Windows Phone 10 is it dead?

Is the Windows phone dead? I have not seen or heard anything and MS does not appear to be releasing anything not even information. No updates, loosing apps, and just no press releases and loosing phone users faster than flies in an ice storm.

Is it time for me to retire my precious Windows Phone? Knock, Knock Microsoft are you out there?

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It is hard to answer that question. In my opinion, it is not dead but seems to be in a state of «limbo».

We are just going to have to wait and see what comes down the road but be prepared to wait a bit.

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Seriously just wait? The Gartner group says it’s dead waiting for burial. Microsoft says nothing. and you want to wait? Wait for what?

I’m also waiting for the MS AI device that was supposed to have a Harmon Kardon speaker, so far nothing more.

I need a new phone, Windows Phone as lost pretty much all of it’s support for Apps. Major companies like banks and airlines no longer make apps to support it because it’s not worth paying developers for.

I love my phone but it’s going the way of the flip phone, to the museum.

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Yup, that is the only choice. It is a personal decision and what ever you decide will be the best decision for you.

For me, I’ll wait and see what happens. If my phone dies before I’ll get some sort of replacement and hopefully it will give me the same satisfaction as my Windows Phone.

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It would be nice if there was some indication from MS as to what direction they are headed. If there are any plans as to what’s in store next. There has pretty much been silence from them for close to a year now.

Finding hardware that supports Windows 10 Phone is becoming scarce. The only upside is there might be less hackers looking at it.

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I know it can be pretty frustrating. I want to believe Microsoft will do the right thing and stand by their loyal customers — maybe the Surface phone will turn out to be more than a rumor? I have learned to adapt using fewer apps and getting by without apps I don’t really need. W10M is easy to use and the bottom line is I just don’t really want to get an iPhone. I will probably wind up with an unlocked Lumia 950 when I get the urge to buy a new phone. But it bothers me when it appears that Microsoft has so little faith in its own products and so little appreciation of its fan base.

Try to hang in there.

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I starting to get very concerned about Microsoft’s direction on the phone. I went to the website to see what phones they offer and it’s like their selling what’s left on the shelf.

I hear rumors about the Surface phone from everyone except Microsoft. The OS seems to be vanishing from the market place. Which is really sad it’s a great business phone, the others are more like toys.

Still can’t get a response from Microsoft, this is not a good sign.

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I started a very similar discussion on this site about the continued relevance of MS Lumia phones and W10M in general. I have just about given up on Microsoft and Lumia. Almost everyone who has Windows phones uses them by choice and there is no other way to keep the platform viable. Microsoft doesn’t do itself any favors keeping as silent as they do on the future of W10M or Lumia.

App developers (Amazon, Alaska Airlines, LinkedIn to name three that I use) have dropped the support of their apps and this is a reflection of Windows’ share in the mobile market.

I plan to wait for a bit and then get a Samsung Galaxy S8. It is cutting edge and according to reviews the best mobile phone available at this time. That will be a genuine shock to the system, to be sure. I would stick with Windows 10 Mobile if there was hope for the future, but I am close to done with Lumia.

Microsoft официально признала, что Windows Phone «мертв»

Это конец.

«Конечно, мы продолжим поддерживать платформу … за счет исправления ошибок и обновлений безопасности, — пишет Бельфиоре. — Но разработку новых функций можно не ждать».

Of course we’ll continue to support the platform.. bug fixes, security updates, etc. But building new features/hw aren’t the focus. . https://t.co/0CH9TZdIFu

Платформа Microsoft Windows Phone «мертва» уже более года, но компания никогда официально не признавала этого раньше. В прошлом году Microsoft начала сокращать свое мобильное отделение, в результате чего многие сотрудники лишились рабочих мест.

Также во время недавней конференции Microsoft Build and Inspire генеральный директор Microsoft Сатья Наделла обозначил новый вектор развития компании, который теперь направлен в сторону «интеллектуальных облачных технологий». Похоже, Microsoft теперь работает над сценариями с несколькими устройствами и облачными технологиями, которые не всегда связаны с Windows.

Разработчики не приняли платформу

Бельфиоре также признает, что он переключился на Android вслед за Биллом Гейтсом, и что Microsoft будет поддерживать клиентов Windows 10, которые хотят использовать Android и iOS на своих смартфонах.

