Microsoft's latest development in mobile operating system Windows 10 is closing in on a tight rivalry with Google's Android as more smartphones are running with the software, including Microsoft's Lumia 640XL, Alcatel's One Touch Pixi 3, and Acer's Liquid M220.
Although only a handful of devices with Windows 10 have been featured at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2015, Microsoft's latest mobile OS is gaining momentum as more smartphone brands are forking out deals with the tech titan.
Despite the company's mediocre success with Windows 8, Microsoft has affirmed that its successor will make a better preview both on investing brands and anticipating fans. A report claims that some device and chip makers are announcing their intention to support Windows on smartphones, which most likely implies more devices running on Windows 10 will come out before 2015 ends.
Microsoft assures the public that Windows 10 will deliver a more reliable user experience in all smartphones, tablets and PCs. A technical preview of the OS is already out, while its final version will reach devices by the end of the year. However, not all devices running with Windows 8.1 will be upgraded to Windows 10.
A sample smartphone running with a technical preview of Windows 10 is the new Lumia 640 XL. According to Microsoft, it will be out in the market with Windows 8.1, but is upgradable to Windows 10. Phone's virtual guide Cortana remains to smoothen Lumia experience. Office 365, One Drive and other Microsoft technologies also have been made updated for the OS.
The new OS makes it easier to share content and run applications across Windows 10 tablets, laptops and smartphones.
Alcatel One Touch's 5-inch Pixi 3 smartphone will also hit shelves with Windows 8.1 and is upgradable to Windows 10. Pixi 3 runs on a chipset from Qualcomm, which supports Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 10. However, this smartphone allows users to choose OS at will, including Android and Firefox.
Meanwhile, Acer has announced an $89 Liquid M220 handset with Windows 8.1 will be upgraded to Windows 10 before the year ends. Liquid M220 is only one of the few devices of Acer that will run on Windows 10.
By the year end, Windows 10 will also run on handsets with Intel's Atom X3 chip, codenamed Sofia.
According to IDC, Windows Phone sold out 34.9 million handsets in 2014 compared to Android's 1.06 billion and Apple's iOS at 192.7 million.
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