

How Microsoft Is Going to Port Everything to Windows

We heard the rumors over and over: Android apps are coming to Windows 10. It sounded like a good way to let Windows Phone and Desktop users fill the gaps in the Windows Store—but it isn't happening. Instead, Microsoft is making it ridiculously easy to port Android apps to the Windows Store. And everything else too: iOS apps, Win32 (desktop) applications—even websites.

So no, you can't play iOS games on your Windows machine. But if you're a developer, it will be incredibly easy to turn your iOS game into something that Windows users can play.

It might seem like I'm splitting hairs: if a developer ports an iOS game to Windows 10, isn't that an iOS game on Windows? Not exactly. Normally porting an app to another platform requires the developer to rewrite it from the ground up. New code. New resources. New everything. It's hard, expensive work, and Microsoft is trying to eliminate it.

Enter Windows Chief Terry Myerson, who told developers at Microsoft Build that they can now use the exact same code that powers their web, Android, iOS and Windows Desktop apps to port them to the Windows Store. He showed it off in action, and man, did it look simple. On stage, Myerson pulled an iOS Xcode project into Microsoft Visual Studio, natively scrolled around the project's Objective C code and immediately launched the iOS app as a native Windows app. The project can be debugged and optimized right from Visual Studio, he explained, and programmers can even add Windows-specific features, like Xbox Achievements.

That's pretty neat—but it's bigger than that. Since Windows 10 will share the same code base, all of these ported apps will work on desktop, tablet and phone. Better still, it's not just for "apps" as we know them today: the new tools are designed to bring almost anything into the Windows Store.

Wish your favorite webpage could send you notifications or have an interactive live-tile on the Windows start screen? Now it can—new tools will allow companies to register web pages as apps, making them available to on Windows Store and allowing them to ping your desktop when they update.

Desktop apps will be easy to port to the Windows Store, too. Myers showed off a version of Photoshop Elements that was repackaged for Microsoft's Modern UI. It's just like the normal, desktop version of Photoshop Elements—except it's an easy one-click install from the Windows Store. No setup wizards, no choosing directories, no diving into the add/remove programs dialogue when you want to uninstall it.

It's not the cross-platform app compatibility we expected Microsoft to announce—but maybe it's better. It's going to bring more apps to Windows users, namely ones from big name developers that are already missing from the Windows Store (King has already used the tools to port Candy Crush, for instance). It's also more appealing to developers on multiple platforms: for the first time ever, Microsoft will be releasing its Visual Studio development tools on Mac and Linux.

Making desktop apps easy to port to Microsoft's Modern UI (read: Metro) could give the Windows Store a chance to build a competitive PC gaming marketplace. It will allow developers of creative desktop programs to move these more robust programs to the new UI. It will allow ported iOS and Android apps to take advantage of native Windows features. Best of all, it won't muck up the Windows ecosystem with extra app stores (how's that working out for you, Blackberry?)

This sounds like a good thing—but it isn't perfect. Windows users still have to wait for the developers of their favorite apps to decide to port them over—and if the current marketplace is any indication, Windows is almost an afterthought to iOS and Android developers. Will these simple porting tools be enough to convince developers to close Windows 10's "app gap"? I hope so. Otherwise Microsoft's promised "1 billion device" install base isn't going to have much to do.

Microsoft Lumia 940, 840 Release Date 2015: Microsoft to Expedite Launch After Discontinuing Sale Of Lumia 830

Microsoft's Lumia 940 is expected to be a vast improvement over the 930, which has already done well in sales. Photo: Microsoft

Technology giant Microsoft has quietly discontinued the Lumia 830, fueling speculation that both the Lumia 840 and 940 could be launched sooner than expected.

According to Kamal of Nokia Power User, Microsoft has discontinued selling the Lumia 830 in India with little fanfare. The company has indicated that the stock would not be replenished once supply is exhausted in stores.

"Our sources tell us that Microsoft has hastened the arrival of Lumia 830 successor and it will come sooner than expected (in coming months) running GDR2 out of the box and unlike the flagship Lumia 940, that is set to arrive with Windows 10 for Phones," Kamal wrote. "Lumia 840 will take care of the criticism that Microsoft faced with Lumia 830 in terms of lack of capable processor, better FFC etc."

