Windows 8. Hate it or love it, there is certain something in the air when talking about it.
HTML5 as native language
Native applications for Windows 8 Metro are written in standard HTML5 instead of, for example C# – A language usually heavily endorsed by Microsoft. Why then JavaScript over C#, or anything else for that matter? It turns out that this is actually the most pivotal thing in future of Windows and it just might end up powering the next era of PC. Let me explain.
Personal Computer
PC stands for Personal Computer – A computer that one can tailor for their needs. This was the catalyst that fueled the computer revolution, as it made cheaper computers possible, thus commodificating the computer itself, which in turn fueled the internet revolution and so forth. While Apple likes to rant about post-PC world, where PC becomes irrelevant, I suspect Microsoft has other ideas.
The very essence of PC are the countless different hardware configurations – Something that was the thorn in Microsoft side for the longest time: It turns out it’s quite hard to make something run rock-steady in 100 gazillion different computers. What this also means is that there are thousands of different display sizes and setups out there. Windows used to work around this problem by having toolbars and, well, application windows. Metro will have none of that – The applications run full screen, end of story. To up the ante, Microsoft even demoed Windows 8 running on 82-inch touch display. How the hell do you work around that?
PC + HTML5 = <3
Turns out this is a problem that is solved every day in the internet, as web developers have been developing solutions for this exact problem for more than a decade now. And with ever faster JavaScript engines and swarm of new features you can actually start doing pretty radical stuff – Applications that can compete with native applications. So, suddenly the marriage between PC and HTML5 doesn’t look so silly anymore, in fact it starts to look more and more like a no-brainer. By going HTML5, Microsoft is tapping into the largest and most important developer community out there – The web developers, and with them, they have all the developers (developers developers) they will ever need.
When you start to think about it, Windows 8 could not have better timing: The rise of responsive design and HTML5 revolution. It’s almost like it was planned all along…
Gaming prowess
Microsoft certainly takes gaming seriously, so gaming should be on spotlight with Windows 8, and all the devices around it. We already know that Windows 8 will be able to run XBox games. There are also rumors that the next XBox would not have physical drive at all, which just makes sense. So, as Microsoft is doubling down on digital distribution (Microsoft Store, Videos, Music) and Windows 8 already has XBox live, it should be safe bet to say that both of these will run games bought from the same store – Buy a game from your Windows 8 PC and fire it up on your XBox. Coolness.
Now, add in the fact that that both devices can already run XNA games which Windows Phone happens to run as well. So, suddenly you have 3-5 different devices that are all connected to the same ecosystem and can run, either the same exact game, or some version of it. Imagine a game that you can play from your smartphone to your game console to the high-end PC in your bedroom and back to tablet in your lap. Of course the game experience and the controls must be customized to each device, but HTML5 can even help on that. Hell, in the near future, you can run the same games on just HTML5.
Or just shop for new games on your phone as you sit on the bus and when you get home, fire up your XBox or PC and the game is there.
Ecosystem to kill all ecosystems
So, as we have the reasons down for HTML5 as native language, could we possibly make something else out of all this? Well, ecosystems are all the rage now, and for good reason: They offer the consumer more value while making it psychologically harder for consumer to move – Money and effort invested would be lost. Windows 8 will have one in the form of Microsoft Store, which is prominently displayed in the Start Screen. However, Microsoft just happens to have two ecosystems more, both with different size screens: Windows Phone and XBox – Windows Phone with the Microsoft Marketplace and XBox is slowly rolling out “applications” (what a coincidence).
When you realize that Microsoft Store is only accepting Metro applications and, both, Windows Phone and XBox are slated to receive major updates in the near future (with Windows Phone 8 and XBox 720), the pieces start to click. If all the applications in the Store are able to run on any screen size, then what if you would combine all of these three ecosystems under the single Microsoft Store umbrella and have developers to be able to sell their application on all three platforms – Buy once, use everywhere. Suddenly the reach and magnitude of the ecosystem would skyrocket – Once you have purchase something on any platform, your are inclined to stay under the same umbrella if possible. And once you realize that 90% of the PC’s on Earth are running Windows, XBox 360 is the gaming console king, you start to get an idea of the reach – It’s an ecosystem to die for. And all this is possible only because of the disruptive technology such as HTML5.
So, expect Windows Phone 8 to introduce HTML5 and start retiring Silverlight. Also, XBox 720 will have Windows Store.
Cloud power for everyone
One of the major features in Windows 8 is the Windows Accounts, which in essence lets you log in with your Windows Account to any Windows 8 PC, and as it stores all your data in the cloud, you’ll have your applications, settings and even files (the ones you chose to sync) right where you left them, like you never switched computers. Now, next logical step would be that this functionality would be extended to all capable devices, namely Windows Phone and XBox. Suddenly, you would have unified experiences across screens: Change your lockscreen in Windows 8 and your phone and TV mirror it instantly. As any application can use this power, the possibilities are be limitless.
Extra: Tech support just got easy
Just think about all the mythical tech support gnomes who, even as you are reading this, are installing billion different applications to billion different computers. Well, with Windows 8, that whole scene will change radically: No longer will you have to remotely install/update/uninstall applications – Just find the application you need, point it to said Windows Accounts and you’re done. Time for beer for job well done.
Conclusion
When Windows arrived, with PC, it changed the world as anyone could have a computer. Computer became a commodity. With Windows 8 and the Microsoft ecosystem, the world could change again – The ecosystems will become commodificated in the sense that everyone, on any device, can start using them. Think of TV’s with Windows 8? Computers. Smart and maybe even featurephones. How many devices you know that could run Windows? Hell, even things like the ATMs usually run on Windows.
Also, when you have an ecosystem like this, how is anyone supposed to compete with it? Apple would be the closest competitor but they don’ t come even close to the reach Microsoft has. The dominance of Microsoft around 90s might be just the first chapter, as there is a decent possibility that it will change computing as we know it, much as Windows did with PC.