Windows 8.1 Miracast Tap Has Microsoft Join The Wireless Display Party

This week the folks at Microsoft have let it be known that Windows 8.1 hasn't yet spilled all of its details, coming in with Miracast wireless display support standard. This is an implementation of the standard technology that Google introduced with Android 4.2, also working with Miracast, here bringing the technology to every PC able to upgrade to Windows 8.1 – with implementation of the software as made real by the manufacturer.

To make Miracast wireless display technology work, one needs a Miracst-certified source device and a Miracast-certified display device. Microsoft's announcement of Miracast integration makes it clear that they intend Windows 8.1 PCs to work at source devices. What's not clear at the moment is if manufacturers will seek the approval of the Wi-fi alliance to make their machines Miracast-certified display devices as well.

The Wi-fi alliance maintains an official list of both sources and displays that are Miracast-certified, including devices such as the HTC One and Samsung GALAXY S 4 on the source side of things and a variety of smart TVs and specialized Miracast dongles on the receiving end. We spoke about this list back when Miracast was introduced with Android 4.2, warning that it certainly wasn't an extensive enough cross-section of devices that it was safe to head out and pick up just any old "wireless display capable" machine on the market.

Since then, this list has expanded significantly. With both Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows 8.1 supporting the ability to work with Miracast, manufacturers are sure to adopt at a much quicker rate than we've seen thus far.

Microsoft's implementation of the technology includes notes that pairing future Windows 8.1 devices with Miracast will be as easy as connecting with Bluetooth or NFC – the end product still requires both devices to be on the same Wi-fi network, but the pairing should be a snap.

SOURCE: Microsoft