News from Microsoft’s Media and Analysts event at MWC 2014

Reading time icon 2 min. read


Readers help support MSPoweruser. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Tooltip Icon

Read the affiliate disclosure page to find out how can you help MSPoweruser effortlessly and without spending any money. Read more

MWC2014-244

Microsoft spent a lot of time discussing how a common core and cloud services unite their various platforms.

MWC2014-251_575px

Joe emphasizes the momentum of Windows 8, with more than 2000 license sales, 4 million downloads per day from the store, and a large complement of touch-enabled devices in USA. He noted on touch-based devices users were (obviously) more satisfied with Windows 8 than Windows 7. A Spring update will be coming with will make Windows 8 also more friendly to Mouse and Keyboard users.

Windows 8.1 Update 1 will bring:

– Improvements to non-touch experience
– More hardware options (including at low end)
– Improvements for government and education markets via IE8 compatibility mode in IE11.

Windows 8.1 will now only require 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage.

Onto Windows Phone, Joe said Windows Phone 8 is now the 3rd most popular OS.  He said 2013 was a good year for Windows Phone with enough volume to get developers excited.

MWC2014-260_575px

The slide below shows USA continues to be Windows Phone’s most challenging market, with only 9% YoY growth.

MWC2014-261_575px

In UK however the Nokia Lumia 520 was the 3rd best selling smartphone in December, presumably behind the iPhone 5S and 5C and beating all Android handsets, which is great news.

Joe said there was now 245,000 apps in the Windows Phone Store, 4 Billion + downloads, 12 million transactions per day.

MWC2014-266_575px

Facebook Messenger was also coming to Windows Phone.

Microsoft once again promised the coming enterprise pack with VPN support amongst other features.

MWC2014-271_575px

Microsoft is once again lowering the hardware requirements for Windows phone, to 512 Mb RAM and 4 GB storage, and are making sure the OS works on existing Android hardware, to make it easier for OEMs to license and use.

Microsoft also announced Dual-SIM support for the OS.

MWC2014-281_575px

Microsoft also announced that it will now be simpler for OEMs to turn a Qualcomm reference design into a Windows Phone heading for shelves.

OEMs will be able to get support from the Windows Phone Hardware Partner Portal. Microsoft expects to see white label Windows Phones in the future.

Microsoft formally announced the addition of Lenovo, ZTE, Xolo, Karbonn, LG and Foxconn to HTC, Nokia, Samsung and Huawei.

MWC2014-287_575px

Together these OEMs presented 56% of phone shipments worldwide.

Via Anandtech

More about the topics: header, microsoft, mobile world congres, mwc 2014, windows phone

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *