Is windows mobile really dying?

[Maxi70]

Hi Guys, writing from Italy just to share some thoughts.... Just bought a Lumia 640 Lte after several months of checking into Forums and blogs about this device and W10Mobile in general...... What a waste of time.....I do not know if it was just luck or a super correct installation with updates (curently running on .218 no Insider programs) This is the most amazing SO I have ever experienced (coming from 2 years of L630 and 2 years of Samsung at the beginning) It's all so smooth and gorgeous. Of course I do not play much with many appsand games like maybe most of you do, and by the way my life changed so nicely ever since I learnt to use Facebook via Edge (wich also run fantastic on my Lumia) I would probably not reccomend W10 to any Heavy App power user but this phone with W10 works like a glory for every day common usage (Email, calls, Whatsapp,camera) And I'm reading tons of articles these days about app developments for W10 way more than the competion who issue app updates on daily basis (updates...ehrm...) I'm sorry about this but I just wanted to speak out a bit after months of rivers of tears about this SO. It's fantastic....!!! Bravo MS....

 

[Stef8600]

I don't think that UWP apps is the MS salvation, because lets be honest, how many of you will use an app on the xbox? or how many of you need an app on the pc when you already have a browser? that "UWP is for billions of user" is a lie, if so, all the developers will be running to W10 and W10M but any of them really cares

You are looking at it with the eyes of an Apple/Android user. The vision from Microsoft with UWP is the other way around, they do not have a widely spread mobile platform, but they have a big desktop platform userbase (and no, not everything is usable/available as a website ). The point is: a lot of applications will be re-written (be it tomorrow, next week, next year), not all but alot. With UWP the developer has the opportunity to have the application available on all devices that are running Windows 10 - whatever the user may use as his prefered device.

Why does Google now suddenly let Android apps being run on ChromeOS, does that OS not have a browser?

 

[Stef8600]

Hololens, maybe; but more likely they will be rolled over by VR-glasses.

I'd prefer Hololens.
The reason why: VR is just a plain old video game that puts you in the middle of it, while the Hololens puts the game right there where you are. With Hololens you can safely walk around, without tumbling over chairs and other stuff that lays around on the floor.

So I have Reality and Virtual Reality, 2 in 1.
We all know what happens when Microsoft launches 2 in 1's.;-)

 

[kaktus1389]

Microsofts sales will blow up when people realize that live tiles are future?!? I tell you something. Look Sonys, LGs, HTCs... sales. Even Apple is going down. Now you suggest that live tiles will be the answer to take over the worlds mobilemarkets. You really should be sales and marketing manager in some big company. "We will made live tiles and conquer the world". That sounds more like Pinky and the Brain than solving real problems of MSs mobilesales.



Look at the computers, Windows and Office in last two decades. What innovations you see? Only things that have been made are faster processors and more memory. Still they sell pretty well. MS have been selling same Win95 and same Office with very little developments, mainly cosmetic changes, year after year last two decades.

Well I see UWP coming. That's definitely an innovation. Universal apps - seen them anywhere before? Have you seen anything like Windows Hello built in a device before? Have you seen anyone using an Apple or Android device as their desktop computer anywhere before?
I think that's enough of MS innovations, if you need more, let me know.

 

[Jules W]

Most commentators [Paul, Mary Jo etc] have concluded Windows Mobile 10 is going backwards. Not as fluid and fresh as WP8.1.

So Microsoft are going in the wrong direction. Developers are not interested in UWP and Consumers will not be interested in an Intel based 'Surface Phone'. That is just for the fanboys.

When both Paul and Mary Jo admit they have deserted the Windows Phone, you really know its game over.

 

[CherokeeTX]

You are looking at it with the eyes of an Apple/Android user. The vision from Microsoft with UWP is the other way around, they do not have a widely spread mobile platform, but they have a big desktop platform userbase (and no, not everything is usable/available as a website ). The point is: a lot of applications will be re-written (be it tomorrow, next week, next year), not all but alot. With UWP the developer has the opportunity to have the application available on all devices that are running Windows 10 - whatever the user may use as his prefered device.

Why does Google now suddenly let Android apps being run on ChromeOS, does that OS not have a browser?

^This. A thousand times this.

I am switching from Apple to MS because I believe UWP is the future (see my previous posts). Mobile devices are powerful enough now to run most desktop software (see upcoming HP Elite x3) and one OS is the right move. Apple has a great ecosystem, but I grew tired of having an app on the iPhone, but not on the iPad, or on those, but not on the ATV (which is an iPhone 6 without the screen). And then you can buy that app again if you want it on your Mac. THAT is not the future of personal computing, IMHO.

