Does Lumia 950 XL have support in 2018?

[Abubakar Shuaib]

Hello!
I'm one of Microsoft Mobile big fans! ...11 years now from WM 5.0 to Win10M Creators!

• 2006 MOTO Q 9c

• 2009 LG IQ GW825

• 2012 Samsung ATIV S SGH-T899M

• 2015 MS Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM

? 2018 MS Surface Phone Pro

Home of the Microsoft Surface Device Family | Surface

My question is, does My Lumia 950 XL have support in 2018? ......if not this other device coming aka "Surface Phone Pro" or "Surface Mobile" is an device with "RS3 OS"...should I upgrade to it....or to risky?? ...if not is it time to ....hard time saying it!!!!.......is it time to jump ship?? All you people with the same boat as me! What to do??....now starting to lose my basic apps oh functionality. I was always fine with MS apps....but the pressure is on me.

If I do jump ship....it will probably be Android 8....the up coming official "Android 8" the Google "Pixel 2 XXL" seems to better best coming?? For a replacement of my Lumia 950 XL?

Since I lost my Banking app this month got me thinking......so this Christmas .....a decision has to be made....

- MS Surface Phone "Surface Mobile"
Or
- Google Pixel 2 XXL "Taimen"

Both going to be very expensive!

Please help.....is it time??

Sent from Lumia 950XL

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

I don't see the Lumia 950 devices having official Microsoft support past the end of this year, regardless of whether new hardware is out or not.

I found a great price on a barely used Lumia 950 (phone, display dock and an unused Mozo case for $175), and it's used as a back up phone and mp3 player, but even as that, it often has me rolling my eyes:

-I'm not a fan of Groove, or the way it treats my music metadata stored on the sdcard
-the mobile Edge browser simply, no exaggeration, sucks balls.
(as a point of comparison, I recently gave away, to my regret, a Sony Xperia Z2, a four plus year old smartphone, and that thing still performed great, and mobile Chrome still worked fantastically well.)
-the Pureview camera on the 950 though fine, is a bit overhyped. I've taken a few photos, and it's not all that much better than I've found on other top end flagship smartphones of recent years.
-all in all, I'll probably unload this thing on Swappa or eBay before the official support ends.

 

[romo11]

Hello!
I'm one of Microsoft Mobile big fans! ...11 years now from WM 5.0 to Win10M Creators!

• 2006 MOTO Q 9c

• 2009 LG IQ GW825

• 2012 Samsung ATIV S SGH-T899M

• 2015 MS Lumia 950 XL Dual SIM

? 2018 MS Surface Phone Pro

Home of the Microsoft Surface Device Family | Surface

My question is, does My Lumia 950 XL have support in 2018? ......if not this other device coming aka "Surface Phone Pro" or "Surface Mobile" is an device with "RS3 OS"...should I upgrade to it....or to risky?? ...if not is it time to ....hard time saying it!!!!.......is it time to jump ship?? All you people with the same boat as me! What to do??....now starting to lose my basic apps oh functionality. I was always fine with MS apps....but the pressure is on me.

If I do jump ship....it will probably be Android 8....the up coming official "Android 8" the Google "Pixel 2 XXL" seems to better best coming?? For a replacement of my Lumia 950 XL?

Since I lost my Banking app this month got me thinking......so this Christmas .....a decision has to be made....

- MS Surface Phone "Surface Mobile"
Or
- Google Pixel 2 XXL "Taimen"

Both going to be very expensive!

Please help.....is it time??

Sent from Lumia 950XL

I hope my Lumia will be supported. I do not expect any bid update, but I would like to see new CShell on my L950

 

[ChrisBartlett]

There's no reason even if they do end feature updates for the 950xl that it can't keep working fine for a few more years. Afterall plenty of Androids are sold with ancient android OS versions installed which never get updates. I love my 950XL, the camera is unbeatable as is the screen and it's speed. Apple is so backwards and out of date technology wise especially the camera (only just got widescreen for goodness sake) and screen (STILL not OLED!?) and so overpriced. Android has its advantages, but the UI is horrible and messy, updates are sparse and I find myself having to reset Android devices every couple of weeks (or more often) to keep them working. I'm holding onto my Lumia either until the surface phone is released or someone prys it from my cold dead hands.... The 950XL is still way ahead of almost every other smartphone in the world, there's no kind of urgency to upgrade unless you have some desperate need for a particular app on android or iOS, but most people don't really have that.

 

[docsp1]

X50s will be supported i think. Mobile today exceeds Desktop in usage.

 

[Wevenhuis]

No, I don't. If history is our best teacher, remembering the the HTC HD2 with windows mobile 6.x, the lumia 1520 with windows phone 8 (...and now windows 10 mobile, but end of support with creators update) then 2018 will be the end of support.

