Microsoft is seeking a “game changer” to be a Senior Program Manager. The job posting focuses on Microsoft’s attempts to make it easier for developers to make apps for the Windows ecosystem: “Our team is building next generation application platform that will change how Windows devices and services are perceived and received by our customers and developers”.
It’s often reported that there is an “app gap” between the Windows platform and the other major operating systems; Google and Apple. There are thousands of more apps than there used to be and many everyday apps are available either directly or via third parties but support for Windows is often a lower priority and some major apps are still missing. Microsoft dominates the business world when it comes to PC’s but major banks are pulling their apps from the Windows Store or never made them in the first place.
There has been speculation that Microsoft is looking into allowing Android apps to run on Windows but there has been no public comment on the issue. The job posting does state that they want someone “with expertise on Windows as well as competitors app platforms.”
If Microsoft does allow Android applications to run on their platform it does not seem that it would be a straight forward opening up of the operating system as much as porting apps into the ecosystem. Microsoft often makes apps feel at home within whatever operation system they are running on. Microsoft Office for iPad and Android are not copies of a Windows app or each other. They have designs that feel natural on their respective platforms. If Microsoft does allow apps from the Android store to work on Windows, it’s likely they will want the apps to have a distinct Windows feel to them.
There are some legal hurdles that could be in the way of anything involving Android coding being used for Windows applications. Google and Microsoft have a long running app feud, Google has not made a YouTube or Chrome application for Windows, and it’s unlikely that Google would hand over business if they could prevent it.
The post states that Microsoft is “looking for someone who can drive and make the right things happen when plans are changing and not all the systems are in place.” The mobile platform is a constantly changing world. In just the last year Microsoft purchased Nokia, is creating Windows 10 to run apps across multiple devices, and their mobile and tablet/desktop app stores may be combining. With the commitment they’ve displayed to Windows Mobile, Microsoft is adding another layer of security to ensure that their mobile platform is viable for as many users as possible.
Further reading: Apps, Cross platform, Windows, Windows Mobile
