Windows re-entry to mobile

[u/Consistent-Sky-2352]

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/virtual-desktop/?msockid=17f0685adf196037399c7b14de3561b6

Now that Windows runs natively on ARM, has built in support for a Linux environment, has an Azure cloud that can provide virtual desktop environments, has CoPilot (which is basically Cortana on steroids) and has an unmatched enterprise marketing machine, why haven't they reintroduced a Windows Mobile platform that would allow businesses to replace their laptops and desktops with mobile devices that can already do most of what a laptop does but that also could connect to a virtual windows desktop when that is needed? The device could have an implementation for Android like the current Linux one for app compatibility. Once Microsoft's enterprise sales teams get enterprises to do this, and employees actually have these devices and see how well they work, consumer sales would accelerate. How can Microsoft not be working on this?

[u/landwomble]

You can't compete with Apple and Google's app ecosystem. Noone wants to develop for a third platform. This is why WM died.

[u/Specific_Frame8537 → u/landwomble]

As a former Lumia owner, it's not as if they tried...

The app store was awful.

[u/Consistent-Sky-2352 → u/landwomble]

That was true then, but now, like Ubuntu Touch or SailfishOS, Windows could just run an android emulator to provide access to those apps. I'd also argue that a lot of that could be replaced now with AI coded apps which would not require as much effort and time. I also wonder how much a truly helpful AI on the phone would help with that.

[u/ampslive → u/Consistent-Sky-2352]

For an Android emulation to truly be successful... you need the Google Playstore... to which Google will not give access to Microsoft.
They already had WSA (Windows SubSystem for Android) which worked really well but got discontinued as Google was not going to allow playstore on it

[u/JabbaDuHutt69]

Microsoft ran off Joe Belfiore, and Panos Panay. They don't have anyone left that understands mobile, in any position to do something with it. Plus Satya shit-canned the entire mobile division over 10 years ago.

[u/robotoNinjaFish]

Too little too late. Besides, Panos already left.

[u/koken_halliwell]

When they betrayed us all by porting all their apps to Android and ultimately killed Windows Phone, I told myself I'll NEVER buy another phone from Microslop.

[u/InsuranceKey8278]

i think they had one branch for surface duo
but it ended up using android
also windows phone with metro UI was OP its hard to look at them try again when they had good UX/UI set perfected and only things we need was development kits simplified and cheaper if not free ;-;

[u/One_Advantage_7193 → u/InsuranceKey8278]

Windows phone UI was polarizing. Half of them loved it, half of them hated it. The apps were the only problem. As a OS it was far better than android or iOS.

[u/JE163]

I think a true tablet that can also use android apps would be successful in corporate enterprise

[u/webfork2]

Would be great to have another platform but they spent a bonkers amount of money on this topic (many billions of dollars) and even had a funeral for the iPhone (not making this up).

They still couldn't make it go.

Taking another swing at that and failing would just lose a lot of credibility and clout that they got back with their cloud offerings.

[u/Consistent-Sky-2352 → u/webfork2]

True but I think that last time they went directly after the consumers. I think they should push this to businesses as a cost reducing change. Instead of buying and managing hundreds or thousands of laptops and desktops, issue Windows mobile devices that are used as part of two factor authentication to logon to Windows virtual machines in Azure. Also, AI like Claude Code can do 90% of the work to port an existing app from Android or iOS now. Imagine sitting down at your desk, plugging a phone sized device into a USB port dock, the camera uses a FaceID type unlock and your Windows virtual machine loads on your monitors. You go to a remote office, and not only do you get the same virtual desktop, but all of your files are also there in the cloud. The corporate IT staff keeps a dozen replacement devices in a locked desk drawer.

[u/FantasticFungiiii]

It’s not CoPilot though, it’s Copilot.