Kamal added that a prototype of the Lumia 840 may be in the works, although details could change when Microsoft officially confirms the device.

"We have some info about one such mid-ranger in works, that may pack Dual-Sim support, 13-14 MP rear camera (PureView), 5 MP FFC, better processor and may sport similar or slightly modified design to Lumia 830," Kamal wrote. "While it is not sure what the name may be, we may call it Lumia 840 for our convenience. This device may have a screen size around 5-inch."

According to Alan F. of Phone Arena, Kamal may have received information from an anonymous Microsoft employee. However, no date has been set for an official release date.

Like Us on Facebook

"The Lumia 840 is expected to come with Windows Phone 8.1 GDR2 pre-installed," Alan wrote. "That might seem a wee bit surprising in light of the reports that Windows 10 for Phones is expected to come out of the box on the Microsoft Lumia 940."

However, Charlotte Banks of Geek Snack reported that the Lumia 840 release date could either happen in May or the first half of June 2015. Even though the Lumia 840 won't be considered the "flagship smartphone" like the Lumina 940, she thought Microsoft had a business strategy behind releasing it first before rolling out Windows 10.

"If Microsoft does decide to launch the Microsoft Lumia 840 earlier than Windows 10 as a more budget-oriented smartphone, the chance of people upgrading to Windows 10 for Phones and enjoying the new software are increased," Banks wrote. "If Microsoft launches the Microsoft Lumia 840 first as a more affordable alternative, there will be more people flocking towards that ahead of the Windows 10 launch because the phone will be cheaper and will be upgradable to Windows 10 for Phones."

Banks then speculated on the specs behind the Lumia 840.

"Rumors say that the display for the Lumia 840 will be around 5 inches and will feature higher resolution than its predecessor, most likely 1080p," Banks wrote. "The processor will be bumped up to at least the Snapdragon 801, but sources tell us that Microsoft is eyeing the Snapdragon 805 for this new Windows 10 smartphone. The processor will be backed up by 2 GB RAM and 32 GB internal storage, with a microSD card slot available for extra storage."

Banks looked at the possible camera specs for Lumia 840, adding the disclaimer that Microsoft could change the details anytime.

"The Microsoft Lumia 840 will most likely be one of the best mid-range bordering high-end camera smartphones," Banks wrote. "Rumors say it will include either a 13 or 14 MP PureView camera, complete with optical image stabilization and even optical zoom, although that latter feature seems to be a bit controversial as it will most likely impact design a little bit. The front facing camera is expected to measure at least 2 MP, but rumors are that it will be bumped up to 5 MP to cope with the selfie-craze of the year."

Based on the possible specs, Banks indicated that the Lumia 840 could "become a best-seller among Windows fans."

As for the release of Microsoft Lumia 940, a previous report from Gospel Herald indicated that two versions of that smartphone could be released around the time Windows 10 rolls out. All of Microsoft's latest smartphones are expected to use the new Modern Live Tile interface.

However, a report from GSM Arena speculated that the Lumia 940 could be announced as early as April 29 at the BUILD conference.

Aeries for Twitter Updated In Windows Phone Store With Big Performance And Battery Improvements

Aeries for Twitter just got updated to v1.2.7 in the Windows Phone Store. This update fixes several bugs and brings in big performance and battery consumption related improvements. Read the full list of changes below. Also, the app is now available for just $2.99, down by $2 from its original price of $4.99.

v1.2.7:

– Trends section no longer hides last trend behind app bar.– Big perf and battery improvements.– Fixed a few rare crashes with tweet gesture actions.– Fix for hide app bar not correctly hiding.– Fix for status bar not being visible when system theme is light and local theme is dark.– Memory footprint reduced by upto 60%.– Fixed a bug where filtered tweets can be re inserted in the wrong order when the filter has expired.– Viewing who retweets a status will now fetch the latest info for it.– Design changes for pinned searches and lists when Icon headers are being used.– Option to apply tint color to inline buttons.– Last viewed trend will now save for each account.– Improvements to pinned secondary tiles.– Navigation fixes. Prompts to save drafts and apply settings now show before navigating backwards and back button fixes for exiting imageviewer.– Fixes for viewing who has retweetd your tweet.– Instapaper support.– Additional font size options.– O ptions to set your style of Tweet quotation.– Fixed a race condition which in rare cases could lock a user out of the app until they reinstall.– Improvements to user file management.– Fixed an issue opening imageviewer from tweet details page.

