Q&A

Q. Given the history of Windows Mobile, what is a likely future for Windows Phone and other smartphone devices?

A. This answer is subjective, but one can extrapolate a trend by observing the history of Windows Mobile, XNA Game Studio, and services such as Xbox Live and iTunes, to draw a reasonable conclusion about the future. Smartphones and touch tablets like iPad already do what we need them to do, replacing desktop PCs for the most part. Pocket PC users 10 years ago might have been pleasantly surprised by the progress but not in awe, because this technology is evolving at a predictable pace. They will become cheaper and more capable, but should still be recognizable 10 years down the road.

Q. What improvements might be made to the development tools for smartphones beyond the current batch of tools for Windows Phone, iPhone, and Android?