Windows Phone 8 Versus iOS 6
and Android
An event is scheduled for
October 29th where Microsoft is expected to announce the availability of their
new phone operating system called Windows Phone 8. The phone OS event will
follow on the heels of the Oct 26th launch of Microsoft's new computer operating
system; Windows 8 and Windows RT. Windows Phone 8 was unveiled last summer and
will round out the next generation of Microsoft operating systems that are well
suited for a cross section of devices from desktop computers to tablets and
smartphones. If you're considering one of the new Windows Phone 8 smartphones
here are some things you should know.
Tiles, Widgets and Icons
Windows Phone 8 retains the
"tile" interface from previous versions of Windows Phone. Tiles will
be the way users interact with Microsoft devices from laptops to smartphones.
Tiles have some advantages over icons; they can be sized differently and they
can display more or less information depending on their size. Android offers
widgets that can also be resized and can be used for things like displaying
dynamic information and playback control. Apple doesn't offer widgets but they
do offer badges and a new improved notification center for information updates.
We think Microsoft tiles offer a better method for displaying different snapshots
of changing information at a glance.
SD Card Support
Apple has never offered a
microSD Card slot on any of its phones or tablets and probably never will.
Android supports SD cards and so does Windows Phone 8. Microsoft greatly
improved their support for SD cards from what they offered in previous versions
of Windows Phone. You can buy a high speed 64GB microSD card for around $60.
They can also be a fast way to transfer big files like videos from your mobile
device to your computer.
Mobile Wallets and NFC
Microsoft will be supporting
NFC (near field communications) in Windows Phone 8 with a "Wallet"
app and payment platform. NFC can also make other contactless interactions
possible including tapping objects to get information about them or sharing information
with other NFC-enabled devices. Android has supported NFC for some time and has
been trying to get their Google Wallet mobile payment service off the ground
for a while as well. Apple decided to forgo NFC in the iPhone 5 but that
doesn't mean we won't see it in future products. Apple, instead offers Passbook
which provides a way to combine coupons, boarding passes, movie tickets and
more on your iPhone but Apple doesn't make NFC-based contactless payments
possible.
Maps and Directions
Apple ditched Google maps in
favor of its own version and took some heat for glitches that were widely
publicized. Google maps and directions are highly regarded and one of the
reasons to consider an Android phone. Microsoft invested a lot of money in
Nokia who themselves had acquired a world class mapping company Navteq that
provides maps for many devices including Garmin GPS devices. Windows Phone 8
will take advantage of Nokia's mapping expertise as it replaces Bing Maps in
Windows Phone 8.
Tellme vs. Siri vs. Google
Now
Whether you love
voice-activated assistants like Siri or find them somewhat comical, they are
here to stay and they will only get better with time. Apple’s Siri got a bump
up with iOS 6 offering support for other languages and better integration with
social media services. Google Now is fast and capable much like Samsung’s S
Voice used on its smartphones. Microsoft acquired a company named Tellme in
2007 to beef up their voice technology and have been building up their service
over the years. Microsoft’s voice activated phone assistant will have to work
hard to compete with Siri and Google Now but it’s not too far behind.
Windows Phone 8 Camera
"Lenses"
There's no question that
Microsoft will have its work cut out for it to compete against the quality of
the camera and apps in iPhone and Android phones. One way Microsoft hopes to do
that is with its "Lens" apps that integrate other photo apps like
their own Photosynth panorama app into the camera functionality. Recently Nokia
showed off their "City Lens" which adds augmented reality to Windows
Phone 8. We expect to see many third party developers add Lens apps to Windows
Phone 8 in the future.
Smart Glass, AirPlay, Xbox,
Games and Media
Neither Apple nor Google has
a game console like the Xbox as part of their "ecosystem." Although
there are plenty of games to play on iPhones and Android phones, Microsoft
might be able to leverage its relationships with game developers to create a
competitive gaming environment on Windows Phone 8 devices. Apple's AirPlay
offers some similar capabilities to Microsoft's new Smart Glass including the
ability to move content from your phone or tablet onto your big screen TV
through AppleTV but with technology like Smart Glass, Microsoft might be able
to give Apple some competition in the battle for the living room.
Video Conferencing
We don't expect to see Apple
create a FaceTime app for Windows Phone 8 but if they wanted to, they'd find it
pretty easy to do with the way Microsoft has integrated VoIP into its new phone
OS. Skype, a Microsoft company, may be one of the more prominent video
conferencing services to take advantage Windows Phone 8 but we expect to see
many developers create apps that work with People Hub, Contacts, Dialer and
more Windows Phone 8 services and APIs.
Can Windows Phone 8 Be a
Contender?
Although Microsoft makes
most of its money selling software to big corporations, it's putting a lot of
resources into the consumer market these days. Microsoft's "8"
platform includes two computer operating systems (Windows 8 and Windows RT) and
a Phone OS which all share much of the same code base. This should make it
easier for developers to write apps across many different devices. In
re-writing the Windows Phone 8 kernal around NT, Microsoft made it possible for
developers to take advantage of the security, file structure and other features
that have made Windows a popular platform in the corporate and consumer world.
Enterprise IT departments might find Windows Phone 8 management and security
features like BitLocker and secure boot mode very compelling, making Windows
Phone 8 devices attractive alternatives to BlackBerry, Apple and Android
devices. Microsoft could either establish a third place in the smartphone
market with hopes of moving higher or it's possible they could fall further
behind as Apple and Google fight for the larger slices of the pie. Right now
it's anyone's guess but be prepared to see significant marketing campaigns from
Microsoft and their partners to create demand for Microsoft "8".
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