Download it from here in the Windows Phone Store.

Windows 10 for phones UK release date, price and new features

The jump from Windows Phone 8 to Windows 10 for phones is a giant leap of sorts. It marks the first time that full fat Windows will run from smartphones and tablets right up to laptops, desktops and servers.

In practice, this will see Microsoft tailoring the OS for screen sizes eight inches and smaller that is different from that for bigger displays, but will still be the same codebase.

"Windows 10 represents the first step of a whole new generation of Windows, unlocking new experiences to give customers new ways to work, play and connect," said Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Operating Systems group at Microsoft. "This will be our most comprehensive operating system and the best release Microsoft has ever done for our business customers, and we look forward to working together with our broader Windows community to bring Windows 10 to life in the months ahead."

We will look at the UK release date, price and new features in more detail. 

UK release date 

At the WinHEC conference in Shenzhen, Microsoft said Windows 10 for phones would be released "this summer" in 190 countries and 111 languages.

An early build of Windows 10 for phones was unveiled on 21 January as part of the Windows Insider programme. The build was released to beta tester in February. Users of certain models of phones can download the new OS by installing the Windows Insider app from the Windows Store.

At present the following phones can download and install the Windows 10 OS; Lumia 1020, Lumia 1320, Lumia 1520, Lumia 520, Lumia 525, Lumia 526, Lumia 530, Lumia 530 Dual Sim, Lumia 535,Lumia 620, Lumia 625, Lumia 630, Lumia 630 Dual Sim, Lumia 635, Lumia 636, Lumia 638, Lumia 720, Lumia 730, Lumia 730 Dual SIM, Lumia 735, Lumia 810, Lumia 820, Lumia 822, Lumia 830, Lumia 920, Lumia 925, Lumia 928, Lumia ICON, Microsoft Lumia 430, Microsoft Lumia 435, Microsoft Lumia 435 Dual SIM, Microsoft Lumia 435 Dual SIM DTV, Microsoft Lumia 532, Microsoft Lumia 532 Dual SIM, Microsoft Lumia 640 Dual SIM, Microsoft Lumia 535 Dual SIM.

"Partition Stitching" will allow the OS to be installed on a number of other Windows phones at the next update.

Users in the so-called "fast ring" can download the new Windows 10 for Phones Preview (build 10051) now. This includes the Project Spartan browser as well as new apps such as mail, calendar, phone, messaging, people, maps.

Price

When launched the OS will be a free upgrade for existing Windows devices, including those running Windows Phone 8.1. It is not known how much Microsoft will charge for upgrading after that.

Features

The big thing touted about Windows 10 is unity. In effect, any software developed to run on the desktop version of Windows 10 will also run on a tablet or phone without any trouble.

Users will also be able to open and edit Microsoft Office documents on any Windows 10 device and files will sync in the cloud.

Interface

Live tiles will look similar in Windows 10 for phones but not quite identical. Background images can be seen through the translucent tiles and the Start screen can be customised by changing colours.

Apps list can be bought up by swiping to the right and recently installed apps will show at the top.

The settings screen now looks a lot more like the desktop and tablet version of the OS. Quick settings has a wider range than previously as well as a different colur scheme.

Keyboard

The keyboard can now be resized and moved around the screen to fit your fingers. There is also a precision pointing stick, similar to the renowned red nub on Lenovo keyboards. The virtual pointer has one task: let you steer with ease and precision on the display.

Photos and Camera

Windows 10 for phone sports a new photo app that aggregate all pictures and remove duplicates or multiple images from burst mode shots, automatically makes albums and improves photos. Lumia Camera will become the default app on all Windows 10 phones, moving out of the Lumia phone ghetto.

Project Spartan

This new browser is a universal app that will work across devices and uses the same rendering engine whatever it runs on.

It sports a special reading list view, which saves articles to read later. The simple layout comes with dark and light options and can change font size.

However, the new browser won't sport all the bells an whistle seen on the desktop version of the app.

