Mobile Phones

Windows Phone Might Not be Dead After All

Jade primo

Technology blogs and other publications have recently spoken of how Windows Phone, Microsoft’s own take on the mobile operating system, has died an early death, subdued by the pressure of its major competitors on the market. To be honest, Windows Phone has indeed failed as a consumer OS, having been released too late to matter. The lack of apps didn’t help with the popularity of the platform, either.

Right now the possibilities for a Windows Phone user are limited. Popular apps, available on Android and iOS, didn’t get a Windows Phone edition. Lucky for us, poor bastards with a Windows Phone we love, some third parties have developed alternatives that beat official apps big time. Like MetroTube, that offers a YouTube experience Android users have to pay for. But when it comes to games, I’m restricted to playing Red Flush mobile casino in an Internet Explorer window. I don’t have to tell you how that looks, I guess.

Jade primo

While Windows Phone is not a great OS for consumers, it might just be the best choice for businesses having a Windows-based IT infrastructure. Especially when (or if?) the much anticipated Windows 10 finally makes it on handsets other than new ones released by Microsoft and others. Yes, others – at least two new Windows 10 smartphones are in the works. And while none of them has a major brand – no Samsung, HTC or similar brands risk launching a Windows 10 handset – their existence gives hopes to fans of the Metro interface.

Acer’s upcoming Jade Primo will be a beautiful work of engineering. Its hexa-core Snapdragon 808 chipset will make it a great choice for any business application, while its Adreno 418 GPU will help it ace the games, too. The rest of its specs are also impressive – 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, a 21 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash, 4G LTE, a USB-C connector, and whatever else you can think of.

VAIO Phone Biz

The other phone will be initially released in Japan only, by the company that bought the VAIO brand from Sony a few years ago. The VAIO Phone Biz will have similar hardware under its hood. It will not have an USB-C connector, and its price is expected to be lower.

These handsets would probably be destined to failure was it not for their support for Microsoft’s revolutionary new concept, Continuum. Because this new technology will allow both phones to instantly turn into a desktop PC, capable of performing all business-related tasks, when connected to a large display. Acer’s handset will be able to do this using a wired adapter connected to its USB-C port, while the VAIO model will do the same with a wireless adapter. This will redefine portable computing – you will be able to travel with all your documents literally in your pocket.

Windows Phone might be dead when compared to a consumer smartphone OS, like Android and iOS. But it still has a future as the pocket-sized extension of a company’s own IT infrastructure.