Microsoft has hinted it might bring Windows RT closer to Windows Phone, pushed along by the popularity of phablets.
Terry Myerson, vice president of operating systems, confirmed Microsoft's commitment to Windows RT, but suggested the system might fare better on larger smartphones.
"The ARM devices, in particular in phones, have incredible share due to their battery life and the connectivity options available with the system-on-a-chip ecosystem," said Myerson, adding that "as phones extend into tablets, expect us to see many more ARM tablets, Windows ARM tablets in the future".
One analyst suggested a merger of the two OSes would make sense, given Microsoft's struggles with Windows RT to date. "It makes a lot of sense for Microsoft to combine the two - three systems is too many and unnecessary," said Canalys analyst Tim Coulling. "It’s hard trying to explain the difference between RT and Windows."
Phablets
Myerson's comments suggested a hybrid OS might appear in larger smartphones in future.
"If you look at what's happening in tablets and smartphones, you’ve got phablets coming along, with 6in-plus screens," said Coulling. "Why does Microsoft have two systems there?"
"A lot of the 7in or 8in tablets have calling functionality - for example, the Samsung Galaxy Note - so it makes sense for these products to have the ability to make calls and send texts built into the software," said Coulling.
Both Windows Phone and Windows RT run on ARM, also making a merger more feasible, added Coulling. Nokia is widely expected to launch the first Lumia phablet next month running Windows RT, despite the rest of its line running Windows Phone.
Myerson also noted that Microsoft is working to make the OS experience consistent across its devices. "[We] really should have one silicon interface for all of our devices," he said. "We should have one set of developer APIs on all of our devices. And all of the apps we bring to end users should be available on all of our devices."
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