UWP Google Apps?
Well, this one is hard to predict. Many are speculating or even outright saying that as a result of the patent settlements between MS and Google, that Google will bring its services to Windows 10 as UWP apps and that this will be announced at tomorrow's devices event.
On the one hand, there is some compelling reasons to believe this. Many of Microsoft's recent settlements have involved some sort of software related agreements, and this would be right up that alley. Like the Asus one to ship their Android phones with Office pre-installed.
On the flipside however, Google has fervently fought and more or less outright declared that they would never write apps for Windows. Well technically, their claim was that they didn't have a large enough market share to target. But that is, of course, BS. In the desktop and laptop sphere they have the largest market share still and in terms of raw devices they outnumber iOS who Google does provide apps for. So their claim was obviously dubious from day 1. The real motivation seems to be that they are afraid of Microsoft's mobile efforts getting traction.
Before you laugh your heads off at that suggestion go read any article on why people chose not to go with Windows Phone or left. Even those that don't mention the app gap still tend to explicitly mention a lack of 1st party Google apps. And, as I've said in the past, the only OS that competes with Android at a variety of price points is Windows Phone.
While it may just be a few countries outside of North America, there are actually places where Windows Phone is #2 and by no small margin. Apple, and even BlackBerry don't make budget handsets, and with Android's open nature, budget Android phones often deliver a crap experience (not Google's fault directly). So, in markets where budget phones are a big deal, Microsoft is doing much better. It really isn't hard to imagine that if they can close the app gap that they could even be a threat here.
The threat is no less real today than it was when Google made that decree about not supporting Windows. So, there is a lot of reason to believe that Google would not give in so easily. But, with the right agreements and assurances to protect Android and its OEMs it may have seemed worthwhile to Google.
As to whether or not we'll see apps tomorrow or an announcement; of that I'm less certain. Press releases tend to be pretty timely, especially around legal settlements. After all, an unsettled trial creates a bit of tension for investors. So, if things were only dealt with a week ago it seems unlikely that there are any apps completed or that any will be available tomorrow. It is possible, but also unlikely, that they would even announce such a thing unless they have some sort of iron clad contract on what Google will deliver and when. It also seems too close to the settlement for them to nailed down the details.
I do however think that it is entirely possible that this is part of that settlement. This is actually quite huge for Android. Today, pretty much every Android maker pays Microsoft royalties on every handset sold. This doesn't make those handset makers happy. Either with Microsoft or Google. With this agreement in place, when those contracts expire Microsoft won't be hounding the OEMs to renew them or threatening them. This effectively allows Google to say two things to its partners:
On the one hand, there is some compelling reasons to believe this. Many of Microsoft's recent settlements have involved some sort of software related agreements, and this would be right up that alley. Like the Asus one to ship their Android phones with Office pre-installed.
On the flipside however, Google has fervently fought and more or less outright declared that they would never write apps for Windows. Well technically, their claim was that they didn't have a large enough market share to target. But that is, of course, BS. In the desktop and laptop sphere they have the largest market share still and in terms of raw devices they outnumber iOS who Google does provide apps for. So their claim was obviously dubious from day 1. The real motivation seems to be that they are afraid of Microsoft's mobile efforts getting traction.
Before you laugh your heads off at that suggestion go read any article on why people chose not to go with Windows Phone or left. Even those that don't mention the app gap still tend to explicitly mention a lack of 1st party Google apps. And, as I've said in the past, the only OS that competes with Android at a variety of price points is Windows Phone.
While it may just be a few countries outside of North America, there are actually places where Windows Phone is #2 and by no small margin. Apple, and even BlackBerry don't make budget handsets, and with Android's open nature, budget Android phones often deliver a crap experience (not Google's fault directly). So, in markets where budget phones are a big deal, Microsoft is doing much better. It really isn't hard to imagine that if they can close the app gap that they could even be a threat here.
The threat is no less real today than it was when Google made that decree about not supporting Windows. So, there is a lot of reason to believe that Google would not give in so easily. But, with the right agreements and assurances to protect Android and its OEMs it may have seemed worthwhile to Google.
As to whether or not we'll see apps tomorrow or an announcement; of that I'm less certain. Press releases tend to be pretty timely, especially around legal settlements. After all, an unsettled trial creates a bit of tension for investors. So, if things were only dealt with a week ago it seems unlikely that there are any apps completed or that any will be available tomorrow. It is possible, but also unlikely, that they would even announce such a thing unless they have some sort of iron clad contract on what Google will deliver and when. It also seems too close to the settlement for them to nailed down the details.
I do however think that it is entirely possible that this is part of that settlement. This is actually quite huge for Android. Today, pretty much every Android maker pays Microsoft royalties on every handset sold. This doesn't make those handset makers happy. Either with Microsoft or Google. With this agreement in place, when those contracts expire Microsoft won't be hounding the OEMs to renew them or threatening them. This effectively allows Google to say two things to its partners:
- See, we told you we would look out for you, and
- You should have listened when we told you not to accept those agreements
Both points are really valuable for Google and might be valuable enough to get them to agree to deliver native UWP apps.
Now, if Microsoft can convince Android developers to use their bridge solutions as well, then things start to look a lot better for Windows Phone. The app gap could largely disappear in fairly short order. With help/blessings from Google they might even be able to make a wider array of Android apps run without any changes at all.
That won't necessarily fix all of Microsoft's mobile problems. But it would fix most of the technical reasons that people avoid the platform.
There is also the possibility that this isn't involved in that agreement. There are a ton of things Microsoft could want from Google in exchange of similar value and many things Google might be more willing to concede than what would be seen as them giving Windows 10 their stamp of approval. Being the dominant mobile platform owner they hold a lot of the cards.
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