14 DAY TRIAL // Julie Larson-Green, who’s currently leading the devices unit at Microsoft, has recently hinted that Windows RT might be either retired or merged with another platform, with sources familiar with the matter indicating that the tablet OS could be mixed with Windows Phone.
Now, analysts claim that Microsoft should do this as soon as possible, explaining that upgrading Windows Phone to fit tablets and thus provide users with access to its rich app store would be a smart choice.
Ovum's Principal Analyst for Devices and Platforms Tony Cripps told V3 that this would be the right decision, especially because Windows RT still lacked many apps and features available on other platforms.
"Running the same OS on tablets as on smartphones might be a better way of tackling the tablet market. It would more clearly differentiate consumer tablets from similar form factor devices running full-blown Windows," he pointed out.
If we are to trust rumors, the merger could take place in early 2014, when Microsoft is set to launch the Spring GDR update for Windows 8.1, a major release bringing improvements and feature enhancements for all versions of the operating system.