Microsoft Shows Off Continuum For Windows 10 Phones

04 May 2015 • anandtech.com

During the keynote a Windows 10 smartphone was shown connected to a large display via HDMI, as well as to a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. This allowed the phone to essentially act as though it were a Windows 10 computer, with applications like PowerPoint and Excel scaling to use the same layout that you would see when running them on a normal desktop computer.

Amazing stuff. Feels like the future to me. I throw my phone down on the desk and it wirelessly pairs with a larger screen for doing more focused work. Screens would become just another peripheral for your phone – or your watch.

This makes Apple’s different app for each platform approach start to feel dated. I should just buy an app once and then it shows up on whatever screen I choose - with an appropriately useful UI. Saying this is a “phone app” or a “watch app” or a “desktop app” starts to feel a little silly.

Apple might already realize this though. Universal apps (a single app bundle for both iPad and iPhone) were the beginning. Today Apple Watch apps come bundled with their iPhone host apps. I realize this Is currently a technical necessity - but it will be interesting to see if this policy continues even after real native watch apps are introduced.

I wish it would.