One app for three devices: Since April universal apps have been available for Windows, regardless of whether the operating system is running on a smartphone, tablet or PC.
The apps work on all platforms running Windows 8 onwards. Since the update to 8.1, users can recognize these apps in the Windows Marketplace by a small symbol that appears next to the purchase price.
The advantage of these apps for consumers is that the programme only needs to be bought once and will run optimally on all modern devices that run a type of Windows.
In addition programme data can be moved back and forth between devices. Content and settings can be synchronized using Microsoft’s cloud services. For example, a game could be begun on a PC and continued while travelling using a Windows Phone.
Universal apps are part of Microsoft’s efforts to unify its operating system for all devices. In future Windows running on PCs, on the Windows phone and on the Xbox will all use the same system kernel.
For developers this will mean less effort, as programmes will no longer need to be adapted for individual operating systems.