How Microsoft prepares software and hardware for the future

Mar 12, 2018 13:32 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft is working on a series of improvements for Windows 10 in order to prepare for a new device push that includes the eagerly-anticipated Andromeda.

While people with knowledge of the matter said Microsoft has been working for quite some time on a new mobile device similar to the Courier digital Notepad concept, the company has remained completely tight-lipped on the project, though more information emerges as work advances.

More recently, it’s been rumored that Andromeda could see daylight rather sooner than later, and it seems that Microsoft is preparing a new event in the spring where the company could share new information on Windows 10 and possibly on this device.

A report today provides us with an early look at the changes that Microsoft plans for Windows 10, as the company needs to prepare the operating system for this new hardware strategy.

Enter Andromeda

Essentially, Andromeda could come in the form of a digital notepad with foldable displays and a new hinge design that would allow for several form factors, including laptop and tablet. While it’s believed a phone form factor could also be possible, it’s not yet clear if Microsoft is pursuing this idea or not.

Windows 10, however, will be optimized to run on this device with multiple modes, being able to transition from one form factor to another and respond accordingly. This means that the Composable Shell (C-Shell) will be at the core of the entire experience, offering a single Start menu that serves as the foundation of the platform with a similar look and feel regardless of the mode that’s being used.

According to the cited source, what Microsoft plans to do is build Windows to power “a gaming mode for playing games with an Xbox controller, a quiet mode with a desktop for productivity, and a kids mode that acts more like a tablet with a simple interface.” Work in this regard is codenamed Polaris, a lighter version of Windows 10, presumably powered by C-Shell and expected to run on Andromeda and see daylight as soon as this year.

Rumors that have been swirling around the web suggested that Windows Polaris could make its way to the market sometime this year on Andromeda, but only as an early version and with limited functionality. Polaris is supposed to be restricted to the Microsoft Store and allow Win32 software with virtualization, but the first version expected this year is likely to lack this feature.

Betting big on partners

With Andromeda, Microsoft is embracing the same strategy as with the Surface family of devices. The company will pioneer this push and build one premium device, betting big on the Windows ecosystem and device partners to bring more similar models to the market. Companies like Dell, HP, and Lenovo are likely to be exploring such projects, though it remains to be seen if Microsoft’s Andromeda will come together with alternatives from third-party OEMs or not.

For the time being, however, Microsoft keeps everything behind the closed doors, despite rumors pointing to an approaching release for Andromeda and Polaris. Patents have shown several designs that the company has been exploring in the last couple of years, and there’s a good chance that foldable screens is what Microsoft is betting big on in order to offer more display space to users.

The hinge, however, will be the engine powering the whole device, and just like it happened before on the Surface, it involves months of research and development to make everything run smoothly.

It remains to be seen if Microsoft’s strategy can succeed or not, but for now, it looks like the company is about to invent a new product category once again. For users hoping to see the phone form factor living on in the Microsoft ecosystem, this is still an uncertain side of the project.