Is W10 and WM10 perfect? No, but they getting better at a rapid pace. I'll suffer through the growing pains to be on board with what I believe is the future, just as I did with my iPhone 3GS through 6s.

 

[RumoredNow]

When both Paul and Mary Jo admit they have deserted the Windows Phone, you really know its game over.

I think you have to look at the bubble Tech Bloggers live in though. Rightly or wrongly, their view is skewed way more than the average Joe or Jane.

 

[Felipeicd]

You are looking at it with the eyes of an Apple/Android user. The vision from Microsoft with UWP is the other way around, they do not have a widely spread mobile platform, but they have a big desktop platform userbase (and no, not everything is usable/available as a website ). The point is: a lot of applications will be re-written (be it tomorrow, next week, next year), not all but alot. With UWP the developer has the opportunity to have the application available on all devices that are running Windows 10 - whatever the user may use as his prefered device.

Why does Google now suddenly let Android apps being run on ChromeOS, does that OS not have a browser?

Yeah, maybe I'm looking it with apple eyes, but, ok I'll admit that some apps are welcome to the uwp family, like Netflix, I use it a lot on my one and on my surface, but most of the apps have no chance if they are going to Xbox, or even a pc, the amount of apps that people will actually use on the Xbox or the pc is tiny, and tiny is a nice word. And In the pc area, most of that millions pc that MS is saying that have w10 is old pc with no touchscreen, maybe in the surface uwp can work great but I'm the rest of the pc they are just getting ignore


Enviado desde mTalk

 

[groady-ho baluzy]

I used to believe that I didn't need apps because I had a browser and that still might be true to an extent. Apps are everywhere from tablets, to phones to Roku and apple tv. apps are far easier and faster to use than using a browser. I have even used apps on my laptop lately, it's too easy to just open Netflix and watch instead of having to open a browser first.

 

[Tom French2]

Universal means that it is the same everywhere. A phone, tablet, desktop, or laptop with the same system like Windows 10 means that what you do on one can be accessed from the others. I have a desktop with 10 on it and I use apps all the time for several different things that I usually do with my browser. I really like to read the news and having a news app gives me the same stories I would find on the Bing news in my browser. I use the browser a lot because I use Bing and I get rewards just for surfing the net.

 

[wpn00b]

Microsofts sales will blow up when people realize that live tiles are future?!? I tell you something. Look Sonys, LGs, HTCs... sales. Even Apple is going down. Now you suggest that live tiles will be the answer to take over the worlds mobilemarkets. You really should be sales and marketing manager in some big company. "We will made live tiles and conquer the world". That sounds more like Pinky and the Brain than solving real problems of MSs mobilesales.



Look at the computers, Windows and Office in last two decades. What innovations you see? Only things that have been made are faster processors and more memory. Still they sell pretty well. MS have been selling same Win95 and same Office with very little developments, mainly cosmetic changes, year after year last two decades.

Live tiles are not something new and innovative that will raise MS mobilemarkets. Neither are 3D touch or continuum. Hololens, maybe; but more likely they will be rolled over by VR-glasses.

Fair points as to the current market, I'm just saying that the only company(in my opinion)that has provided anything new and interesting in regards to UI and form factor has been Microsoft. If people never realize how useful Live Tiles actually are then it will languish forever in obscurity. I however use them to great effect and think others would to if they gave it a chance. Most people have heard it sucks so don't use it but don't have first hand experience. Just like iPhone users and Android users hate the other but have never used it.

 

[DancingDave]

The reason why: VR is just a plain old video game that puts you in the middle of it, while the Hololens puts the game right there where you are. With Hololens you can safely walk around, without tumbling over chairs and other stuff that lays around on the floor.

The problem with Hololens is that it is basically big vapor-ware at the moment. Microsoft today announced at Hannover Messe in Germany that the delivery time for the developer model is 18 months. So don't expect any finished consumer version until at least 2018.

 

[luxnws]

Universal means that it is the same everywhere. A phone, tablet, desktop, or laptop with the same system like Windows 10 means that what you do on one can be accessed from the others. I have a desktop with 10 on it and I use apps all the time for several different things that I usually do with my browser. I really like to read the news and having a news app gives me the same stories I would find on the Bing news in my browser. I use the browser a lot because I use Bing and I get rewards just for surfing the net.

UWP is the acronym for Universal Windows Platform but is not always universal.

Not all UWP apps run on all Windows 10 devices. For example, the Forza Motorsport 6 Apex beta is coming out soon and is a UWP app. It will run on the Windows 10 desktop. Will it run on a Lumia 950 running W10M? I doubt it.