We have tried VERY HARD to incent app devs. Paid money.. wrote apps 4 them.. but volume of users is too low for most companies to invest. ☹️ https://t.co/ePsySxR3LB

При этом одна из главных причин, по которой Microsoft отказывается от Windows Phone, заключается в том, что разработчики так, по сути, и не приняли платформу. «Мы очень старались стимулировать разработчиков приложений, — пишет в другом твите Бельфиоре. — Платили деньги .. писали приложения для них. но объем пользователей оказался слишком мал для большинства компаний, чтобы инвестировать в разработку ПО».

Microsoft смотрит в сторону iOS и Android

Теперь, похоже, Microsoft осознала, что людям не нужна Windows Phone. За последние пару лет разработчики программного обеспечения были ориентированы в основном на приложения iOS и Android. Любопытно, на какой ОС выйдет многообещающий Surface Phone (если выйдет вообще)?

Microsoft finally admits Windows Phone is dead

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In a series of tweets, Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore has revealed that the software giant is no longer developing new features or hardware for Windows 10 Mobile. While Windows Phone fans had hoped Microsoft would update the platform with new features, it’s now clear the operating system has been placed into servicing mode, with just bug fixes and security updates for existing users.

“Of course we’ll continue to support the platform.. bug fixes, security updates,” says Belfiore. “But building new features/hw aren’t the focus.” During the recent Windows 10 Fall Creators Update development phase, it has been obvious Microsoft is no longer working on the mobile experience. The software maker branched its development process into “feature2,” leaving Windows Phone fans disappointed.

Of course we’ll continue to support the platform.. bug fixes, security updates, etc. But building new features/hw aren’t the focus. https://t.co/0CH9TZdIFu

Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform has been dead for more than a year, but the company has never officially admitted it before. Microsoft gutted its phone business last year, resulting in thousands of job cuts. During Microsoft’s recent Build and Inspire conferences, CEO Satya Nadella dropped the company’s mantra of “mobile-first, cloud-first” in favor of a focus on what he describes as the intelligent cloud and intelligent edge. This new area of focus means Microsoft is now working on multi-device scenarios and cloud-powered technologies that don’t always involve Windows.

Belfiore also admits he switched to Android, just like Bill Gates, and that Microsoft will support Windows 10 customers who want to use Android and iOS on their phones. One of the big reasons Microsoft is giving up on Windows Phone is because developers never backed the platform. Microsoft had many problems with its Windows Phone app store, and the inability to retain apps once they were developed. “We have tried very hard to incent app devs,” explains Belfiore. “Paid money.. wrote apps 4 them.. but volume of users is too low for most companies to invest.”

We have tried VERY HARD to incent app devs. Paid money.. wrote apps 4 them.. but volume of users is too low for most companies to invest. ☹️ https://t.co/ePsySxR3LB

It’s now clear Microsoft has faced the reality that people don’t need Windows on their phones. The software maker has been focused on iOS and Android apps and experiences over the past couple of years. Microsoft’s Edge browser is making its way to iOS and Android, and the company seems to be focused on improving the experience of linking a phone to a PC and resuming apps and documents between the two.

A new Microsoft Launcher for Android even goes a step further in improving the overall Android experience, with clever customizations and PC sharing features. Expect to see a lot more of this in the future. It’s now unlikely we’ll ever see a Surface-branded phone or more Windows 10 Mobile-powered hardware. Microsoft’s investments in iOS and Android will only benefit Windows 10 customers, and it could make up for the company’s messy efforts in mobile over the years.

No, Windows phone isn’t dead — and it may never die

With just 0.3 percent share in Gartner’s most recent report, things almost couldn’t look worst for Windows phone. Blackberry’s 0.0 percent (with only 200,000 phones sold last quarter), however, is worse and seems to be the inevitable direction in which Windows phone is headed.

At this point, some of you having read the title may be ready to head off to comments to share your thoughts. But keep reading. I challenge you to a more mature discussion, and you’re going to need to read more than the headline.

So given Windows phone’s current state, is the platform dead? That depends on who you ask.

