High Definition 1080p Windows Phone By 2014
Thursday, April 11, 2013 by Nicholas Gagne
Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 is to support high definition displays in 1080p by the start of 2014, according to information leaked by sources close to the Redmond-based tech giant.
An article written on TechRadar said that an update to the operating system was expected towards the end of this year, in order to support high definition displays in the future.
It was suggested that the arrival of 1080p for Windows Phone would be timed to coincide with new handset models hitting the market, so that consumers will be able to take full advantage of the visual benefits.
However, to date none of the manufacturers of Windows Phones have announced any plans to launch HD models. It remains to be seen whether Microsoft can secure uptake on the manufacturing side through providing HD support.
TechRadar’s Michael Rougeau said that the OS would be updated by the end of the year to allow for HD support to be integrated. “According to the sources, the addition of 1080p support will be part of Microsoft’s third General Distribution Release updated for Windows Phone, or ‘GDR3’, which previous speculation says will arrive before the holidays.”
The Windows Phone operating system was launched commercially in 2010, and became the foremost OS for Nokia handsets a year later. While its prevalence trails the market leaders by some way, it remains a force, with some 1.5m Windows Phone units sold.
It is hoped that by supporting HD in its revised operating system, Microsoft can sway other manufacturers to use its platform while persuading customers to go and buy Windows-powered handsets.
But while there are strengths to the Windows Phone, some analysts are still concerned over the choice of compatible apps. Simplikate, a mobile application developer in Miami, suggested that while the situation was improving, many consumers were still reluctant to choose Windows Phones for this reason.
“Microsoft have come to the market late with the Windows Phone, and as a result some people still fear the apps market is underdeveloped. The latest revisions to the OS could help achieve wider distribution, but until Windows Phone is used on a much broader scale there will not be the same selection of apps that are available on iPhone and Android handsets.”
Windows Phone is used in some Nokia, HTC and Samsung models. In addition, several more manufacturers have signed agreements to develop technology for Windows Phone, which could help propagate the software.
But while the look and feel of the system has been praised, the broad consensus is that the Windows Phone just doesn’t quite live up to the mark. Of the 1.5m Windows Phones sold, some question just how many have been activated – in other words, how many have actually been used by consumers, versus those that are sitting gathering dust in stockrooms worldwide.
For a company with the status of Microsoft, this is embarrassing. By their own admission their entry to the field of play was later than perhaps it should have been, and they’ve been playing catch-up ever since.
Bold technological moves like incorporating 1080p could work well for Windows, and it would certainly give consumers a reason to choose Windows Phones, but it’s unlikely to be enough on its own.
Image source: http://betanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/HTC-Windows-Phone-8X.jpg
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