Windows Phone vs Windows 8

I’ve been playing some more with Windows 8 and reading a bit about how it works. Very interesting. The thing that I find most surprising though is how unsurprising a lot of it is to me. I think this is because I’ve been deeply into Windows Phone development for the last 18 months or so. The Metro user interface and the use of XAML to design the front end are just how I think about doing things, based on my Windows Phone experience.

The underpinnings of the operating system, with this new Windows runtime are the really fascinating parts, but if you just want to write Windows 8 applications using C# and .NET you could do a lot worse than get hold of the Windows Phone SDK and have a play. My guess is that when the Windows 8 Marketplace opens up it will have a very similar way of working to the Phone one too, so you would also be able to get experience in how to publish programs.

I thought at the time of the Windows 8 keynotes “We are all Windows Phone developers now”, and I reckon this is definitely the way things are going to go.

Comments

[Martin Randall]

An interesting point. The vast majority of developers are still 'desktop' developers, meaning that they develop what I will call conventional applications - as opposed to Metro applications. It will be interesting to see what happens - how much of a shift from in the development world from traditional to Metro style, or whether Metro style applications will remain niche, as are Windows Phone 7 applications. Maybe the introducton of a Application Marketplace will create a gold rush as it get's much more exposure than the WP7 app store, and developers will be flocking to Metro. Maybe, but I doubt it - not unless Window 8 tablet devices become even more ubiquitous than the iPad.

[@sk1rtsfly]

Interesting point: WP7 devs= WP8 devs=Win8 devs. BTW I think your videos/podcasts/blogs rock!

[Jules]

Really looks like we now have two OSs mashed together, with little Apps traversing both environments. Sort of exciting for Tablest and possible Business desktops to move into Metro based Apps. I believr the Execs will actually want touchscren desktops and Large Screen Displays, so corporate will see use for Win8 Metro Development beyond Tablets.

Really dissapointed about Silverlight, which got me into XAML/C# platform for Web Applications. So sad that MS has given up on Silverlight (Web) and assumes that HTML/Javascript will give us a staisfcatory answer for deep LOB Apps across the Web. Ho Humm.

So what about all our Windows 7 Code. I can see that we will have to convert to WinRT for Apollo/ WP8 to run on bothe Windows 8 Tablets and WP8. Or will WinRT run WP7 Apps ? I guess MS will tell us next year.