Common ground

I recently watched the movie, «Arrival» which is based on a sci-fi short story called, «Story of your life.» In the film, aliens come to earth positioning 12 ships in different locations around the planet. The beings in the ships have a completely different language and language structure, both verbal and written, than humans.

The central character in the story is a human linguist whose role is to set the stage for a dialogue between the species. To do so, she must establish common ground, ensuring that both species understand and agree upon the meaning of certain words and concepts. In essence, to have a meaningful and productive conversation she had to make sure everyone was on the same page.

The same must occur when we address whether or not Windows phone is dead.

Dead or alive?

The status of Windows phone is a polarizing topic. Many fans are passionate, and any allegation that their beloved mobile platform is dead sends them into a well-rehearsed defense.

Many critics are equally passionate, and Microsoft’s consistently diminishing share fuels these critics’ relentless offensive against the platform that has been reported dead several times a year for several years now.

The first thing we must establish as the fundamental underpinnings of this conversation is, «What is dead?» First, as you know, since we are talking about an inanimate object, a platform, that has never actually «lived,» the terms dead and alive are applied in a more figurative sense than an actual one. With that said, the word alive means: living, not dead; alert and active; animated.

Dead means no longer active or animated.

Conversely, the word dead means: no longer alive, not alert and active; animated.

When we look at the definitions of these two words, we must think about the object to which we are applying them. Therefore, we must also agree upon what Windows on a phone is. Finally, what aspects of the inanimate Windows on phone platform are sufficiently congruous to qualities of life, to reflect «alertness, activity and animation?»

Signs of life

Emanating from Microsoft’s leadership are both vision and activity in relation to its admittedly troubled mobile efforts.

Microsoft’s Dona Sarkar heads the Windows Insider Program and actively releases mobile builds to Insiders.

Windows Chief Terry Myerson has expressed Microsoft’s commitment to mobile.

The company’s CMO Chris Capossela has confirmed Microsoft’s commitment to mobile through partnerships and Redmond’s category-defining hardware strategy in relation to mobile.

Finally, CEO Satya Nadella shared an «ultimate mobile device» vision.

Clearly, these few examples from Microsoft’s leadership, reveal that the company has a vision for and is actively involved in developing Windows on phone. The level of that commitment can (and I’m sure will) be debated, and their failures of the past can (and I’m sure will) be rehearsed.

Empirically speaking, however, Redmond is developing the platform, along with the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). Like a living thing, it is progressing, as further revealed in the forward-looking, Discover what’s next for Windows 10 Mobile video from Microsoft’s 2016 Ignite Conference below.

Objective observation reveals vision, development and use of Windows on phone.

Microsoft partners including Alcatel, HP and WhartonBrooks have invested millions of dollars in and embrace Windows phone. Here again, the level of success with those OEMs that have and continue to embrace Windows on phone can be debated.

What can’t be refuted is that they have and are investing their resources as part of a business strategy to use the Windows platform as part of their mobile strategy.

Not yet thriving, but still alive

Finally, a host of fans (though shrinking) are actively using Windows on phone. The Windows Insiders among this user base engage in active communication with the builders of the platform. Through feedback, via official channels and social media, Windows on phone is being developed in «real time.» The progress is visible as interactions are readily observable on social media and as blog posts alert of the changes in new builds.

Clearly, objective observation of the collective examples above leads us to an undeniable conclusion that «Windows on phone» has more in common with the definition of alive than dead.

Even the snarky, «brain dead but on life support» analogy some like to use may not hold up. When an individual is brain dead they cannot consciously respond to external stimuli. Following the critics’ analogy through, Insiders’ feedback is like external stimuli to the platform, and the responses of fixed bugs, addressed concerns, added features and more are «conscious responses» from the brain, or the Microsoft employees working on the platform. Is the platform in an unhealthy state? Yes. Is it dead? Obviously not.

Windows on phone rose and fell but never died

Though Microsoft’s Windows-on-phone strategy has transitioned through various iterations over time, the over-arching platform never died. The central theme since its inception has always been to bring Windows to a pocketable telephony-enabled form factor. Therefore «Windows on phone» can mean any form of pocketable, telephony-capable device.

