Is Andromeda likely cancelled as the rumours say?

[Luuthian]

Hey Dan, looks like several websites are reporting today that Andromeda has been cancelled as part of the recent Windows division shake up. How accurate do you think those reports are? Is Andromeda’s form factor only likely to live on if Third Parties take up the mantle?

 

[DavidBS1989]

Please, Dan, answer this.

 

[Ryujingt3]

It's interesting that the only MS related site not reporting this is Windows Central.

 

[rodneyej]

No.. WC only reports news they are very sure about. WC wants to get the facts right besides regurgitating what everyone else is saying. I agree that this is an interesting topic, but we shouldn't be asking for the same old story we've already heard 10 times. Let's wait for WC to give us thier take. Trust me, they are definitely looking into it.

 

[Luuthian]

For sure. I'm assuming we won't hear anything from WC until they feel they can make at least an educated guess

 

[fatclue_98]

It's interesting that the only MS related site not reporting this is Windows Central.

All About Windows reported it too. I first read about it on ZDNet because Mary Jo Foley is one of the few reporters who tells Microsoft news like it is.

 

[Ryujingt3]

Hopefully Windows Central can set the entire record straight.

 

[Zac Bowden]

Andromeda has not been canceled. It's only been delayed so that the company can ensure a better product when it is ready to be released.

Microsoft may cancel it in the future (as has always been the case,) but that hasn't happened yet.

 

[fatclue_98]

Andromeda has not been canceled. It's only been delayed so that the company can ensure a better product when it is ready to be released.

Microsoft may cancel it in the future (as has always been the case,) but that hasn't happened yet.

Thanks so much Zac. Now can you please also explain to the Doom-and-Gloom Society that Andromeda is not Windows 10 Mobile. It would go a long way to allay some misplaced fears among our brethren.

 

[wpbestplayer]

Thanks so much Zac. Now can you please also explain to the Doom-and-Gloom Society that Andromeda is not Windows 10 Mobile. It would go a long way to allay some misplaced fears among our brethren.

But it is (almost) WM10. (Based on rumors, articles) WCOS is WM10 + RS5_UWP + CShell + Continuum v2 + pen support + [maybe] future support of desktop apps via virtualization.

 

[scoots37]

But it is (almost) WM10. (Based on rumors, articles) WCOS is WM10 + RS5_UWP + CShell + Continuum v2 + pen support + [maybe] future support of desktop apps via virtualization.

Yeah, I also think WCOS and Cshell started with W10M. The first (and only?) video of CShell is Zac's video from about a year ago and he was running it on a Windows phone. Using W10M as the starting point would make sense since they stopped working on W10M at the same time they were rumored to be working on WCOS, as if they had everyone switch from W10M to WCOS and Andromeda full time.

 

[DavidBS1989]

So, if is not cancelled and just delayed. When can we expect it for release? Thank you.

 

[dsharp75]

Of course it'll be released. The current MS has to get into mobile, but this time get it all right the first time. From OEMS to developers to 5G readiness to battery life and always on connectivity. No half but products this time, no betas - they have to get major adoption and buy in from jump street. OEMS see an opportunity so they're on it. with both uwp and pwa, the app gap is shrinking. they have plenty of time for various use case scenarios and they already have significant and positive (free) buzz. Let's see if it truly a disruptive product (or family of products w/OEMs involved). Can't wait!

 

[Gregorius Magnus]

Actually, as I thought before, Microsoft may not have the effort of mass producing this device, or hasn't the slightest clue on the required volume. Would it count cancelling if partnered with HP or Dell to produce this device or equivalent for a start?

 

[mrmeyer]

I ran out of time. I love my Lumia 950, and as long as I'm able to read email, send text, surf the web and take pictures, I was happy to hold on for Andromeda.

But in the last month, my phone has started rebooting when I try to take a picture. Last week, it started doing that when I clicked a link and it tried to open edge. So I've lost the web and picture taking functions.

I don't see myself buying a used 950 that'll fix anything, so I'm finally pushed out of Microsoft for a phone. And as expensive as things are, I'll stay with whatever I buy for 2 years minimum. Probably going to buy a Samsung S9 this week; not because I want to move away from Windows Phone, but because Windows Phone moved so far away from me it's exceedingly difficult to stay with it.

 

[Cbarnhorst]

"The sky is falling!" How about let's just wait and see? (We have to anyway.)

 

[Richard Toft]

show support for project andromeda would you buy one?

https://www.change.org/p/all-the-pe...the-demand-for-the-surface-phone-or-andromeda

 

[DRDiver]

No, I don't think they will. Nor should they. It's an ultra-niche concept. It would poor as a phone and as a PC, doing neither very well. You can CALL something "pocketable" all you want, but unless you're wearing baggy pants or carrying a purse, uh-uh. But the thing is the OS itself is already user-spiteful on tablets, and they've killed the actual mobile SKU of the OS. I'm not surprised they don't have anything ready to do a split screen thing, especially at the size this Andromeda joke is alleged to be. I've said for a long time Microsoft needs to get SERIOUS about making Windows fully scalable and adaptable to whatever hardware. Similar to how Tablet Mode works, the OS should have a mode that changes either automatically or at user's discretion to fit the hardware. Sort of a Continuum in reverse. As the device gets smaller, the Start menu and that user experience becomes more emphasized by default. I actually think Windows 8--which was a MUCH better touch experience--would have lent itself to the Andromeda concept infinitely better, since it fully supported having the Start screen on one monitor and Metro or desktop apps on a second monitor. But Microsoft has done such a horrible job on W10 on touch devices that there's no way it would look decent, much less be user-friendly on something that's neither a phone nor a tablet. It's a fail from the start.

 

[GraniteStateColin]

DRDiver, I believe you're conflating the front-end UI with the underlying OS. Windows 8 had a better touch UI than Windows 10 (I agree with you on that, but it also had a horrible mouse/keyboard UI in my opinion), but Windows 10 is a much more robust and flexible OS overall than 8. As long as part of what MS is doing now is making the UI great for touch and/or pen, maybe including getting it to work more like Windows 8, then I think they're in good shape.

 

[agmsr]

Personally, I have no idea what Microsoft might do, but I would like to see this device released.