That does not mean you can't keep using your current windows 10 mobile device though. I'm still using my lumia 1520 and 950XL as daily drivers. They both work fine. Luckily in Europe I can still use my banking app and whatsapp, among others, so the phone is still usable. though these two apps are not the only determining benchmarks. The OS and basic apps, native and third party, are still enough for me for everyday use. And the fact its windows 10 means it works well in conjunction with windows 10 on a pc or tablet. The combination working in an ecosystem makes it a joy to use. I've tried android with windows for pc. The ecosytem with other OS'es are improving, but it still feels like working in two different worlds. For work and general no hastle private use staying in one ecosytem is a better experience in my case.

App support will remain an issue. Banking apps, I can imagine, is a significant one. For me the rumours of end of support for whatsapp in creators update for older devices makes it a tougher decision to thinking about what next. But I'm sure even with the new paradigm shift of new devices, or the rumored surface phone, the current issues will still be there. If it is about relevant apps for you and mixing platoforms at the point in time is not an issue, I think I would leave windows altogether. A lot is very experimental and a bit chaotic at this point in time. And it might stay this way for another couple of years before the windows 10 platform starts to make sense. A new windows device is exciting, but I think we should not be disillusioned by the fact there are still pressing problems that a new device with a new windows 10 platform (talking about the fall creators update) that will there once they hype has settled.

I'm not too worried about end of support for windows 10 mobile on my lumia 1520 and 950XL. I however would appreciate a continuation of performance and security updates. Not too worried about new and revolutionary features.

Secondly as long as microsoft continues support of the store access and allows app updates I'm fine with the outllook. I have a impression windows 10 mobile now works a lot like pc with regard to perfomance and over the air updatability of apps and the OS. I am therefore assuming the OS can still run fine and great, much like a pc running on XP and/or windows 7. I think this helps the device remain of value over time in the long run, which is different with what I experienced with windows mobile and windows phone.

There will always be a better device, but I'm suprised with what the 1520 and 950XL can do today. It would be nice if microsoft would allow the new cshell support for the lumia 950XL though. I might be on the cusp of performance issues for the cpu perfomance, but it would go a long way to increase the half life of the device, and make the 950XL truly revolutionary to be able to multitask on a mobile device that is also your smartphone. A swiss army knife of sorts. Would alos be a wonderful gift if a microsoft developer could squeeze it in for the lumia 1520 too (even collaborate with xda developers if necessary). I think that little gesture could go a long way to restore my faith in the platform support and a brighter outlook to the future support and company value in the long run. It would help restore my faith in investing in microsoft.

 

[anon(5415472)]

I would like to think so, but I don't have high hopes for it.

I think the next step for the windows OS on all devices ( mobile, desktop, xbox, tablets etc ), would be to ditch separate apps on mobile and desktop/tablet and go all in on UWP which will run on all devices. Leaks already show that this will most likely happen as they're already ditching older apps ( goodbye apps made with silverlight ). They're also going for a unified Shell which will adapt to whatever device you're using. To further unify things, I would expect the next windows phones ( surface mobile?) would be running a version of windows 10 on ARM which would make it a full windows PC with calling and txt functionality.

The 950 can support UWP and can use CShell however windows 10 on ARM's minimum reference design demands a minimum snapdragon 835 and the 950 only has a snapdragon 808 or 810. That's probably why MS and their partner OEMs are discontinuing phones on the pipeline all of a sudden and aren't making any new phones lately. Why make a phone that will be obsolete in a year's time?

I would hope though, However unlikely, that due to their marketshare, they might let a few phones like the lumia 950 line be able to upgrade to the new CShell and restrict them to UWP apps but it won't be windows 10 on arm, it will still be windows 10 mobile. It won't be the complete PC in your pocket that we will likely be going to get hopefully next year.
It would be like the surface RT tablets that got an update years ago to get them a shell similar to windows 10 but the underlying OS was still RT.

 

[TennisGuy45]

No there will not be support for the 950 or XL.

Expect it to end at the conclusion of 2017.

Why?

We already know Windows Phone OS is dead.
The 950's will be over 2 years old at the start of 2018.

No reason to support old phones using a dead OS.

 

[Cosmin Petrenciuc]

I doubt that Microsoft will support Lumia 950 series past 2017. I will be surprised if they will include these devices in the list of devices that will receive Redstone 3. I would expect that list to be limited to HP Elite X3 and Alcatel Idol.

I, like yourself, am a Windows fan. I had numerous smartphones beginning with a HTC Diamond, going through HTC Radar, Nokia Lumia 1020 and now Microsoft Lumia 950 XL. But over the years I learned to think pragmatically when it comes to Microsoft related things.

 

[Unkitjc]

Until there is an announcement from Microsoft, hard to tell really. Conjecturing from news we have had till now, I get a feeling that Cshell was meant for the 950XL too, but with the passage of time decisions were changed, new ones made, and now the iteration will get the bigger piece of the cake

 

[mrpcpro]

They don't support them TODAY!!! I went with my Lumia 950 XL to the 5th Avenue New York City Microsoft store, because the camera is acting wonky. They have no replacement phones, they have no Windows phones, they can't even service the phone. I have to go online and deal with a third party to get support for my out of warranty phone. They only phone they had in the store was a Galaxy S8. I went back to my old Lumia 1520. The greatest Lumia phone ever made. Because Microsoft didn't make it. Support is DEAD.