So UWP isn't necessarily universal.

 

[Felipeicd]

It seems like MS drop the towel with their own os, I'm from Chile (south America) and MS has completely left us behind, Brazil and Argentina was probably the only countries were windows phone was wining, they used to have over 13% market share .. and puff.. nothing, without saying anything, in latin America we haven't received a phone since the 830 a year ago. no marketing, no telling if we ever going to received a new phone or anything, just complete abandonment. I have to buy my 950xl from the outside and pay the shipment

 

[billy269]

Yes, this irritates me. I think MS needs to require that all new app releases/updates are actually universal. When I am on my W10 PC and find an app I like it is really annoying to discover that I cannot use it on W10 Mobile.

 

[Ray Adams]

Yes, this irritates me. I think MS needs to require that all new app releases/updates are actually universal. When I am on my W10 PC and find an app I like it is really annoying to discover that I cannot use it on W10 Mobile.

Nope. If Microsoft will push on developers they gonna loose all that 7 developers who are still with platform
UWP is not yet truly UWP. But Microsoft is working on it

 

[Gregory Newman]

Why is this blog still here Because MS VP Terry Myerson and MS VP Panay say Windows smart phones will still be made and sold to the Public
and Businesses. in the last 3 years Millions of Folks have bought Windows smart phones. some will be updated to Windows Mobile OS some wont.
the new Windows 10 Mobile OS is being improved. those People in the Windows 10 insider program are getting the newest features to test out before the General public gets it.

 

[Felipeicd]

Why is this blog still here Because MS VP Terry Myerson and MS VP Panay say Windows smart phones will still be made and sold to the Public
and Businesses. in the last 3 years Millions of Folks have bought Windows smart phones. some will be updated to Windows Mobile OS some wont.
the new Windows 10 Mobile OS is being improved. those People in the Windows 10 insider program are getting the newest features to test out before the General public gets it.

Yeah... Like MS have never retracted of a decision before and fable is still going to happen

 

[Ruster Kat]

Zombie OS. Kept alive by unnatural means because MS doesn't have any other choice right now but to stay in this space. They have done all of this to themselves. Are you kidding me... 4xx, 5xx, 6xx, 7xx, 8xx, 9xx, 10xx, 13xx, 15xx? Simple upgrade path would have been nice! Should have been a 940/XL late in '14. The 950/XL should still be on W8.x while they work on Surface "neo-pocket PC" (there you go MS: "Surface Neo") and W10M for '17/'18. Build/maintain market share, however slowly. Support world markets where WP is more successful! Should probably even have been the plan to do Lumia 560, 660/XL and 960/XL on WP8.x for late '16, of course all built to handle W10M when READY for prime-time.

Over and over again they keep tearing down everything and then trying to build from scratch, looking for a late-round knockout punch instead of doggedly pounding it round after round and just building on their good stuff. Even the possible "Surface Neo" phone device (with golden halo over head) will have a very tough road with no apps or mobile ecosystem. Even with Continuum, UWP, Win32 support, etc. People will still want mobile apps in '17 and now they have killed off more goodwill. They are destroying their remaining marketshare because the accountants want to 'blow out' the stock and there is little likelihood of being ANY improvement (probably will be much worse) in the mobile focused app department by '17. Perception is a M*****F****. Hope is not a product management strategy or engineering solution. With their clout and cash they could be at 5-10% - even maybe 15% - right now and would be looking really, really strong for 2017 and phone-enabled Surface devices. Too bad I'm not King of MS! ;-]

 

[cmh238]

I would hope that Microsoft is not going to stop windows mobile. I recently got a Windows phone and as others have said, I heard they were no good. Too complicated. Having used iPhone for a few years I was skeptical. I did purchase an Android phone first and although it was not bad it was just not impressive. After dropping it I decided to do what I originally wanted and got the Windows Phone from AT&T go phones. I was totally blown away that for 29.99 this phone really rocked and was solid. I think one of the biggest drawbacks is the lack of available apps that most users want on their phone. For instance my bank does not have an app that is windows compatible. My car ( Hyundai) came with Blue Link and there is no app for the car to remote start. However after playing with the phone this morning and switching the browser from mobile to desk top I was able to log into the site on my phone and could remote start the car from the website. I am finding that after a few years of being an Apple customer that I do prefer Windows over Apple. Working with photography is easier, adding email attachments is easier. Microsoft keep working on the product and get the message out there. I believe once people give it a try they will see Windows mobile is quite fun and easy to work with.