Windows 11 has given me a lot to think about, even though I've been a Mac user for almost ten years now. I have already made a video explaining why I made that jump from Windows to the Mac, so instead, today, I just want to highlight how much Microsoft has done to make things better for Windows 11. From the perspective of a Mac user, there are quite a lot of things for which we can give Microsoft credit, and the one big thing is the new Microsoft Ecosystem. Hey everyone, this is Clem from Future Reference. In the world of tech, of course, you would hear about phones and tablets and computers and smartwatches, but the one buzzword that encompasses all of that is “ecosystem”, especially coming from Apple; they have been relentlessly pushing this concept for years now. And Apple is not just touting its ecosystem for no reason. There is not a company out there like Apple when it comes to a digital ecosystem. They design the software and hardware of their products to be interdependent, so all your devices work together near-seamlessly. With iCloud, I have access to all of my files on all my devices; likewise, my AirPods work seamlessly across all my devices as well. My text messages, passwords, and HomeKit devices are synced everywhere, I can use handoff across devices, I can AirDrop files, the list just goes on and on and on. And Microsoft has attempted to create a similar sort of experience on their devices before. In 2010, Windows Phone 7 tried to reboot the tired, uninspired, and uninteresting Windows Mobile 6.5, embodying their vision to create a unified app architecture across their phones and their computers. With the arrival of Windows 8 in 2012, Windows Phone apps could be easily optimized to run nicely on computers as well, saving developers valuable time. If you think about it, it was impressive that Microsoft envisioned that back in 2012. In comparison, it was not until 2019 that Apple launched Catalyst, a technology that let apps to run on both iPadOS and macOS, and iPhone apps couldn't run on a Mac until 2020 with the launch of Apple Silicon. Simply put, Microsoft was a pioneer of enabling a unified app experience between phones and computers. And the only thing was that they just couldn't maintain that momentum going forward. Without enough people using Windows Phone, developers were not keen on making Windows Phone apps, and with no apps, there was just no traction for Windows Phone at all. When the active development of Windows 10 Mobile ended in 2017, it seemed like Microsoft had no plans anymore of creating an Apple-style ecosystem for their phones and computers. Not until the announcement of Windows 11. On the surface, Windows 11 seems to only focus on revamping the design and user interface. And that’s not a bad thing. For one, I personally think that materials used in the Windows 11 interface are absolutely gorgeous. But this update is deeper than just aesthetics, because Microsoft announced that they are bringing Android app compatibility to Windows 11. This is, of course, a very obvious advantage; this is a huge expansion to the app catalogue for Windows; that’s a given, but Android apps on Windows unlock a whole world of possibilities for a potential Microsoft ecosystem. Currently on Windows 10, if you set up your Android phone with the Your Phone app, you are able to relay photos, messages and notifications from your Android phone to your Windows computer. And if you are using a Surface Duo or a Samsung smartphone with One UI version 2.1 or later, you can even do cross-device copy and paste, similar to what you can do across Apple devices. But Android apps, in context, are Microsoft's final piece in their digital ecosystem puzzle. Microsoft is integrating the Amazon App store right into the Microsoft Store on Windows 11. And that is a very cool thing, cuz that means if you buy an app on the Amazon App store, you can use it on both your Android phone and your Windows computer. That’s a win by default. And even if you don’t buy apps, with the Amazon App store integrated right into the Microsoft Store, that means this is the one place to manage all your phone and computer apps. And the amazing takeaway from this is that even if the phone OS and computer OS are not from different companies, Microsoft shows us that an integrated experience is still possible. An Android app built on Google’s platform, sold under Amazon’s Appstore, can be run on both Android phones manufactured by a multitude of phone manufacturers, and Windows computers manufactured by a multitude of computer manufacturers. And if you are Microsoft or Samsung, you can even take the extra step to enable cross-device copy and paste, in addition to just syncing photos, messages and notifications. These things do not just happen overnight, and evidently Microsoft is putting in a lot of effort in creating this sort of cohesive experience for Windows 11, even if it means rallying support from a lot of companies. In the future, there’s just one logical step left. Microsoft has rallied so much support from other companies, but Google’s detachment from the whole situation is sticking out like a sore thumb. After all, Google (or Alphabet) owns Android, so its future is going to govern Android’s development as well. At this point, I feel like Microsoft is just testing the water with Amazon. Microsoft has a pre-existing working relationship with Amazon when they brought integrated Alexa with Cortana, so it’s not too hard to convince Amazon to get onboard with their Amazon Appstore. On the contrary, Google is focused on Chrome OS on account of the boom in Chromebook use during the pandemic. Chrome OS can run Android apps as well, so Google has got its own ecosystem going on already. And for that, Microsoft will need to put in a lot more effort to convince Google to join its ecosystem. And the only way to do it is to let Google see that Windows 11 is a viable option for expansion. And by that point, “what’s next” would be entirely on Microsoft and Google. What we need is not a one-sided engagement from just Microsoft. If the makers of Windows 11 and Android 12 are to join forces to make a completely seamless experience, that will undoubtedly give Apple a run for its money. And I like this sort of competition because this is exactly what’s needed to push everything forward, even for a Mac user. This year at WWDC 2021, Apple has introduced a feature called Universal Control, levelling up the integration across Apple devices. But if the competition gets more fierce? I will expecting so much more from Apple. What do you think about Android apps being brought over to Windows 11? Do you think it will change the way you use your computer? Do leave a comment down below; I’m curious.
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