New TV Ads For Windows Apps May Show Microsoft Moving Away From ‘Phone’ Brand

There’s even more signs that Microsoft could be slowly leaving the “Phone” part of “Windows Phone” behind, at least in terms of marketing and promotion, in the form of two new TV commercials that show both Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone apps being used but with an overall “Windows” app theme.

One ad focuses on Adam and Shaun Lee, founders of a company called Bohemian Guitars that makes musical instruments out of non-musical parts like oil cans. The clip shows the two men using a Surface tablet with a Windows 8.1 app to manage their inventory but it also shows them using Lumia phones with Windows Phone apps as well for social networking. However, neither Windows Phone nor Windows 8,.1 was mentioned by name.

Another commercial tells the story of storm chaser Scott Hammel and how he uses his Surface and his Lumia Windows Phones to both him in his job as well as to entertain and inform himself on his off hours. Hammel does actually say the name “Windows Phone” at one point when he mentions MRLevel3, a $29.99 app that’s an exclusive to the OS, which allows Hammell and others to get direct access to real-time NEXRAD and TDWR Level III radar data.

Even with his quick mention of Windows Phone, the two commercials have a clear theme of their users mostly referring to using Windows apps, rather than app made for just Windows 8.1 or Windows Phone. It’s likely we will see even more of this kind of promotion of a single unified Windows brand in the coming months.