We've certainly all been hearing the horrible heap of criticism (or indifference) lavished on Microsoft and Windows 8 as of late. It seems Microsoft just can't get a break.
But perhaps there are still some reasons to believe Windows 8 could see some new success with consumers, even if the IT crowd has all but poo-pooed the OS pretty much since day one.
Windows 8.1 Blue may be just around the corner, with a likely reveal in June, and Windows 8 may very well be saved by the update alone.
As Information Week put it in a Saturday, May 18 analysis of Window 8 hopes, Microsoft may first of all likely get a boost from:
5. Implementing specs/features such as the new Intel chips and better battery life.
"Intel's Haswell core chips should be shipping inside Windows 8.1 devices by this fall," Information Week suggests. It also adds that those who might have been disappointed by poor battery life when it comes to the Surface Pro line, Haswell is also working on "improvements in power management."
This may grant us tablets or hybrid tablets such as the Surface Pro line and Sony Ultrabooks (running on Windows 8) that can work as high-powered laptops with the ability to run all day on a single battery charge.
"Intel's chips are also expected to facilitate thinner, lighter form factors, and to deliver improved graphics performance -- perfect for the high-density screens that will be common on the next round of high-end, Surface Pro-like machines," Information Week says, adding too that Intel said the new processors are twice as powerful as the current ones and are on the way later this year.
4. Cheaper Windows 8-powered devices.
One of the big problems with Windows 8-powered Surface Pro devices is that they are super-expensive at nearly $900 a pop. Haswell has reported that the new Ultrabooks will likely be closer to $600 and Windows 8-powered Atom tablets could be half that according to Engadget.
3. More variants and touchscreens, too.
"Windows 8 struggled partially due to a lack of elegance in the new interface," Information Week says. "But a lot of that bad buzz came from people who ran the OS without a touchscreen."
Later this year, we should be seeing on shelves at stores everywhere far more Windows-8 powered devices that integrate touchscreens for better usability, according to Information Week, which reminds us too that we may see such size variants as 30-inch hybrids and 7-inch Surface devices as early as next summer.
2. Revisions made for Windows 8.1 UI.
We've already mentioned a lot of Windows 8's success is based largely on how well many of the revisions we need will be implemented in the new Windows 8.1 Blue.
"Many of the tweaks, such as the ability to resize and customize Live Tile sizes, are small but welcome," Information Week says. "Others, such as an improved Snap Views function that allows up to four Metro apps to be displayed simultaneously, are more functional. Other changes include deeper Sky Drive integration, Internet Explorer 11 and support for new touch gestures."
1. Closing the "App Gap."
We talked to both folks at Nokia and Microsoft itself about the dreaded "App Gap," which is the euphemism for the fact that Microsoft just doesn't have the vast number of apps offered by rivals Google and Apple.
But as both Nokia and Microsoft told us, it's not always about quantity, and the fact remains that Nokia in particular has some pretty killer exclusive apps for its Windows 8-powered Lumia phones alone.
Information Week also reminds us that in addition to the "quality versus quantity" argument, Microsoft is: A) Actively engaging developers to join up with its app developer family, B) Releasing updates that improve these apps and C) Building an "elite" team that will be building apps for the entire Windows ecosystem.
What do you think about Windows 8 (or future iterations)? Is there still a chance it will make it to 2020, or are we seeing the end coming near? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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