"An early version of Project Spartan is available in this flight. It uses our new rendering engine to give greater interoperability with the modern mobile web, and includes early versions of Reading View and Reading List. For now, Project Spartan is not the default browser, and exists side-by-side with IE11. You can find it in the All Apps list and pin it to your Start Screen from there," Microsoft's Gabe Aul wrote in a blog post.

People

The new universal People app has a new visual design but will continue to be the comprehensive list of all your contacts across the services you care about such as Exchange, Outlook.com, Gmail, Facebook, etc. You'll be able to easily manage all your contacts and quickly connect with them.

Microsoft Lumia news: AdDuplex Windows phone statistics for April reveal high-end Lumia running Windows 10

Reuters

Microsoft has been reportedly working on four new smartphones, including two flagship devices and two mid-range smartphones. Previous reports had hinted at a fall 2015 release date for Microsoft's new flagships, but had failed to provide any specific details. Microsoft's flagships and mid-range devices are expected to be launched together with Windows 10 for phones. Since Microsoft is likely to push Windows 10 for phones to vendors by the end of Q2, these smartphones could be unveiled in early Q3.

Now, AdDuplex, which serves cross-promotional ads on Windows 8 and Windows Phone apps, claims in its Phone Statistics Report to have detected recent activity from a new Microsoft Lumia handset with a 5.7-inch, 1080p display and running Windows 10 exclusively.

AdDuplex, which is exclusively allowed to run ads on Windows Phone ecosystem, has a pretty good track record of sniffing out unannounced Windows Phones. In February, the company had detected several mid-range and low-end Lumia phones, which were officially confirmed by Microsoft in the following month. According to AdDuplex's Windows Phone Statistics Report for April 2015, which analyzed monthly statistics collected from 5,429 Windows Phone apps running AdDuplex SDK v.2, it has spotted a phablet codenamed RM-1085 with a 5.7-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) screen and running Windows 10 for mobile.

AdDuplex has not confirmed if the phone it spotted is the new Microsoft flagship, but it is likely to be a successor to the Lumia 930 or Lumia 1520, as Qualcomm has claimed that the 2015 Windows flagship phone will be powered by its Snapdragon 810 SoC. Microsoft has said that it will not release a new flagship Lumia phone before the launch of Windows 10 this summer. This means that the device could be released by around June this year, the same month that Windows 10 will be officially released.

Microsoft's BUILD conference begins on April 29, and rumors suggest that since the Nokia Lumia 930 – the earlier Lumia flagship – had been launched around this time last year, the Redmond giant could provide a glimpse of a new Windows 10 smartphone at the event.

 

Follow us

Microsoft found guilty of violating wireless patents, Lumia import ban impending

Microsoft found itself on the receiving end of a punch following today's ruling that the software giant infringed on patents in its mobile devices.

In this ongoing battle, which we reported on back in June 2014, InterDigital Inc claims Microsoft violated its wireless patents by using its technology in Lumia devices without permission. This was first filed against Nokia and ZTE, but since Microsoft acquired Nokia's Devices and Services division, it's the software giant's problem now.

According to Reuters, International Trade Commission judge Theodore Essex has ruled that "Microsoft infringed on two wireless cellular patents owned by InterDigital". The judge also ruled that it would "not be against the public interest to ban the Microsoft devices from import into the United States". This could be a significant blow for Microsoft particularly when the company is already in the process of preparing the launch of its upcoming Windows 10 devices.

The decision to ban the devices still has to be reviewed by the full commission before it can go into effect, so an import ban is not a certainty just yet. See the emphasis on 'could' above? That's because we're not yet aware of which specific phones violate the patents, but a previous InterDigital vs Nokia case from 2013 targeted the Lumia 920, 822, and 820. We'll keep an eye on the case and update the article when we have additional information, so stay tuned to WinBeta for the more on it.

The rise and fall of mobile platform empires

Apple raked in 88.7 percent of all smartphone profits, while taking control of 14.8% of the global smartphone market. - File pic

The content may have been removed, or is temporarily unavailable.We apologize for the inconvenience. Please try again later.

We have a fair share of loyal iOS and Android users in the office.

While Xiaomi, Oppo and Sony Xperia managed to find their way into the hands of some of my colleagues, majority of the Android users (at least in my vicinity) are still sporting a Samsung. There are also some, who eventually decided to part ways with Android making a switch to an iPhone.

