General trend: there will be no desktop and mobile systems in the future
Recently, it is reported that Google will combine Chrome and Android. In fact, it's not just Google. Microsoft has already tried to combine mobile and desktop systems. It is believed that Apple will also promote the integration of OS X and iOS in the near future. Future operating systems will not have desktop and mobile differentiation.
Chrome OS + Android
Recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that Google is planning to integrate Chrome OS into Android system, and the new "Chrome OS+Android" operating system will be officially released in 2017. The earliest developer preview version is likely to be unveiled at the Google I/O conference next year. The system will support tablet computers, desktop computers and laptops in addition to smart phones. However, Google will not cut Chrome browser, and the original Chromebook will get a new name.
In fact, as early as six years ago, when Chrome was just born, Google co-founder Sergey Brin said that "as time goes by", mobile system Android and desktop platform Chrome OS will eventually be merged. And Sundar Pichai, the current CEO of Google, told analysts in Google's financial report conference call last week that "as a computing model, mobile computing will eventually blend with desktop computing as we know it today."
In fact, just last month, Google released a 2-in-1 device trial of Pixel C, a tablet computer combined with a notebook computer. Many insiders predicted that Chrome OS would probably be abandoned by Google. Because Pixel C, as a cross-border product combining tablet and laptop, does not use Chrome OS, but uses Android system.
There are only a few reasons why Google gave up Chrome. Although Chrome was born a little later than Android, Chrome is far less successful than Android, and in terms of the number of users, Chrome cannot be compared with Android. Two years ago, Chrome was really popular. At that time, NPD statistics showed that among the laptops sold to commercial users through agents, laptops based on Google's Chrome operating system accounted for 21% of the total. By 2014, the share of Chromebook in the American education market was 39%, and the share of iPad market was 26%.
However, Google still failed to take Chrome's market share closer. According to statistics, IDC currently has only 3% of the global share of PCs equipped with Chrome, which is insignificant compared with Android, which has more than 80% of the global market share.
In addition, the problems of Chrome system itself also restrict its development, There is no doubt that the concept of Chrome is advanced and breakthrough. At first, it was also favored by many people in the industry. But the Chrome system itself is very dependent on the network, so some people think that the Chrome system is not like a desktop system, it is more like a modified version of the Chrome browser installed on a laptop.
In addition, the impact of Microsoft and Windows on Chrome can also be seen as a reason for Google to give up Chrome. The price of Chromebook was very attractive compared with Windows laptops at the beginning, Chrome OS has almost zero licensing fees, which makes the price of Chrome Book much lower than that of Windows based notebooks. Basically, the price of Chrome Book is only half of that of Windows based notebooks. This is also the reason why Chromebook sold well at the beginning. However, as Microsoft reduced or even reduced the licensing fees for some OEM manufacturers' Windows versions, tablets and notebooks equipped with Windows began to counter attack, and Chromebook, which was once known for its cost performance, lost its advantage. By the way, Chrome can do almost anything Windows can do, but Chrome can't do anything Windows can do.
For the above reasons, the integration of Chrome into Android is almost a certainty. Both are based on Linux open source code development. Although the underlying system and many other places are different, with Google's R&D capabilities, Chrome OS+Android will not be far away from us.
Windows 10 is one step away from successful integration
Microsoft is the first technology giant to combine desktop and mobile platforms. As early as the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft tried to put the tile application on the Windows system on the desktop. But it is obvious that the tile application, originally designed for mobile devices, is obviously unconvinced to the desktop system that relies heavily on the mouse and keyboard, bringing users a poor user experience, Not only that, Microsoft also removed the symbolic start menu function from the Windows system, which caused strong dissatisfaction among users. Therefore, Windows 8 ended hastily and was labeled as a failure.
Not only is Windows on the desktop trying to integrate Windows Phone on the mobile platform, but since Windows Phone 8, the user interface of Windows Phone is consistent with Windows 8, and its core is also the same as Windows 8. At that time, Microsoft also said that when developers migrate their applications from the desktop to the mobile phone, Windows Phone 8 will allow them to "reuse most of the code". He also pointed out that the kernel, network protocol, security and multimedia support of Windows Phone 8 will be the same as Windows 8.
Even so, Windows Phone 8 failed to succeed in the market. However, even Microsoft, which is so rich and powerful, has no intention of giving up. The release of Windows 10 marks Microsoft's second attempt to integrate mobile and desktop platforms. Unlike the curse of Windows 8, Windows 10 is considered a successful work of Microsoft. Windows 10 not only optimizes the touch screen experience, but also adds a new function. When you connect your Windows 10 phone to the keyboard, mouse and monitor, it can bring you a complete Windows experience. At the same time, developers only need to write code once to develop a general application, which can run on desktop computers, tablets, mobile phones, Xbox, HoloLens and other devices, across thousands of devices of different sizes and specifications, because Windows 10 is a "unified all platform" system.
The "ultimate notebook" of Surface Book, a tablet computer and notebook, has received great attention from the industry and consumers, which proves that Microsoft seems to be going in the right direction this time.
It's only a matter of time before iOS merges OS X
The news of iOS merging OS X was rumored as early as 2011. Peter Misek, a Wall Street analyst, said at that time, "We believe that Apple has planned to integrate iOS and OS X into a single platform, which may be realized in 2012-2013, when all applications and cloud services will have a unified standard." Of course, his language could not be realized. Not long ago, Apple's Tim Cook also said in an interview, "We can't believe that an operating system can drive PC and mobile at the same time. They need different systems to do different things, and we never have the idea of combining the two".
However, it is not impossible for iOS to merge OS X, which is reflected in iPad Pro in many aspects. Before the iPad Pro was released, there was a rumor that the iPad Pro would be equipped with OS X/iOS dual system, although the iPad Pro was only equipped with iOS 9 system in the end. However, the "professionalism" embodied by the iPad Pro is worth pondering. At the launch of the iPad Pro, Apple invited many software company executives, including Microsoft and Adobe, to show the "productivity" tools designed and developed by these manufacturers specifically for the iPad Pro. At the same time, Apple also prepared stylus and keyboard accessories for the iPad Pro. This was originally the job of OS X and Mac, and the iPad also got involved.
Previously, Apple had deployed iOS developers to the OS X team for several times to promote the development progress, making them more and more similar in the display mode of screen content and the use experience of various scenarios. Many touch interactions originally on iOS have entered into OS X, such as the flat design language, and the introduction of Launchpad, conversational email, notification center, iMessage information, iCloud AirDrop and integrated social network, as well as Handoff and Continuity continuous intercommunication as auxiliary, etc. Basically, the integration with iOS has been further improved after the flattening of OS X. OS X is integrated with more and more iOS elements, and it is even rumored that iOS will probably replace OS X in the post PC era.
