I Asked Microsoft Support About Future of W10M

[MLXVI]

I've just purchased an Elite X3 and I want to start purchasing UWP apps in the store that I can use both on my desktop and on my phone. Bit pointless if W10M is "dead". So I contact Microsoft support to ask whether investing in the store for UWP apps with the intent to use them on mobile is worth it. This is what they said;

MSS: I understand that you are facing issues to purchasing apps from the Windows Store . Am I correct?

ME: Kind of. Let me explain. I'm considering purchasing apps in the Windows store as they would work on my Windows 10 PC and my Windows Mobile, however, I've heard Microsoft is abandoning Windows Mobile sometime in the near future. If this is the case then the apps in the Windows store won't be worth investing in. I'm contacting you for some clarity on the issue. If I purchase a UWP app in the Windows Store for my desktop and mobile, will Microsoft being supporting mobile in the long term thus making any investment in the store worthwhile?

MSS: Thank you for explaining your concern. I completely understand your concern. Please be informed that we have the dedicated team for supporting the windows Mobile which means Microsoft will keep support the Store Apps which was purchased in the mobile.

ME: So Microsoft will continue to develop Windows mobile? I want to purchase movies in the store also so I can watch them on my desktop and on my phone. This won't be worth the purchase unless Microsoft is planning on supporting Windows Mobile in the long term. Is this what you're saying the will do?

MSS: Yes. so far whatever you have purchased will be supported .. Also, please be informed that we have not got any Official update that Microsoft is going to stop the Mobile Support. IF we are stopping the support , you will be notified So, not to worry .

ME: I don't worry about not being notified about support being stopped. I worry about paying for UWP apps on mobile if it is planned to be unsupported in the next year. Thank you for your help anyway.

MSS: You are welcome I do understand your concern. Since we have not received any official update here , I could not tell you that we are going to stop the services for Mobile.. I will keep this case and update you in the future. Is that okay?

ME: Yes, thank you very much. Have a good night. Bye.

I didn't expect support to know anything, but I thought the question is worth asking as it is a real concern I have. I think he points something out that we all need to keep in mind, "nothing official" has come from anyone. All we have is speculation and rumours. For me, the idea of one of the biggest tech companies in the world, worth billions, with billions in offshore accounts, just bowing out of the mobile sector, probably one of the, if not the most important sector of technology when it comes to commercial interests, just sounds complete bonkers and unimaginable. After all the time and investment, the damage it would do to their reputation with ******* of UWP developers, etc. Nope, doesn't sound realistic. But all the doom and gloom on here and other places has rattle my cage.

I could go on and on but I'll leave it there. Windows 10 Mobile has a future until we hear something from someone who's in the know who says it doesn't.

 

[Wbutchart1]

I agree, I think a lot of this is negative speculation based around upset at some of the decisions that have been made around hardware etc. I get that irritation, but just because things are not as clear as we would all like doesnt mean its dead.

 

[davidhk129]

MLXVI

I am sure you do realize that anything the "Microsoft Support" says will be recorded and can be revised and evaluated by his/her supervisor.

If WM is in live-support system, do you expect MS employee will say so, on the record ?

 

[Drael646464]

For me, the idea of one of the biggest tech companies in the world, worth billions, with billions in offshore accounts, just bowing out of the mobile sector, probably one of the, if not the most important sector of technology when it comes to commercial interests, just sounds complete bonkers and unimaginable. After all the time and investment, the damage it would do to their reputation with ******* of UWP developers, etc. Nope, doesn't sound realistic

I think yes, all the effort promoting UWP and the windows store, would be a major damage to developers if they abandoned those entirely. And it would be silly not to have some play for the mobile market, even if its a slow boiler.

There is also no point abandoning win 10 mobile, unless there is solid plans in place to replace it. They would be taking the whatever low percentage marketshare and throwing it away. None of that seems commercially sound.

If they plan on replacing it, they will support it, up till then, or just before then, so they can attract the existing customers over. And if they plan on keeping it, then they'll keep it alive until they have the pieces in place to build it up again.

Its not costing them money, it is profitable, even if its millions not billions. I'm positive they can see the threat from competitors like google, even if it harder to scale android up than scale windows down, leaving that as it is, would be wildly niave.

If this were a start-up with only investment in mobile, they'd probably literally be happy with the result. BB ran in debt for years to try - if they had five million a quarter they'd still be making bb10 phones. And this is a multi-billion dollar per quarter revenue company, so long as they aren't throwing bad money at it, and the shareholders feel comfortable the company is profitable, I can't really see any reason they'd shut it down.

If anyone thinks they are shutting it down- can you offer a sound commercial reason why they would?

 

[ttsoldier]

Stop worrying about Windows 10 mobile.

There has been no announcement that it is coming to an end.

Buy whatever phone you want, buy your apps and enjoy your experience. I just bought an Idol4s . I'm not worried about what's going to happen tomorrow or 6 months down the road. When that bridge reaches, i'll cross it.

