In Windows 8, we set out to modernize our input platform. We wanted to make sure that developing for it became more straightforward, but also to build a foundation that can grow and support new input modalities as Windows and apps evolve.
To do this, we went back to basics and focused on core principles that guide our design. In this blog post I share with you why these principles matter, and how you can take advantage of the platform to build great apps in Windows 8.
Platform principles
Windows has always been a reflection of the apps built on top of it. It is through the world of apps that many users have experienced Windows, and in Windows 8, that is even more so. In Windows 8, a large majority of the OS functionality is delivered through the app experience. As such, apps need to be able to interact with the user much more predictably and inspire user confidence. Similarly, the development process and the platform need to be consistent and predictable. We blogged about the hardware efforts in
Experiencing Windows 8 Touch on Windows 7 Hardware and
Touch Hardware and Windows 8, and we discussed some aspects of your feedback. We know that a successful platform has to be easy to develop for, be consistent and inspire confidence, and have broad reach – allowing you to truly unleash your creativity. We started with these principles:
