The leak of info about x86 on Arm emulation reveals their plans. The Surface Phone will run Win32 desktop apps when in PC mode via emulation, that is it’s big selling point.

MS has changed tracks and is now trying to convert it’s PC user base into the MS ecosystem (win32 desktop apps are now allowed on Windows 10 store), not an easy feat as many PC users are deeply hostile towards MS still clinging on to outdated concepts like Windows should be a bare bones OS.

Now is that a big enough point to turn things around, no but it does keep MS hanging in their at least if they can convert their PC user base.

The one thing MS has I still don’t understand why they haven’t leveraged in the mobile space is proper games with the Xbox ecosystem, Apple and Google would kill for Xbox and it’s library/network. Any time anything games wise from Xbox or the like appears on iOS/Android it’s always given top promotion.

There should be an Xbox phone were you can play Halo, Rocket League, FIFA etc, the technology is there the Nintendo Switch proves that but MS have just sat back and let others lead in this area, this could have kept Microsoft in the digital life market.

The other big danger on the horizon for MS is they correctly guessed the next big thing is AR/MR with Hololens not VR and that would spur interest in digital life & work for the MS ecosystem however the leak that Apple is prepping AR/MR glasses to work in tandem with iPhone will surely torpedo Hololens.

Apple’s massive app developer base will easily trump the inroads Hololens has been making even if Hololens it technically superior. MS thought MagicLeap was it’s only real competitor but Apple is a far bigger danger now it’s intent is clear.

If it is based on Windows Phone OS it is going to be DOA.