Building Universal Windows Apps for Smartphones and Tablets with XAML & C#

nick.landry@microsoft.com
www.AgeofMobility.com
@ActiveNick

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 http://www.bigbaldapps.com
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 www.AgeofMobility.com
 @ActiveNick
2005-2014

Windows brings apps to life
Windows provides apps with more ways to engage users,
both on device and across all of their Windows screens
Design once to engage everywhere
Developers can use universal Windows apps to design an
one app that can target every Windows screen
Build faster with Visual Studio
New shared projects for Universal Windows apps allow
developers to share as much or as little between Windows
and Windows Phone projects

Converged web browser
• WP 7.5 shipped with IE9
• Same rendering + JavaScript engine
Aligned user experience
• Modern UI on WP + Xbox 360
Aligned dev platform
• Games: DirectX; XNA
• Apps: XAML + XAML (WPF; SL)
Converged core (NT kernel)
• Common kernel & file system
• Converged driver model
• Converged networking stack
• Secure boot & storage encryption
(BitLocker)
Aligning user experience
• Live tiles on Windows
Aligning the dev platform
• Aligned UI frameworks:
XAML; DirectX; C++
• Converged API for sensors & IAP
• Converged Web Browser: IE10
Converged dev platform
• Converged WinRT app model
on Windows, Windows Phone, Xbox
• Converged roaming + credentials
• Better HTML5/web support via IE
Aligning the Stores
 Aligned processes and policies
 Shared dev registration
• Shared entitlement
Improved App Experience
• Proximity & location frameworks
• Security & identity
• Background execution

| |
A converged developer platform enables you to do more with the same code and skillset

Universal Windows apps
• One Visual Studio solution with three nodes
• Two UI node (One for phone; one for client)
• One shared code node (WinRT apps only)
Linked apps
Devs can be link their Store apps using a common
PFN (Product Family Number) across client + phone
New tooling and app linking makes it easy to engage everywhere

Visual Studio streamlines developing universal
Windows apps

You can tailor the design to each device

Shared projects to build universal apps
• One shared project solution in Visual Studio
• Project creates two AppX packages (one per Store)
• Shared dev and test tooling for both platforms
IDE improvements

C#
#if WINDOWS_PHONE_APP
Windows.Phone.UI.Input.HardwareButtons.BackPressed +=
this.HardwareButtons_BackPressed;
#endif
C++
#if WINAPI_FAMILY==WINAPI_FAMILY_PHONE_APP
_backPressedEventToken = HardwareButtons::BackPressed +=
ref new EventHandler<BackPressedEventArgs^>(this,
&NavigationHelper::HardwareButton_BackPressed);
#endif

Portable
Class Libraries
I compile just once
and know it works
on all platforms
Shared
Projects
I can easily include
platform-specific code
under #if or partial
classes
New! Improved!

Windows Runtime (WinRT) is the shared
runtime and API space used across
the Windows platform (phone + client)
API coverage for Store app scenarios
• In 8.0, we had ~30% API convergence
 In 8.1, we move well past 90%+ convergence
 Common contract support now converged:
Launch; Share; CachedFileUpdater; FilePicker
 Most non-converged APIs are form-factor specific
(SMS/phone calls; Direct Access)

Keep using Windows Phone Silverlight 8.0 / 8.1 for these features / apps
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80% exact same XAML 20% custom
Common SignatureOptimized
DatePicker
TimePicker
CommandBar
Button
CheckBox
RadioButton ProgressBar
Slider
ToggleSwitch
Hub
Pivot
ListView
GridView
AppBar
SysTray

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<Page.BottomAppBar>
<CommandBar>
<AppBarButton Icon="Accept" Label="Accept" />
<AppBarButton Icon="Cancel" Label="Cancel" />
<CommandBar.SecondaryCommands>
<AppBarButton x:Uid="AboutAppBarButton" Icon="Help" />
<AppBarButton x:Uid="HomeAppBarButton" Icon="Home" />
</CommandBar.SecondaryCommands>
</CommandBar>
</Page.BottomAppBar>

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#if WINDOWS_PHONE_APP
Windows.Phone.UI.Input.HardwareButtons.BackPressed += HardwareButtons_BackPressed;
#endif

2560 x 1440
1920 x 1080
1366 x 768450 x 800
to scale
Scale Factors and Effective Resolution
384 x 683

Provides a common layout coordinate system
that extends along the x and y axis into infinity,
allowing you to scale up
 Physical screen size determines
how much of this canvas is available
 Works for all screen sizes across the
entire Windows platform
10”
tablet
7” tablet
6”
5”
4.5”
Infinite virtual canvas
166 Logical DPI
Windows uses a virtual layout canvas to enable your app to light-up the experience most appropriate to the screen

Converged background task model
• Improved background agents make your app more agile
• New triggers and conditions increase user engagement
Background agent improvements
New trigger-based execution options

A single place for all your missed notifications
 FIFO processing
 Limit of 20 notifications per app
 Retained only for 7 days
Notification management
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The Action Center provides fresh and relevant information while preserving glance + go

720p
Manifest(s)
1080p Spanish
German
Italian
French
EnglishWVGA
DLLs

Start screen backup
Configuration data can roam with the user
• Sync engine transfers data periodically based on triggers
(user idle, battery, network, etc.)
• Syncs up to 100kb of data using the app’s PFN
• Data is stored in the user’s OneDrive account,
but doesn’t count against their OneDrive quota
Application data can be backed up
Data is backed up daily in user’s SkyDrive account per device, and counts
against their OneDive quota
(user can disable)
Roaming Local Temp
Credential
Locker
Roaming Local Temp
Roaming
100kb
100kb
Device ADevice B

Proven Productivity
 Shared project tooling
 Windows Azure Mobile Services
 Notifications Hubs
Power tools
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 Profiling tools
 Store Test Kit
Support for the full app lifecycle
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 Visual Studio Online

http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014/

http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/2014
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Get Ready to Become a Windows Phone Developer
dev.windowsphone.com
Learn More About Windows Phone Dev via Official Microsoft Videos
http://aka.ms/wp81js
http://aka.ms/wp81devbegin
Check Out Additional Learning Resources
www.pluralsight.com/training/Courses#windows-phone
www.developer.nokia.com
Download Additional Resources & Become an Expert
phone.codeplex.com
http://bit.ly/nokiadevoffers
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 www.AgeofMobility.com
 dev.windowsphone.com
 dev.windows.com
 blogs.windows.com/windows_phone/b/wpdev
 blogs.windows.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone
 http://developer.nokia.com
 http://bit.ly/godvlup
 http://conversations.nokia.com
 http://appstudio.windows.com
 http://flip.it/95YFG
 www.geekchamp.com
 www.wpcentral.com

Thank You!
Slides will be posted on my Slideshare account.
Slideshare: www.slideshare.net/ActiveNick
Blog: www.AgeofMobility.com
Twitter: @ActiveNick
Mobile Apps: www.bigbaldapps.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/activenick
Website: www.AgeofMobility.com
Email: nick.landry@microsoft.com

Building Universal Windows Apps for Smartphones and Tablets with XAML & C#

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Building Universal Windows Apps for Smartphones and Tablets with XAML & C#