Why two versions of Windows 1Password App

ryanj
ryanj
Community Member

Why are you developing two versions of the windows app? The recent 1Password 6 Beta notes that now much of the code base between the two apps are shared, but you still have two versions on Windows with slightly different characteristics.

Since 1Password 6 will run on Windows 7 , 8, 8.1, and 10, why even have the UWP app? It would really make the Windows family of products much easier to understand as you would have the current stable (if old) version 4, then version 6 after it gets out of beta.

Doesn't having 3 versions, all of which are in different states of development drive your Windows developers nuts?

Ryan

P.S. Former LastPass user. Love 1Password and are a Windows + Android family. I have investigated others in the past few months, such as Sticky Password, Dashlane, KeePass, EnPass. 1Password just makes sense. Version 4 works better than all of those even with the older code.


1Password Version: Everything except Mac and iPhone
Extension Version: Not Provided
OS Version: Windows 10, Android Marshmallow
Sync Type: Not Provided

Comments

  • Hi Ryan,

    Thank you for your concern over our Windows developers' mental health. I'm sure they appreciate it.
    You have nothing to worry about, though, they're fine, we take care of them :)

    The UWP is not just here for Windows 10 but also for Windows 10 Phone. And that's just the simplest reason. Windows 10 is Microsoft's future, they said so many times and the way they approached pushing the platform forward in recent years proves it quite nicely.

    Going forward we will see start seeing ever more people on Windows 10 and the things that come after it. Building a UWP app makes just plain sense because that way 1Password can easily take advantage of the new technologies Microsoft will offer for developers and consumers.

    The distinction is also smaller than you might think. If you use Windows 10, you have the choice between the Windows store app and the download from our website. If you're on Windows 10 and in an institutional/corporate environment where access to the Windows Store is restricted, you'll still be able to get the 1Password goodness from our website.

    From a development perspective, the amount of code the UWP and the desktop app share is big enough that it would be reckless and mean not to develop the desktop app 8-)

    1Password 4 for Windows is still being maintained but the majority of our development efforts go towards the new 1Password for Windows.

    Thank you so much for your praise! We truly appreciate it. If you have feedback or questions, please never hesitate to contact us again.

    Cheers,

    Alex

  • ryanj
    ryanj
    Community Member

    Awesome. Makes sense to me. Thanks!

    Ryan

  • On behalf of Alex, you're welcome.

  • Stanzilla
    Stanzilla
    Community Member

    So there is not going to be a new 1Password Win32 app going forward? Only the UWP app?

  • MikeT
    edited May 2016

    Hi @Stanzilla,

    There are going to be two separate apps that's built from a single unified C# codebase that is not limited to Windows 10:

    1. 1Password 6 for Windows, the desktop .NET program that'll run on Windows 7, 8.1 and 10, available to download from our site. It will extend to have more powerful features that the UWP app may not have.
    2. 1Password for Windows 10, the UWP app that'll run on all Windows 10 devices, including Windows 10 mobile, Halo Lens, Xbox, and etc that is only available in the Windows 10 Store. It will take advantage of many of the UWP-only features, such as Windows Hello.
  • Stanzilla
    Stanzilla
    Community Member
    edited May 2016

    Alright, great, thank you :)

    I was confused because I Installed the beta from https://cache.agilebits.com/dist/1P/win-desktop/AgileBits.OnePassword.Desktop.application and the permission prompt was for "1Password Modern" which I thought was the UWP app

  • iedutu
    iedutu
    Community Member
    edited May 2016

    "1Password 6 for Windows, the desktop .NET program that'll run on Windows 7, 8.1 and 10, available to download from our site. It will extend to have more powerful features that the UWP app may not have."

    Sorry, but I cannot find anywhere the 1Password 6 (not 4) for Windows. I am in the trial period for the mac desktop app and it's great (have the Pro version my my iPad and iPhone), but I must have the Windows version as well.

    Also, all devices (wintel machine, mac, iDevices) must sync at the same source. Can that source be the iCloud?

    Thank you!
    Cristian.

  • AGAlumB
    AGAlumB
    1Password Alumni

    @iedutu: Sorry for the confusion! You can find the announcement of the new 1Password 6 for Windows beta in the Windows beta category of the forums.

    It is not, however, possible to sync any non-Apple devices with iCloud currently. While they've developed iCloud Drive for Windows, CloudKit (used for syncing) does not exist there (or on Android). You can use either a 1Password Account (currently in beta on Windows) or Dropbox instead, as both of these options are available on the other platforms as well. Cheers! :)

  • AGAlumB
    AGAlumB
    1Password Alumni

    Alright, great, thank you :)
    I was confused because I Installed the beta from https://cache.agilebits.com/dist/1P/win-desktop/AgileBits.OnePassword.Desktop.application and the permission prompt was for "1Password Modern" which I thought was the UWP app

    @Stanzilla: Weird. That is confusing! I haven't seen mention of "Windows Modern" (née "Metro") in a long time. This reminds me just how confusing Microsoft's ecosystem can be. Can you provide a screenshot of where you're seeing this? I'm not able to find it here for some reason. Thanks in advance!

  • Stanzilla
    Stanzilla
    Community Member

    Sure, here you go http://i.imgur.com/ox3dz3l.png it's just when you are prompted to sign in to Dropbox via OAuth, 1Password Modern seems to be your application name there.

  • mruszczyk
    mruszczyk
    Community Member

    Will there be a large feature difference between the UWP and the desktop app.

    For instance if I am a desktop Windows 10 user with store access. Should I be using the UWP or the .Net app? The limitations of UWP confuse me somewhat especially with the arrival of project centennial apps. Will the UWP ever work with a browser extension in any way? Or is the UWP essentially only useful for platforms that do no allow external installation of apps like Xbox, Holo Lens, and Windows Phone.

  • AGAlumB
    AGAlumB
    1Password Alumni

    @Stanzilla: Thank you so much! I was going crazy trying to find it on my own. I've reported this so we can get that updated. :chuffed:

    ref: OPWX-56

    Will there be a large feature difference between the UWP and the desktop app.

    @mruszczyk: Great question! It's too early to say for sure since there are a lot things — both big and small — left to do with the new and newer 1Password Windows apps, but we want them to be identical. Now, there will likely be some differences due to what Windows 7 and 10 support, etc., but most of that will be either cosmetic or behind the scenes. Major features, unless they depend on something built into a specific Windows version, will been both. Off the top of my head, Accessibility will be different, since the Windows 10 app will use Windows 10's newer accessibility frameworks.

    For instance if I am a desktop Windows 10 user with store access. Should I be using the UWP or the .Net app? The limitations of UWP confuse me somewhat especially with the arrival of project centennial apps. Will the UWP ever work with a browser extension in any way?

    It will. ;)

    Or is the UWP essentially only useful for platforms that do no allow external installation of apps like Xbox, Holo Lens, and Windows Phone.

    I think the main advantages of the Windows 10 app will be its ability to support a wide range of (non-PC) devices (as you mentioned), along with a more flexible, touch-friendly interface (though the desktop app will be scalable as well). Additionally, in some environments the Windows Store is not available, so the desktop app is valuable there, even for Windows 10 users. :)

  • mruszczyk
    mruszczyk
    Community Member

    I'm glad to hear this. I like the concept of UWP apps, the idea that they are sandboxed, uninstall cleanly and such. Knowing that the 1Password UWP will be feature complete in the future is exciting.

  • Just imagine how we feel :chuffed:

This discussion has been closed.