 

[chris722]

Yes. Those phone have 3 GB of RAM no reason why they would not. Right now it is the most advanced phone Microsoft has, and it would take a while to replace it with something better. It is a good phone. Right now the price remains high because of the hardware, which is great for the price. No different than the 650 or the 550.

I don't see Microsoft refreshing the x50 Lumia phones any time soon. The hardware is ahead of the curve, and I believe that this is intentional so that Microsoft can focus on other things. I expect to see new hardware in 2019. By then the specs of the x50 phones will be old, and those phones will no longer be competitive in the marketplace. By then the OS will have outgrown the old phones as well, and those phones will be slower to respond.

 

[LCeSaRadv]

I hope so... I pretend to buy a L950 xl soon...

 

[nate0]

They don't support them TODAY!!! I went with my Lumia 950 XL to the 5th Avenue New York City Microsoft store, because the camera is acting wonky. They have no replacement phones, they have no Windows phones, they can't even service the phone. I have to go online and deal with a third party to get support for my out of warranty phone. They only phone they had in the store was a Galaxy S8. I went back to my old Lumia 1520. The greatest Lumia phone ever made. Because Microsoft didn't make it. Support is DEAD.

The Microsoft store should only support that Lumia x50 if you purchased a Microsoft Complete extended service plan. If it is out of warranty then yes, they can't help you.

 

[ThaKrazyOne]

For me this holiday season, I will have to decide what to do. My family and I came from iOS in 2013-2014. If no real news comes about a successor to the 950 series and Windows 10 Mobile in general, I might have to go back to iOS. Of course a Jailbreak will happen on my device.

 

[MeditatiangAmigo]

I was previously an Android user. I was planning to try a Windows Phone when the Lumia 950 was released. I read a few reviews that opined that the Lumia 950 was a very good device - not quite the top flagship on the market - but, probably a little over priced. The "expert" advice was to wait a while for the price to come down a bit. While I was waiting, the Microsoft Store had a great deal on Lumia 640 for $40.00. I figured, for that price, why not give Windows Phone a try to see if I like it. It turns out that I really like the OS and the Lumia device. Now that the price has dropped on the Lumia 950, I worry about buying one if it won't be supported next year. I wish Microsoft would publicly detail what the plans are for their devices so that the "enthusiasts" can make some educated decisions. I am very close to going back to Android. If I do, I don't think I will come back to Windows Mobile in the future. I'll likely go "all in" with Google and start switching my desktop and laptop devices to Google devices too. I already have Android tablets. It's sad, because I really like the Windows Phone OS.

 

[mrpcpro]

The Microsoft store should only support that Lumia x50 if you purchased a Microsoft Complete extended service plan. If it is out of warranty then yes, they can't help you.

I offered to purchase a new one. They don't have one in ANY store. If I take an iphone to an Apple store, do you think they will tell me "I can't help you?" It's that type of thinking that keeps Microsoft behind in consumer devices. Geez

 

[microsoft111]

I don't think new phone and OS will be release in 2018. I think Microsoft will continue to improve Windows 10 Mobile through new releases for 950 & 950XL seeing how smoothly the Insider Fast builds are now a days.

But if they can make it happen then that would be awesome. From what I understand it will take the convergence of Windows 10 & 10 Mobile and ability for that to run on ARM. So there is a lot of technology together to make the next version of "Windows Mobile".

If would be a new & more powerful OS and require new more powerful hardware. I'd happily get the new hardware required.

 

[nate0]

I offered to purchase a new one. They don't have one in ANY store. If I take an iphone to an Apple store, do you think they will tell me "I can't help you?" It's that type of thinking that keeps Microsoft behind in consumer devices. Geez

To purchase one outright no. You cannot.
The 950/xl phones have been out of production for quite a while, and that is Microsoft's choice. So correct, you cannot buy one at the store, but if you purchased one before they ceased selling them in the store along with a Microsoft Complete service plan, then you would get service at the store. At least that is how it is in my area. I can only go into the store where it was purchased if there is an issue with it since it is covered under that plan.

 

[Johnny Tremaine]

To purchase one outright no. You cannot.
The 950/xl phones have been out of production for quite a while, and that is Microsoft's choice. So correct, you cannot buy one at the store, but if you purchased one before they ceased selling them in the store along with a Microsoft Complete service plan, then you would get service at the store. At least that is how it is in my area. I can only go into the store where it was purchased if there is an issue with it since it is covered under that plan.

If you took a Lumia 950 to a store, even *with* the service plan, what would the replacement device be?
The Galaxy S8? Because thats the only phone they sell in retail stores now.