Microsoft, which has been ridiculed as “the best developer on Apple’s platform” many times, is finally about to officially declare war on Apple.
A few days ago, Microsoft held a web conference and officially released a new generation of Windows-Windows 11. This is also the first major version iteration after Microsoft released Windows 10 in July 2015. Microsoft CEO Nadella said that Windows 11 is one of the important milestones of Windows, “this is the beginning of a new generation.”
In the new Windows 11, Microsoft not only brought a redesigned UI style, but also made it clear that Windows 11 will support native running Android applications.
After Microsoft tried to make Windows support other platform applications again, Sutu.com vaguely smelled the “flavor of gunpowder” that the “ecological war” was about to start.
In Windows 11, the three-dimensional frosted glass effect used in Windows Vista has become the main tone of Windows 11. At the same time, the “desktop widget” function introduced in the Vista era has also returned in Windows 11.
Not only that, Microsoft has also introduced a new multitasking layout method-Snap Layouts. When the user hoveres the mouse on the window maximize button, the system will actively provide a variety of different multitasking layout methods for users to choose. And the “start” button, which has been arranged in the corner of the past dynasties, finally moved to the center of the menu bar.
Jobs once said, “Design is not only about vision and feeling, it is to present the laws of the operation of things.”
Through the changes of Microsoft’s system UI in Windows 11, we can also see the layout of Microsoft’s software and hardware ecology in the future.
On the one hand, Windows 11 is heavily optimized for touch screen operationsFor example, move the start menu to the center of the screen. Compared with the edge of the screen, the centered design is more suitable for people to focus more on the center of the screen when using mobile devices (such as mobile phones and tablets) to avoid hands The edge of the screen is blocked, which can realize the search operation more efficiently. At the same time, with the cloud and Microsoft 365, the “Start” menu can display recent documents to users, further improving user retrieval efficiency.
On the other hand, through the reset UI layout, the experience of multiple hardware terminals is consistent.The centered icon and window layout can better match the multi-screen adaptive function of the Windows 11 upgrade, and minimize the impact of content layout. When an external monitor with a larger display size is connected, the window layout will be enlarged accordingly , When the monitor is disconnected and the user only uses the laptop screen, the layout ratio of the window will also be actively adjusted accordingly.
With the Snap Layouts function, multiple windows can be quickly tiled on the entire screen, improving the utilization efficiency of large screens (PCs, smart large screens), and thereby increasing the productivity of multi-window collaborative work.
Not only that, the adaptive function of the application window can also enable developers to “develop at one time, use multiple terminals” when developing apps. This also allowed Microsoft to officially announce in 2015, but it finally broke the UWP (Universal Application) plan. Or it will make a comeback based on Windows 11.
In order to complete the expansion of the ecosystem, especially for the deficiencies of the mobile ecosystem that Microsoft once “missed”, Window 11’s support for Android App has become the most concerned content in this upgrade.
As early as 2016, Microsoft launched Project Astoria in order to expand its mobile App ecosystem. For Android developers, they can submit applications written in Java or C++ language to Microsoft in APK format and make them available on Windows 10 phones. run. However, due to the extremely low market share of Windows Phone, this plan was difficult to get support from developers, and ultimately fell into disarray.
In Sutu.com’s view, the “collaboration” of Windows 11 with Google Android, to a certain extent, reflects Microsoft’s ambition to tear off the “best platform developer” label and establish an independent ecosystem.
With the official launch of the M1 processor by Apple silicon last year, and the launch of the M1-equipped Mac product line, Mac products have the ability to run iPad App, which makes the originally scarce Mac application ecology like a blessing and gains in richness. A certain complement. Although the subsequently launched iPad Pro equipped with the M1 processor did not get the right to run the Mac App, in terms of hardware, Apple has paved the way for the two to get through. At the same time, with the iPhone, iPad and other iOS device linkage characteristics, although the base of Mac users is low, the platform stickiness is very high.
According to data from the market research organization IDC, in 2020, the share of Windows reached 80.5%. Although it is still the world‘s largest desktop operating system, the market share of Windows has shown a downward trend, from 85.4% in 2019 to the present. Of 80.5%, followed by Google Chrome OS and Apple macOS, with market shares of 10.8% and 7.5%, respectively.
Although before the official launch of Windows 11, it is still uncertain how Microsoft will implement “native” running Android App in Windows 11. However, according to the current mainstream technology path, Sutu.com guessed: One may be the ARM-based Windows version, and the other may be directly through the emulator to simulate the operating environment of the Android App.
However, both paths are not perfect. The former is more efficient, but has more stringent requirements for hardware equipment and software systems; the latter is less efficient, but developers do not need to carry out secondary development, and the adaptation threshold is lower.Therefore, Windows 11 is more likely to achieve “native” compatibility through the emulator.
As the world‘s largest desktop operating system, Windows, and the world‘s largest mobile operating system, Android, have joined forces. It seems that Windows has made up for the lack of mobile ecology. Android can access a larger desktop system’s traffic portal to jointly fight Apple’s ecological expansion. however,In Sutu’s view, although supporting Android App can slow down the decline in Windows market share, it is unlikely to achieve counter-attacking growth.
The reason is that Microsoft and Google are two major international Internet platforms, each with its own account system. In the Internet era where the “traffic gains the world“, whoever holds the dominance of the account system will have more traffic access. Obviously, on the Windows platform, it is naturally impossible for Microsoft to give up its dominance. For Google, sitting on the “pro son” Chrome OS, will not give too many possibilities to Microsoft. With the release of Google’s new generation system Fuchsia OS last month, Google will still focus on itself in the future. Above the system.
Therefore, although Microsoft Windows 11 supports Android App, although “seemingly beautiful”, the final result is likely to be “shaved head-a hot one”. It will become a follower of Google in the mobile ecology in the form of compatibility for a long time, and quietly. Waiting for the “new UWP” developed in Windows 11 for touch screens and multi-terminals to support the world.
At least, in Windows 11, Microsoft already has the ability to defend its “territory” by accessing the Android ecosystem. As for the successful counterattack, it depends on whether Microsoft can get enough developer support, get rid of Android as soon as possible, and achieve multi-end wireless Sewing synergy.
Note: All pictures in the article are from the official promotional video of Microsoft Windows 11Return to Sohu to see more
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