At the consumer's end, Samsung is still one of the top of the mind brand users would go for when considering a smartphone. The Korean technology company is a clear winner in terms of the smartphone sales volume, however in the past year Samsung has been hit hard by competitively priced Xiaomi and Oppo in selling budget phones in the emerging markets.

In the grand scheme of things though, it is reported that while Android currently dominates the market at 81 percent, the smartphone manufacturers are not profiting much off off it. In stark contrast Apple raked in 88.7 percent of all smartphone profits, while taking contro l of 14.8% of the global smartphone market.

With a combined stake at 96%, iOS and Android dominate the smartphone market amid increased consumer demand for a more robust app ecosystem.

Having taken different approach in driving growth, Apple and Google have created a vibrant ecosystem for application developers. The gap between the two leading mobile platforms and the rest would continue to grow, and increasingly so, the market is becoming more biased to the two platforms.

For many new businesses and brands, it has become a no brainer that should they decide on a mobile-first strategy, majority will look to Android or iOS to reach a critical mass of users — unless you have a very specific target market in mind, i.e. Blackberry enterprise users.

Are we all becoming too dependent on iOS and Android mobile ecosystem? Housed with superior content whilst offering a consistent user experience, it is seemingly impossible to topple the two mobile platforms.

W ill, say…the third mobile ecosystem contender, currently at 2.7 percent of the global marketshare— Microsoft's Windows Phone make a comeback?

Let us visualise Windows Phone for a bit. It is, hands down, a very beautifully designed piece of software. I adore how the Windows Phone's Tiles animate upon my touch, and how People Hub integrated social so seamlessly together. Microsoft Cortana might even beat Apple's Siri or Google Now. And you can't rule out the fact that the Lumia series does have its own character.

But what the platform lacks is what drawn me to iOS in the first place — the many high quality apps that are free on most occasions, and then some that I would not mind spending a portion of my hard earned cash for.

I may be biased here, since I am so entrenched in the iOS ecosystem, also a huge fan of Google's myriad of products, but at least for now, I am a satisfied consumer of both mobile ecosystems.

We live in interesting times. Th is is an era where we see the previously impossible becoming a reality.

Anything is possible in the realm of science and technology, as is the case with the predecessors, the rise and fall of an empire (Siemens, Nokia, Blackberry, etc.) greatly depends on how fast it adapts and evolve.

As the demand for more personalised mobile experience continues, there will always be an opportunity for others to become the next dominant force in the market.

By then, a new narrative will emerge. Never say never.

This video brings things into perspective -- how mobile has changed the way we interact and experience the world.

To get more news updates at your fingertips, download the Astro Awani mobile application on the App Store or Google Playstore.

Skype To Roll Out An App Exclusively Designed For India

  Home >> Infotech >> Technology   Skype To Roll Out An App Exclusively Designed For India     Skype aims to extend its usage on low-end Windows-powered Nokia's Asha and Lumia models which are more popular in India    Rate this news: < img class="c13" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhFQAVALMOAOTk5cLExfj4+evr7NbX2LW2uNDQ0vHy8ry9v93e35qcnq6wsqepq8nKy////wAAACH5BAEAAA4ALAAAAAAVABUAAARj0MlJq704620Pv4LyWUkxjFQgBOjEsi1AOIaXDUCeI4JzBLrcaWIoBIeOIIAxoyR4GYHxcjBdAIVeJtAkNjgHQ0XFISAliQQHZlg0YVEVQk14bQgGBHJQMAA0CGQUUnBUNxYRADs=" onclick="rate('4&edid=165624')"/> (0 Votes) Saturday, April 25, 2015:  Skype is all set to launch an application especially designed for Indian users. The popular software program that uses the internet to make telephone calls has been made, keeping the requirements of Indian consumers in mind. The version of Skype would not only work on the country's low-speed 2G and 3G mobile phone networks, but also on mobile phones with limited processor speeds.

Filipp Seljano, spokesperson, Skype confirmed that the new Skype application was developed after a research conducted by the team. It included testing of several voice and video-over-internet applications on Indian networks. Owned by Microsoft, Skype aims to extend its usage on low-end Windows-powered Nokia's Asha and Lumia models which are more popular in India.

