Microsoft wants to put Windows 10 on your Android phone

[ahhming]

Microsoft has announced it plans to offer the Windows 10 operating system on Android smartphones.

 

The move will initially be part of the company’s Windows Insider Program, and will see Windows 10 ROMs made available to download on Android devices.

Microsoft is currently working with  Xiaomi to test the project by offering native-style Windows 10 ROMs for the Xiaomi Mi4 smartphone.

Mi4 users will be able to download the Windows 10 software completely for free, and then flash it to the device.

The core reasoning behind this is that Microsoft will be able to get direct feedback from Android users on what they like and dislike about Windows 10.

 

Microsoft’s line, as reported by TechCrunch, read as follows: “Xiaomi is a leading phone manufacturer in China undergoing significant global expansion.”

“We are excited to partner with them in China and jointly gather feedback from Chinese users on their experience with Windows 10 to jointly collaborate on product and services development for the platform.”

The ROM’s full availability will be announced in the coming months.

 Source:

http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/17/microsoft-android-rom/

http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/microsoft-wants-to-put-windows-10-on-your-android-phone

*update added image of xiaomi4 running windows 10

http://www.nextpowerup.com/news/19346/images-of-the-xiaomi-mi4-running-windows-10-look-like-that-of-an-iphone-running-windows.html

[NeverNotExhausted]

If it isn't complete crap like Windows Phone 7 or 8 then that will be pretty cool.

[MrRavens]

At least Windows is really putting in an effort. I can respect that. Don't know if I'm going to take the time to do it. Maybe one of the peeps on the forum will try it out.

[paprikman]

Okaaaaaaaay...

Sounds like another agent Smith from 'The Matrix' trying to take control over the world.

[jayctech]

Cool I guess.

Don't think it'd take off since I doubt many customers are happy to try flashing a custom rom which'll probably void their warranty on the device.

[dmegatool]

If it isn't complete crap like Windows Phone 7 or 8 then that will be pretty cool.

 

If you base your opinion solely on Linus's review, yeah totally, it's crap... 

[NeverNotExhausted]

If you base your opinion solely on Linus's review, yeah totally, it's crap... 

 

I base it on my experience with the Windows 7 and 8 phones that I've had.

 

I just honestly couldn't understand why they did most of pretty much anything in the OS. It's not intuitive, Multitasking sucked and overall it was just very very slow to get your way around. I tried two windows 7 phones, two LGs that I can't remember the model name of. I'd I had 3 Windows 8 phones, A HTC 8s i think, not sure on the name, it was a mid tier phone. I had two of them though because the first refused to connect to a network, wifi, bluetooth or anything. The second worked on everything but 3g internet. Then I had a Nokia Lumia that I couldn't remember the model of and I just honestly couldn't see many improvements of the OS over Windows Phone 7 at all. It's one of the only phones I got rid of because I didn't like it rather than I broke it.

 

I just really don't rate the OS at all. It's pretty terrible.

[JoaoPRSousa]

[suicidalfranco]

I base it on my experience with the Windows 7 and 8 phones that I've had.

 

I just honestly couldn't understand why they did most of pretty much anything in the OS. It's not intuitive, Multitasking sucked and overall it was just very very slow to get your way around. I tried two windows 7 phones, two LGs that I can't remember the model name of. I'd I had 3 Windows 8 phones, A HTC 8s i think, not sure on the name, it was a mid tier phone. I had two of them though because the first refused to connect to a network, wifi, bluetooth or anything. The second worked on everything but 3g internet. Then I had a Nokia Lumia that I couldn't remember the model of and I just honestly couldn't see many improvements of the OS over Windows Phone 7 at all. It's one of the only phones I got rid of because I didn't like it rather than I broke it.

 

I just really don't rate the OS at all. It's pretty terrible.

 

i stopped using it when i realized there was no way to set up an ftp server or connect to one

[LeGourmand]

This is great, I always wanted to try Windows phone. That would be the perfect way without having to pay for a new phone.

[GarnetDevil]

I smell something fishy here microsoft..................

 

Giving free windows 10 to pirates? wut

[dmegatool]

They need to grow the user base and the phone offering isn't all that great. If people can flash it to most phonse, that would be great ! I would totally buy a Xiaomi phone to get Windows Phone on it. 

