Tech Convergence - My View

One of my earliest forays into smartphones had a Windows Mobile operating system and it was a shocker. To be fair, the limitations were probably more to do with the hardware than the operating system. Since then I’ve gone the Android route. Let me be clear, I have nothing against Apple and iOS. I went Android because the propeller heads (an affectionate term for the IT team) where I worked had valid issues with integrating and supporting iOS and my personal belief, although not necessarily well informed, was that the openness of Android was preferable the closed system of iOS.

And once you’re in the loop, it’s hard to change. Apps transfer across hardware but not operating systems. Plus, I’ve never felt the need, being perfectly happy with Android. So when I got my first tablet, I naturally went with Android, for compatibility with the phone and commonality of apps. Through successive hardware updates of phones and tablets I have naturally enough stayed with the Android OS. So I have always been an Android user. Not because I BELIEVE. I’m not a fervent defender of one OS over another. They’re all good. I stayed with Android because it was pragmatic and there was no compelling reason to change.

Hardware Convergence

My observance is that there have been some ebbs and flows in terms of hardware convergence. Phones and tablets have gone some way down this path – witness the Phablet. Lately, we are seeing laptop and tablet convergence, such as the Windows Surface. My view is that this makes far more sense. The phone can remain (relatively) small and truly portable, with convenient access to email and a myriad of mostly genuinely useful apps, but not for serious computing. Have you ever tried to use a spreadsheet on a smartphone? The tablet/laptop becoming a single device, to me, is an obvious route to go. Having the same, full functionality, operating system whether in tablet or laptop form, is a no brainer.

Prediction

I read this morning that Google Chromebooks have overtaken Apple MacBooks and moved into second place in the computer market, with Windows computers still firmly in first place. While MacBooks retain first place in some market subsets, such as graphic designers and photographers, Windows looks set to continue its domination of the overall business computer market.

So a full Windows OS desktop/laptop/tablet hardware option seems a likely way to go, for those who haven’t already. What then for smartphones? It seems to me that a logical direction would be for Windows OS phones to eventually dominate, despite Android currently owning 86% of the market. Obvious benefits of a Windows phone include commonality and compatibility of apps between all devices. But eventually, as the processing power of phones increases, the phone would replace the PC and be the ultimate in hardware convergence. Once the phone has the power of the PC we will have a single core device. At the desktop the Phone/PC will connect to peripherals, including multiple large screens, a mouse, a keyboard, printers, speakers – you name it. For mobility, some will choose to carry around a medium sized dumb screen, say the size of a 10” tablet or similar, which the phone/PC will connect to. For ultimate portability, the phone/PC on its own will still have the full computer functionality. And you will be able to mix and match - you may for example choose to take a small mouse or other peripherals with you.

So it seems to me I will at some point go full circle and end up with another Windows OS phone. Hopefully without the performance limitations of my first one.

I welcome your thoughts and comments.