Unfortunately, the unceremonious failure of Microsoft’s efforts at various stages of this vision composes a sad history that many use to point to a supposed inevitable future of more of the same. Many critics at this stage in its lifecycle claim Windows on phone is dead (something that has never historically occurred) rather than a failed iteration and transition to the next for which there is a precedence.

Windows on phone has struggled over the years but has never died.

Pocket PC, Windows Mobile and Windows Phone were all phases of Microsoft’s Windows on phone vision on the path to OneCore that Redmond hoped would succeed, but which ultimately failed before transitioning to the next iteration. Windows 10 Mobile is the latest Windows on phone OS, and unlike its predecessors, it shares the same core as Windows desktops. Windows 10 Mobile, therefore, is Windows and is consequently under consistent development as part of UWP. Therein lies further evidence that Windows on phone isn’t dead.

Furthermore, Windows 10 on ARM suggests that the Surface «phone» will have full Windows. If so, Microsoft’s Windows on phone vision will be fully realized. The consistent progression of the Windows on phone vision, from Pocket PC to Windows 10 Mobile and potentially to full Windows on an ultramobile Surface, reflects a continuity of the Windows on phone story that, though troubled, has never died.

Windows on phone may live on as full Windows 10 on ultramobile PCs

Finally, because Microsoft’s ultimate mobile device strategy reflects a vision to redefine the PC and push it into the smartphone space, it is necessary to address the use of the word «phone.» If my analysis that Microsoft will be positioning an ultramobile Surface PC with telephony is accurate (which I first suggested in January 2015 and revisted in November of the same year), the Windows on phone strategy will be realized on a pocketable PC. Though the word phone is used, the spirit of the Windows on phone strategy has always included Windows on a pocketable, telephony-enabled device. Microsoft’s Terry Myerson’s words are consistent with this assessment:

…both cellular connectivity and ARM processors have a role in the technical landscape of the future. So we’re going to continue to invest in ARM and cellular. And while I’m not saying what type of device, I think we’ll see devices there, Windows devices, that use ARM chips. I think we’ll see devices that have cellular connectivity. Sometimes, when you’re investing into growth it’s easier, but when you’re investing for technical strategy or things like that, sometimes people can question it .

Myerson’s statement clearly points to the importance of Windows 10 Mobile as a technical investment for the continued development of cellular and ARM devices.

Though there are numerous paths Microsoft can take with Windows 10 Mobile, this may suggest that Windows 10 Mobile will eventually be subsumed by full Windows 10 on ARM-based, cellular-capable ultramobile PCs.

Full Windows may replace Windows 10 Mobile.

If so, the eventual absence of Windows 10 Mobile on a device, as Microsoft’s Windows-on-phone vision progresses, would not be without precedence. Windows Mobile faded from devices as Window Phone replaced it. Windows 10 Mobile did the same to Windows Phone.

As long as Windows lives so does Window on phone

An interesting point to consider is that the introduction of full Windows 10 on an ultramobile PC designed to overlap the smartphone space won’t have the same, «beginning with zero market share» challenge Windows Phone had in 2010. Microsoft’s category-defining ultimate mobile device will run full Windows 10 and will join the currently 400 million other devices that also use the OS. This may be why Microsoft seems unmoved by Windows phone market share approaching zero percent.

Windows 10 ultramobile PCs will join 400 million other Windows 10 PCs.

As we look at the history of Windows on phone, its admittedly current dismal state (with Windows 10 Mobile), as well as the Windows-on-phone ultramobile PC vision Microsoft is working toward (full Windows on ARM), it’s clear that Windows on phone is not dead.

Will Microsoft incorporate mixed-reality, inking and other innovations in its ultimate mobile device? Whatever the final product, if Microsoft is successful, the ultramobile Surface and third-party ultramobile PCs Microsoft partners may build (as they did 2-in-1s) will be category-defining Windows 10 devices. As such they will benefit from the innovations that are part of the platform, as well as the breadth and scope of Windows, as they push Microsoft’s enduring Windows on phone vision forward.

Windows on phone is not dead, and ultramobile PCs running full Windows are why the concept of Windows on phone may never die.

Following the story

Windows phone isn’t dead

Smartphones are dead

The untold app gap story

Windows Mobile and the enterprise

The Surface Phone

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