The firm feels that India could be one of its most important future markets and intends to expand its market in the country in the midst of an intense debate on net neutrality. Mobile phone companies have been complaining that voice-over-internet services that ride on their networks are hampering their revenues.

Officially released in August 2003, Skype had over 660 million worldwide users by the end of 2010. Skype is still going strong and has almost 4.9 million daily active users.

Anurima Mondal, EFYTIMES News Network

Print Email Post Comment  (Total Views: 730)   Share Tweet     Infotech News     Anritsu Introduces Web Remote Tools Infineon's OPTIGA TPM Security Controller Achieves Common Criteria Certification Sterling Generators To Set Up Dealer Network As Expansion Strategy 5 Rules To Ensure Proper Programming Style Key Rules To Build A Great Tech Team                                           SUBSCRIBE TO EFYTIMESReceive the latest reviews, how-tos, news & more.

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Most popular   Daily Data I/O Announces New PSV5000 Automated Programming System Apivio Receives Purchase Order For 1,000 Wi-Fi Phones Methode Electronics' Active Energy Solutions Announces UL Certifications For Industry's First High-Density UPS In Its Class INTEGRITY Security Services Launches Industry's First End-To-End Security Solutions For Next-Generation Internet Of Things Kondor To Distribute MOTA Wearables, Mobile Accessories In UK And Ireland       Weekly European Union Delegation To Organize Media Seminar #DIGILOGUE2015 On 27 April India Ranked Second In Cyber Crimes Through Social Media Storage Switzerland Test Drive Demonstrates Transporter's Private Cloud Storage Efficiency Over Public Cloud Solutions Such As Dropbox Akitio Unveils The Thunder2 Quad Mini 12 TB Thunderbolt 2 SSD Storage Solution The Meeco Group Completes Installation Of 20KW Solar Project In Gurgaon Whatsapp To Become Largest Communication Service; Crosses 800 Million Users Samsung To Launch More Tizen-Based Smartphones? Asus Zenphone 2 Claims To Be The World's First Smartphone Range With 4GB RAM Hackers Or Google Maps Developers: Who Made The Android Bot Pee On An Apple Logo? Micromax To Launch Canvas Spark on 21 April After Facebook Changed News Feed, Twitter Launches 'Highlights' 7 Things To Do After Buying New iPhone Microsoft Launches Outlook For Android; App Now Available For Download Microsoft To Bring Office Apps To Phones In A 'Universal' Avatar Facebook Launches Caller ID App 'Hello' For Android Intex Unveils Cloud M6 Smartphone       Overall InstaLively Raises $120K From Six Angel Investors     NASSCOM 10,000 Startups Program Enters Fourth Stage     Updated Panasonic Toughpad 4K Tablet Now Available     Newly Created LAKANA Digital Publishing And Software Services Platforms To Deliver Opportunities For Local Digital Media Businesses     NoSQL Market Is Expected To Reach $4.2 Billion, Globally, By 2020 - Allied Market Research     AMD Embedded R-Series APU Powers Samsung Electronics Digital Signage Systems     IBM Investing $3 Billion In Building IoT Division     3 Successes And 3 Failures Of Microsoft     Panasonic Enhances Toughpad 4K Tablet For Improved Productivity In Creative, Technical Fields     Enterprises In India Seek Dynamic Marketing Automation Solutions, Finds Frost & Sullivan           Features 5 Rules To Ensure Proper Programming Style Here are some of the best rules that help you in attaining a better programming style.... Key Rules To Build A Great Tech Team Making IT work in any organisation is about making human connections. Here's how you can do it.... 6 Best Code Editors For Realtime Collaboration Here is the compiled list of 6 Best Code Editors for Real Time Collaboration.... Top 10 Most Expensive Gadgets In The World Here are top 10 gadgets made for super-rich people in the world... 7 Things To Do After Buying New iPhone Bought a new iPhone? Here are 7 things you need to do right away... 8 Gadgets To Make Your Smartphone Even Smarter! Check out these 8 cool gadgets that will make your smartphone smarter... 10 Must Have Google Chrome Apps Install these Chrome extension apps to boost your work productivity... Top 6 Octa-Core Android Phones Under Rs 10,000/- Here is the list of best 6 super-fast Android phones you can buy under Rs 10,000/-... 