 

Sadly, not many people will do it. Let's face it. Flashing a phone is a pretty geeky thing to do. My mom or average joe won't care at all. They don't buy Android phones, they buy whatever cheap phone or the one that is in sale. If the seller tells them "It's like an iPhone" and it's 200$ cheaper, guess what phone they'll buy. And no, that's not that one Windows Phone that the store carry that's tucked away in the backstore with no advertising at all. 

 

Let's hope universal apps will fix things.

[Sauron]

Looks like a valid candidate for my multirom setup on my nexus 7... IF a rom is made available for that.

[Sauron]

Giving free windows 10 to pirates? wut

 

They want to make sure they remain in a dominating position on the desktop market. If linux becomes mainstream they're screwed.

[KE2012]

Certainly interesting, the reason I moved onto a windows phone was because my android experience sucked the hairest balls of them all and I didn't want IOS. 

[pit5000]

it's kinda like bootcamp but for phones. excellent idea. I just wished apple could open up iPhones to dual boot android.

[LAwLz]

Well that would certainly fix one of the billion issues Windows Phone has, hardware.

WP has always been quite far behind in that regard but hopefully this will fix it. Now they just need to loosen up some of the restrictions so people can make decent apps (like a fucking file explorer), and then we need people to actually make good apps. That is, assuming they fix all the things wrong with WP. The first WP was terrible but they have slowly fixed some of the issues.

[Techteen14]

If it's dual-bootable/reversible/available for OPO, I'd definitely give it a go.

[spartaman64]

is it full windows or windows rt

[Techteen14]

Well that would certainly fix one of the billion issues Windows Phone has, hardware.

WP has always been quite far behind in that regard but hopefully this will fix it. Now they just need to loosen up some of the restrictions so people can make decent apps (like a fucking file explorer), and then we need people to actually make good apps. That is, assuming they fix all the things wrong with WP. The first WP was terrible but they have slowly fixed some of the issues.

Hardware is the issue? Not for me, at least. WP is the fastest OS on 512MB of RAM (or even 1GB) I've ever seen. The optimization is awesome. The 1520 is a beast.

 

The only things that kept me from buying a Lumia 1520 were the lack of apps, third-party accessory support and the lack of a good smartwatch. I love my OPO and probably won't buy a WP as a daily driver for some years to come (if ever). Meanwhile, Project Ara and Neptune Suite look like promising upgrades in 1-1 1/2 years.

[dalekphalm]

i stopped using it when i realized there was no way to set up an ftp server or connect to one

Hmm? While there is no native FTP client or Server built into WP8, the OS is fully capable of supporting one. Eg here:

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/pocket-ftp-server/10b85cd9-ed19-4a0a-8254-59a60658035f

 

Third party FTP clients and servers now exist.

 

Granted, they should integrate that into the core OS, perhaps they've done so (or will do so) with Windows Phone 10?

 

Okaaaaaaaay...

Sounds like another agent Smith from 'The Matrix' trying to take control over the world.

Oh wait, that's Google already

[Doobeedoo]

This is cool. I was thinking getting some new phone once Windows phone 10 gets out for 2. phone. But I'd like to try it on my Xperia Z and I'd get new phone after contract for android.

[LAwLz]

Hardware is the issue? Not for me, at least. WP is the fastest OS on 512MB of RAM (or even 1GB) I've ever seen. The optimization is awesome. The 1520 is a beast.

 

The only things that kept me from buying a Lumia 1520 were the lack of apps, third-party accessory support and the lack of a good smartwatch. I love my OPO and probably won't buy a WP as a daily driver for some years to come (if ever). Meanwhile, Project Ara and Neptune Suite look like promising upgrades in 1-1 1/2 years.

Yep hardware is the issue. I do more than just scroll in menus all day on my phone (seriously, this seems to be the benchmark people use for performance on phones) and for that I want the latest and greatest hardware.

Software optimization is not magic. I might be the fastest OS on 512MB of RAM (although I would like to see some reports validating that claim), but it being good on 512MB of RAM doesn't mean it will perform better than an Android phone with 3GB of RAM and a vastly superior processor.

[dmegatool]

Now they just need to loosen up some of the restrictions so people can make decent apps (like a fucking file explorer), 

 

There's quite a few file explorer apps including Microsoft's own File app. 

[dalekphalm]

There's quite a few file explorer apps including Microsoft's own File app. 

True, but it's not a true full File Explorer that allows you access to the root directory plus every section of the storage space. While the one provided by Microsoft is good enough for 99% of cases, it's not comparable to what you find on Android.