Kellen
Microsoft has had its toes dipped in the Android realm for numerous years now, yet for whatever reason has never wanted to fully dive in and use the massive platform to further their own agenda. After tossing out apps here and there, like Outlook, buying Swiftkey, creating Phone Link (formerly Your Phone), and of course, releasing a couple of Surface Duo devices, they are reportedly ready to give it a true effort going forward.
Sources of Windows Central have confirmed that Microsoft has reorganized a bit, bringing the crews that power Surface Duo OS, Swiftkey, Phone Link, Microsoft Launcher, and various other Android products under a new group called “Android Microsoft Platform and Experiences” or AMPX.
Microsoft apparently has plans to really focus on Android, to better make it an extension of Windows, possibly in the same way that Mac and iOS go together. We’re talking more than the attachment of phone and Windows PC that Phone Link currently offers – Microsoft has advanced integrations in mind.
Specifics on those types of integrations aren’t here just yet, but this is good news for both Windows and Android. I know that Chrome OS has picked up some neat integrations through Android phones in recent years. However, that’s Chrome OS…lol. Windows is another animal that has desperately needed better play with Android and if Microsoft wants to do it, let them do it.
Another area that is by no means confirmed to get better attention in this reorg, but needs it, is Surface Duo. There is no denying that Microsoft’s hardware teams can make incredible devices and have done so with two Android-powered foldables. The unfortunate reality is that their software team focused on Duo has not matched the level of quality that the hardware team has shown. If there is any chance that moving around Android efforts can improve this situation, we are all for it. The Android hardware space needs more players, not fewer.
As far as we now, this is not an April Fools’ joke.
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