After the terrible reputation Windows RT has received, it’s as if it has no home, but Microsoft’s Executive Vice President of Operating Systems, Terry Myerson, believes it still has a place, and that place could be in phones.
During Microsoft’s financial analysts meeting yesterday, Myerson hammered home the importance of Windows RT, and even hinted at its new found home on phones.
Myerson said that “we really should have one silicon interface for all of our devices,” and that there should also be “one set of developer APIs on all of our devices.”
One place Windows RT has struggled is in apps, and it’s finding that struggle even harder due to it not sharing an app store with its phone counterpart, which is just picking up.
Microsoft clearly wants to adopt the Apple strategy, allowing phone apps to run on tablets also, rather than the currently fragmented system that Microsoft has. “All of the apps we bring to end users should be available on all our devices,” said Myerson.
Windows RT was received poorly not just by consumers but also by manufacturers, who have been dropping like flies, but Myerson remains convinced that it’s the future. “Windows RT was our first ARM tablet. And as phones extend into tablets, expect us to see many more ARM tablets, Windows ARM tablets in the future,” he said.
It has been rumoured for some time now that Windows RT and Windows Phone will eventually merge, although it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon, with Windows Phone set for a large Windows Phone Blue update, which is likely to bring it closer, but not fully merge with Windows RT.