6 Qualities That Can Help You Achieve Happiness Here are 6 qualities that you can incorporate in life to find the greater happiness.... Top 10 Frequently Asked SQL Query Interview Questions Here are 10 frequently asked SQL interview questions and answers that can help you crack the interview.... 8 Best Alternatives To Bootstrap Boostrap is used by many web developers out there. If you are looking for some innovative alternative to Bootstrap. Here is the list of 8 best options... 8 Tech Companies You Didn't Know You Use Everyday! You may not have heard the names of following tech companies but, you use their product and services in daily life through your favorite app.... Top 8 PHP Libraries For Developers Here is the list of best PHP libraries for web developers and programmers... 3 Successes And 3 Failures Of Microsoft Microsoft has seen many triumphs and failures. Here are top 3 successes and 3 failures in company's 40 year journey.... Top 8 Most Expensive Smartphones In India Ever wondered about the most expensive smartphones available in India? Here is the list of luxury smartphones...     Dialogue   "One Day The End User Can Open Up A Used Battery, And Use What's Inside As Barbecue Sauce" Of course that is not something currently possible, but what B&B Batteries does have are some secret recipes for their very specialised battery design... We Wish To Procure All The LED Components Within India: Avni Energy G. Gururaja, director, Avni Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd, shares his views about the expanding LED industry in the Indian market and the company's plans i... We Have Registered 50 Per Cent Growth In The Last Two Years: Arihant Lighting Apart from LEDs, Arihant is associated with the promotion of renewable energy in India and therefore, manufactures various energy saving products.... "Elcom Plans To Build A New State Of The Art R&D And Manufacturing Unit In Maharashtra", Reveals MD Girish V Vaze Starting out as a small business to cater to the industry's need for import substitutes, Elcom International has grown to be a leader in the field of ... Delta Magnets Ltd To Enter Into JV With Chinese Company! The company had partnered with TDK Japan for technology transfer to manufacture magnets in India....       Videos   First Look: LG Optimus G The phone sports a high-end display and comes powered by a powerful processor. ... Create QR-Codes For Free TEC-IT releases the freeware QR-Code Studio to provide a quick and convenient way of QR code creation for every application scenario.... DoT Secretary Shares Plans For Growth Of Telecom Sector M.F. Farooqui has recently taken charge as secretary, Department of Telecom.... Hands-On: Sony Xperia Z Xperia Z is Sony's first entrant model in the big-screen smartphone category. ... Hands On: Videocon A30 Smartphone Videocon, the consumer electronics company which is known for its refrigerators, washing machine and air-conditioner has unveiled its Android-based sm...           IFA 2014   IFA 2014: LG Launches 34-Inches Curved Monitor The company is yet to confirm price and availability of the device.... IFA 2014: Intel Launches First Core M Range Of Processors This range of processors is tailor-made for 2-in-1 devices which include a tablet and a laptop.... MWC 2014: Tablet Lets People Feel Textures On Its Screen Now feel what you see on your tablet, by way of ultrasonic waves.... MWC 2014: 4K Android Tablet Games To Kill Consoles, iPad Tablet makers like Samsung want to beat the iPad by making 4K tabs. ... MWC 2014: This Vodafone Backpack Helps Get Network In Disaster Situations Two engineers of Vodafone New Zealand displayed the "mini" mobile network by Vodafone substructure in a backpack. ... MWC 2014: Wilocity Chipset To Bring 'Lightening' Speed To Mobile Phones Wilocity has developed a WiGig chipset for mobile phones that will bring lightning-fast wireless capability ... MWC 2014: Samsung Introduces Octacore, Hexacore Chipsets The Korean giant, Samsung unveiled two new octacore and hexacore chipsets at MWC 2014, in Barcelona. The company previously used Exynos 5 Octa 5410 ch...           Comments   jobaer said:   "All are awesome" on 10 Greatest Computer Programmers ... ' Dhananjaya Maha Malage said:   "nice article. thanks" on 20 Tools And Resources For Building ... ' minhaj said:   "17300" on ' 10 DNS Tools For Linux System ... ' Brenda Kay Pope said:   "17296" on ' Top 8 Experimental Features In ... ' ram said:   "17291" on ' Top 6 Live Chat Software For Websites ' Events   19th Consumer Electronic Imaging Fair To Be Held On ...