And even if Microsoft kills windows 10 mobile, my purchases will still be in the windows store and my phone will still work and apps will still work on the phone

 

[Drael646464]

Stop worrying about Windows 10 mobile.

There has been no announcement that it is coming to an end.

Buy whatever phone you want, buy your apps and enjoy your experience. I just bought an Idol4s . I'm not worried about what's going to happen tomorrow or 6 months down the road. When that bridge reaches, i'll cross it.

And even if Microsoft kills windows 10 mobile, my purchases will still be in the windows store and my phone will still work and apps will still work on the phone

It's kinda mad what the "sky is falling" crowd and all their speculations, exagerations are doing.

This guy literally came here looking to buy a phone. He was so discouraged, he almost changed his mind. He still went and brought one, but now he's worried and calling tech support to make sure his apps will still be there.

And there are other threads for others acting as if, suddenly UWP will drop off a cliff somehow, and the store shut down (which isn't a thing, its not going to happen, uwp is a universal platform, the windows store is not phone specific anyway).

All this widespread negativity and doomsdaying, is having reality distorting effects, and making consumers worried about things that aren't a worry at all.

People just need to calm the **** down.

They are only phones after all. If you are spending serious money on a flagship or a upper tier phone, then you are probably going to upgrade in a few years anyway. And if your the type of person that wears out their phone and buys midteir, then its not major money, and your phone will keep working doing the same windows phone stuff, and it'll be okay. It'll probably get a few more apps on the way too, maybe a few feature upgrades if life treats us well (try getting those on android).

Either way, its really no big deal. There is no "end of supportocalypse'. No "appmaggedon". Your phone isn't going to refuse to turn on, eat your babies and then explode.

 

[MLXVI]

Yes Drael, that's pretty much it. Had an S7 edge, was thinking about the new S8 but decided to go Windows instead for a change. Watched and read reviews for the X3 and was excited, thought what a great phone and OS. Arrived at Windows Central, a Windows "fan site" and regretted my order. I'm not in the know with regards to tech, and it is impossible for anyone to come to this site and not walk away with a negative view of Windows mobile. By far the worst and most damning "news" I've read about Windows mobile I've read on Windows Central. It was only posts by people like yourself and others that I started to see that almost all of the negative threads are 100% rumour and hyperbole. Thankfully I stuck around and dug deeper to find the reasoned voices.

It's funny that people here are enthusiasts and fans yet they're actively driving away business from the platform they enjoy by being so negative about it. I wonder how many other people were thinking of purchasing a Windows phone, did a bit of research and then decided not to get one because of what they read on this site. Ironically if anything could be blamed for "killing" Windows mobile, it is all the articles and relentless posts which declare that it's already dead.

I know you say "they are only phones after all", and that's true. But I think people rely on their phones tremendously. If anyone wants to know if they're one of those people, just try not having one for a few weeks. I need mine for business and to be connected to family who live across country. It's silly, but in the modern world they're very important pieces of kit.

Hopefully Windows Central will soon change its tune and start singing the praises of Windows on mobile thereby helping it grow rather than actively discouraging customers from investing in the platform.

 

[Drael646464]

Oh I know, its tricky being without a phone

I think you'll be pleased with your choice because cshell and Cortana skills api will eventually come to windows 10 mobile, and your phone is one of the few that supports continuum, hence when cshell comes, you'll get to enjoy that full desktop like experience.

And with Cortana getting smarter, having more abilities that third parties can code, I reckon I'm going to use the cr*p out of that speech as a platform. Other OS people can just fumble and tap their apps

It'll likely be a beautiful thing to behold!

Here's a fans rendition of what cshell might look like:

http://forums.windowscentral.com/windows-10/457475-nice-composable-shell-concept.html#post3658447

Has the nice new NEON design included, and the people feature, so its probably fairly accurate.

I was quite taken aback by all the negativity too. I came here because I love windows, and see a bright future in MS new vision.

 

[damonator98]

To original poster:
Congrats on your new purchase!

And as for the end of support... I think, that it can't really get much more worse, so if you, after evaluating curent situation, still bought this phone, you're basically support-lack-proof Also store is integrated in w10, so, in my opinion, complete discontinuation is unlikely.

 

[damonator98]

As for negative situation in site... I see a very clear reason. Many people who were positive and believed in future, got really dissapointed and changed their tune, that's what people do, when their dreams are kind of thrown away.

 

[Wbutchart1]

Yes Drael, that's pretty much it. Had an S7 edge, was thinking about the new S8 but decided to go Windows instead for a change. Watched and read reviews for the X3 and was excited, thought what a great phone and OS. Arrived at Windows Central, a Windows "fan site" and regretted my order. I'm not in the know with regards to tech, and it is impossible for anyone to come to this site and not walk away with a negative view of Windows mobile. By far the worst and most damning "news" I've read about Windows mobile I've read on Windows Central. It was only posts by people like yourself and others that I started to see that almost all of the negative threads are 100% rumour and hyperbole. Thankfully I stuck around and dug deeper to find the reasoned voices.

