Microsoft wants to achieve a jack-of-all-multimedia-trades status now with the recent release of Windows 10, and what better way to do that than to find an ally in Facebook, the largest growing social media network ever?
The result will surely be heaps of universal apps that run on Microsoft's latest operating system across tablets, mobile devices and desktop computers.
Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressed his excitement regarding the commitment. Soon, universal apps for Facebook, Messenger and Instagram will be developed for Windows 10 users. Windows launched Instagram's mobile version almost two years ago, and an update for this version has been long overdue.
Microsoft is also celebrating several achievements of the Windows 10 as a new OS.
Terry Myerson, executive vice president of Windows and Devices, announced that Windows 10 now powers over 110 million devices, despite some drastic slowdown in the operating system's market share gain. The current number of opened webpages of the new Edge browser is now 650 million, and the Windows Store has been visited more than 1 billion times in the past 10 weeks, Myerson said.
Windows users have also asked Cortana, the personal assistant for the OS, about 1 billion questions; has streamed 120 years' worth of gameplay from the Xbox One to Windows 10; and has spent more time in the Windows 10 Netflix app than on Netflix's webpage.
Social media sites, apps, games and other platforms that also showed support for the Windows 10 environment include Twitter, Box, Shazam, Netflix, NASCAR, CBS Digital Media, The Weather Channel, Audible and Candy Crush.
"Our partnership on #Windows10 gives people a fresh and exciting new way to engage with Twitter, all integrated into the powerful platform Microsoft has delivered," says Kevin Weil, Twitter's senior vice president of product.
Rich Riley, CEO of Shazam, said that after the Windows 10 launch, the application saw a 65 percent increase in monthly actives running Windows PCs. Shazam's Windows 10 Universal app will be released for mobile and PC in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Windows 7.1 or Windows 8 users should look out for browser updates that may occur in the future. Microsoft may possibly swap Edge as the device's default browser.
Microsoft still has a long way to go before their ultimate goal is achieved, but it will be interesting to watch events unfold in the next few months.
Photo: Maurizio Pesce | Flickr
