After releasing Adobe XD as a public beta on OS X back in March 2016, the company has stated that it is embracing the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) for Windows 10 as well, with the launch of Adobe XD for the OS. The design app will be available as a public beta by the end of 2016; however, it will not enjoy feature parity with the Mac version on its first release.
Adobe states that it is working hard to "catch up" on Windows, and users will be seeing rapid progress in the subsequent releases of Adobe XD, with alignment in features between the Windows 10 and Mac versions of the design software. The company says that:
[...] We’re not just porting the product from Mac to Windows, but rather, we’re investing in a completely new Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app that will be available exclusively on Windows 10.
UWP represents the future of the Windows platform, opening up opportunities for us to leverage the latest touch-enabled hardware and to deliver Adobe XD to a future generation of Windows-based devices.
Adobe has also clarified that since this will be its first UWP app, there is a lot to learn. Its developers will not only have to make sure that they deliver the app in a timely manner, but also work on the Windows 10 versions of the supporting libraries and components that Adobe applications rely on.
The company has highlighted that although the Windows 10 version will eventually achieve feature parity with macOS, there will be some differences between the two, saying that:
While the core feature set will be the same across Mac and Windows, as will our focus on performance and stability, Adobe XD for Windows will be different than on Mac – the experience will be customized for the unique capabilities offered by Windows 10 hardware. For example, only on Windows 10 will Adobe XD offer full support for both pen and touch – meaning that you can fluidly zoom and pan your document, create vector artwork and connect wires between screens of your prototype by using touch-based input. Designing and creating prototypes using touch on Windows feels completely natural and will make Adobe XD feel even more special for Windows users.
The first public beta of the Adobe XD UWP Windows 10 app will be available towards the end of 2016, with subsequent monthly releases adding new features and improvements.
Source and image: Adobe via Windows Central