It's funny that people here are enthusiasts and fans yet they're actively driving away business from the platform they enjoy by being so negative about it. I wonder how many other people were thinking of purchasing a Windows phone, did a bit of research and then decided not to get one because of what they read on this site. Ironically if anything could be blamed for "killing" Windows mobile, it is all the articles and relentless posts which declare that it's already dead.

I know you say "they are only phones after all", and that's true. But I think people rely on their phones tremendously. If anyone wants to know if they're one of those people, just try not having one for a few weeks. I need mine for business and to be connected to family who live across country. It's silly, but in the modern world they're very important pieces of kit.

Hopefully Windows Central will soon change its tune and start singing the praises of Windows on mobile thereby helping it grow rather than actively discouraging customers from investing in the platform.

Your absolutely right, the voices here have done morei feel to harm windows mobile than microsofts bad decisions, by a country mile! It was the negativity here that I took in and left windows mobile a while ago, they said it was dead then too....guess what it's still going.

This site is filled with bitter nonsense from peculiar individuals that claim their dreams were crushed (they need better dreams to begin with) and are sounding off because Microsoft isn't doing things as they want them too. Doesn't help that so many of the writers here march to the same tune creating a culture of negativity and complaining.

Windows mobile is great, well supported, frequently updated and even on low end software it runs brilliantly. Enjoy your new phone

 

[anon(50597)]

As for negative situation in site... I see a very clear reason. Many people who were positive and believed in future, got really dissapointed and changed their tune, that's what people do, when their dreams are kind of thrown away.

Then they should move on or have respect for others choices. Don't rain on other people's parade. If they want to stick around and see how things work out, that's great! This is a very welcoming and helpful community which I have found out. The negativity is overbearing in my opinion.

Sent from mTalk on my SP4

 

[etphoto]

I agree what everyone is saying. However, I bought my 735 from MICROSOFT a little over a year ago and it doesn't get the latest update. So much for their support. They can update and work on mobile all they want but if there isn't any phones to put it on what's the point?

Twitter: @PhotographyET

 

[anon(50597)]

I agree what everyone is saying. However, I bought my 735 from MICROSOFT a little over a year ago and it doesn't get the latest update. So much for their support. They can update and work on mobile all they want but if there isn't any phones to put it on what's the point?

Twitter: @PhotographyET

I can appreciate what you're saying. I believe the 735 was released in 2014 though, so its about 3 years old. It would be nice if it was supported going forward but it will continue to work, right? If you get another year out of it maybe something new will come along.

I guess it all comes down to none of us have control of what Microsoft does. All we can do is wait and see; if we like it we stay, if not we move to something else. We're all going to have to do what's best for us.

Sent from mTalk on my SP4

 

[etphoto]

I can appreciate what you're saying. I believe the 735 was released in 2014 though, so its about 3 years old. It would be nice if it was supported going forward but it will continue to work, right? If you get another year out of it maybe something new will come along.

I guess it all comes down to none of us have control of what Microsoft does. All we can do is wait and see; if we like it we stay, if not we move to something else. We're all going to have to do what's best for us.

Sent from mTalk on my SP4

Two yr support window shouldn't start when the phone is released, it should be two years after they stopped selling them. However, that really isn't the point I was trying to make. Again, so what they are continuing working on mobile if there are no devices to put them on?

I have a feeling the only reason MS is still working on mobile is because of the investment HP put into the x3. Idk, just frustrating.

Twitter: @PhotographyET

 

[anon(50597)]

Two yr support window shouldn't start when the phone is released, it should be two years after they stopped selling them. However, that really isn't the point I was trying to make. Again, so what they are continuing working on mobile if there are no devices to put them on?

I have a feeling the only reason MS is still working on mobile is because of the investment HP put into the x3. Idk, just frustrating.

Twitter: @PhotographyET

I always thought it was how long a device had been out, but I could be wrong.
I certainly would like to see a couple devices come out this year also. It would make us all feel a little better. What kind of device (mid rage, premium) would you be interested in?

Sent from mTalk on my SP4

 

[Drael646464]

Two yr support window shouldn't start when the phone is released, it should be two years after they stopped selling them. However, that really isn't the point I was trying to make. Again, so what they are continuing working on mobile if there are no devices to put them on?

I have a feeling the only reason MS is still working on mobile is because of the investment HP put into the x3. Idk, just frustrating.

Twitter: @PhotographyET

You will defo not get feature updates from android in that fashion. Although I tend to agree from a consumers POV.

As for devices, they released three last year after they decided to sell nokia. That's pretty clear signalling that they want some hardware in the marketplace. I think we'll see a phone or two more this year. It's probable the alcatel will go unlocked, there will be a new HP, and I know everyone bangs on about how much of failure that cerulean phone is - but the previous phone his company released was also on indiegogo (the x1), and also failed as a crowdfunding venture - but the phone was still released.

It's honestly more important there's a midrange release for everyday consumers and businesses on a bugdet anyway, than a flagship for enthusiasts and highrollers. In terms of user numbers/sales. So that's all I really hope for this year - a midrange release from someone capable of continuum.