Did Microsoft Just Make A Concession To Google Calendar?


Rumor has it Google Calendar might be coming to Windows 10 in the near future, according to a report by PC World earlier this month. PC World mentioned that a leak of the new Windows 10 included the ability to import Google Calendar into the Windows 10 Calendar app, adding that this function had previously been removed from older versions of Windows due to disputes between both tech giants. It’s no secret that Microsoft, Apple, and Google are major competitors in the tech industry, but now everyone seems to be playing catch-up to Google and its technologies, namely Google’s Android operating systems.

PC World went on to say that some users weren’t pleased with the change made in earlier Windows versions, and even interviewed a business owner whose reliance on Google services forced him to abandon his PC for a Google-friendly Mac. Also new in Microsoft’s new OS release is a new browser, Project Spartan, which will have Microsoft’s voice assistant Cortana built in, among several other features.

The currently-available Windows 10 Technical Preview can be obtained at no cost with a quick web search, as Microsoft is seeking user feedback for its new creation. Other than a sometimes-too-friendly Cortana popup in the search bar, the new OS will feel relatively familiar to those who are running or to run Windows 8. Cortana automatically gives you news, weather, and relevant current events should you choose to supply her with your location. Also, Microsoft really wants you to use OneDrive, and will only ask you to sign in to its cloud service all the time via a popup.

Google Calendar also recently became available for iPhone users as well, as the Bradenton Herald noted. The Bradenton Herald added that Gmail users can have Google Calendar automatically create events from Gmail. It’s possible this move could win Google/Android more converts, but Apple is also stepping it up with the release of ios 8 for its devices, and the tech community is still full of app developers who prefer working with ios to Android, possibly due to Apple’s well-deserved brand recognition in the mobile arena.

In addition to event reminders and the ability to sync with Gmail automatically, Google Calendar for the web also allows users to add relevant attachments to their events, though that last feature is considered experimental and may be unstable.

As the Google vs. Apple vs. Microsoft tech war continues to heat up with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge smartphone (which runs on Google’s Android Lollipop software), the Apple Watch, and Microsoft Band all within the last few months, it remains to be seen whether Google Calendar will stick around in future builds of Windows 10. Do app crossovers like those described above add value to the app store hosting them, or are they a ploy to steal fans away from one ecosystem and drive them to another? Would you like to see more crossovers in the future and if so, which ones and why?

[Photo Credit: Microsoft-News.com]

Share this article: Did Microsoft Just Make A Concession To Google Calendar?
More from Inquisitr