Confused? You don’t need to be. Here we’ll break down what it is and why you need to know about it.
What is Windows Phone?
Windows Phone is Microsoft’s mobile operating system that launched in 2010. It was originally called Windows Phone 7, and was Microsoft’s attempt to move away from its outdated and user-unfriendly Windows Mobile operating system.
Windows Phone is found on handsets made by big-name manufacturers like Samsung, LG and Nokia. Microsoft also bought Nokia’s mobile division, and now makes its own phones under the Microsoft Lumia brand.
Why Windows 10 is different
Windows 10 has some of the same features, but it works with Windows 10 on your desktop computer, laptop and tablet, making for a much more seamless experience.
For example, universal apps will work on all your devices, and will look very similar. So if you use a maps app on your phone, say, you won’t have to get used to a whole new look and feel on your desktop.
You’ll also get the full version of Microsoft Office programs like Word and PowerPoint, and they’ll work just as on your computer. It’s basically Windows but shrunken down to fit into your phone. Hence the name change from Windows Phone to just Windows 10 – Microsoft wants you to know this operating system hardly differs between devices.
Features
So what can it do? There are plenty of new features to play with.
The most notable is universal apps, which we’ve already touched on. Apps like Photos, Music and Videos will look almost identical no matter if you’re using a desktop PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. Not only is this handy for instantly familiarising yourself with the app, the devices also talk to each other, and know which actions you’ve already done. Swipe away a notification on your Windows 10 handset, for example, and it’ll also clear from your desktop computer.
Microsoft Office documents also sync across devices and in the cloud. Make a change to a Word document on your phone, and the same tweak will happen on the desktop version.
It still has the Live Tiles that appeared in Windows Phone, and they’re still dynamic – in other words, they update live, so you can check the weather just by glancing at the weather icon on the home screen instead of opening the app.
It also has a new browser called Spartan. This replaces Internet Explorer, which has been Windows’ stablemate for years. Not much info is known about how it will work on mobile yet. Microsoft has more competition than ever in terms of browsers, with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox being far more usable. Expect big changes for Spartan.
You can resize and reposition the keyboard, and it lets you switch between SMS and Skype without changing apps. Dictation skills have also been upped – it’ll delve into your contacts to find out how to spell someone’s name when you say it, for example.
Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant, is also on board. It can currently be found on Windows Phone 8.1 handsets, but expect it to be endowed with some new talents come Windows 10.
What’s so good about it?
It means you won’t have to learn how to use each app on your desktop PC as well as on your mobile, as they’ll be nearly identical. This will also make things easier for app makers, as they won’t have to change much between different versions of their apps on different devices. Which means they can get on with the fun stuff, like adding more features and making their apps more useful.
You’ll be less likely to lose changes you’ve made to a document too, thanks to cloud syncing across all devices. That also means you’re guaranteed to be working on the latest version, so you won’t waste any time on an out-of-date one.
What phones will it run on?
A host of new handsets are bound to launch at the same time to piggyback off the hype. But if you already have a Windows Phone handset, you might not need a new one. For the first year, Windows 10 will be available as a free download to phones running Windows Phone 8.1. These devices include the Microsoft Lumia 535 and 640, the Nokia Lumia 930 and HTC One M8 for Windows.
When will it come out?
It’s set to launch around oct 2015, though Microsoft hasn’t been more specific than that. Watch this space…
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