With Windows 8 available now, it's safe to say that Microsoft's entry into the mobile software world hasn't been the easiest transition for the company to make. It's not going to get easier with the launch of Apple's iOS 7 and Google's Android Key Lime Pie, but considering how many people are moving to the mobile space these days, it's a transition that needs to happen.
The next step is Windows Blue, and Microsoft needs Blue to do well in order to compete against the likes of Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie and iOS 7, which is expected to get a complete overhaul from Apple's top design gurus. Android Key Lime Pie, meanwhile, will be heading the most popular operating system in the world. How exactly is Windows Blue supposed to help Microsoft?
The whole point of Windows Blue is to better integrate Windows 8 into Windows Phones and Windows 8 tablets. Right now, there's a clear line separating what can be done with the Metro Live Tile user interface and the desktop mode (Office, for example, can't really be accessed through Metro). Windows Blue will offer better integration and syncing, moving Microsoft toward a more unified Windows platform.
According to The Verge, "Microsoft will deliver Windows 8-style 'Metro' versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint later this year that include editing functionality that's similar to the company's Office Web Apps. Recent comments by Microsoft's Office president, Kurt DelBene, suggest that the company's 'Metro' versions of Office will include a subset of features that revert to the full desktop applications for greater editing control."
Syncing also will play a bigger role going forward, as "Microsoft is working to increase the number of experiences that sync from PC-to-phone. Xbox Music demonstrated this well in Windows Phone 8, but a future Blue version of Windows Phone will include sync hooks for the browser and content preferences."
Microsoft is also planning to start moving toward more of a subscription model for its services with Windows Blue. You could see hints of this move with the Office 365 subscription option, and if it's successful, Microsoft will move more services in that direction.
Will the strategy work? And can Microsoft align the release of its services so that they hit all devices at the same time? The latter is something that Microsoft still needs to work on, since it's not going to change with the release of Windows Blue (Windows Phone Blue won't launch until after the PC/tablet version). It needs to work faster to get the platforms in sync, but if it can, Microsoft might be able to thrive in the mobile world after all.
