I'm standing my ground, and sticking with Windows Mobile.

[nate0]

"Nope, I think they're taking a different approach. There is room for a 3rd platform, but it all comes down to the apps"

There is no 3rd platform anywhere. In mainframes, you have IBM's z/OS (plus variants) and Linux. In PC servers, you have Linux and Windows. On the desktop/laptop, you have Windows and MacOS.

Why should phones be any different?

Remember, PCs didn't really take off until there was a single standard. We had Apple 2s, Radio Shack TRS-80s (with various incompatibilities between models), CP/M systems from dozens of companies (with various incompatibilities between models/companies), the Apple 3, the Apple Lisa and the Apple Mac.

Not to mention the various Commodore, Atari, Amiga, Texas Instruments systems. And on and on and on.

None of these were software compatible with each other. Imagine being a software house in 1983, having to potentially code for a dozen different systems. At one point Radio Shack had 5 different machines, all incompatible with each other. Apple had 4.

Talk about a nightmare.

Then the IBM PC came along in 1981. All of the above machines were gone by 1988, except the Mac.

Two systems are enough. Yes, "it all comes down to the apps". The fact is, no one is going to code for 3 systems. We have 2 well established, popular phone systems. A 3rd is simply not needed, and will not get any dev support.

If a 3rd comes along, it will only be a success if it manages to displace one of the others. Good luck with that. As someone above said, "If anyone could have done it, it was Microsoft. They tried and failed."

That is the issue is that folks keep thinking phones. They see phones and think iOS or Android and the infamous Windows phone (RIP). The thing they forget is Windows can run on any device (granted that a Device Maker builds it to run). Currently if you want a mobile phone you need Apple or Android. There is no need for a third to come along because it is already here in a sense. Microsoft just has to decide to pave the path laid out for pocket-able devices to be released. I personally could easily switch back to the Microsoft platform for a personal mobile device if a viable device came along that could do texting phone calls and run the OS as it is today for Windows 10....

 

[anon(50597)]

Microsoft just has to decide to pave the path laid out for pocket-able devices to be released.

There’s a reason Microsoft has decided not to pave that path. If they thought it would be successful, they would.

 

[nate0]

There’s a reason Microsoft has decided not to pave that path. If they thought it would be successful, they would.

Why do you believe this?

 

[anon(50597)]

Why do you believe this?

Has it happened? I’ve been hearing about this for a while now.

 

[nate0]

Has it happened? I’ve been hearing about this for a while now.

I meant why you believe Microsoft thinks this will not be successful. We all know it has not happened yet...

 

[anon(50597)]

I meant why you believe Microsoft thinks this will not be successful. We all know it has not happened yet...

We all know these large companies do studies that help direct their strategic direction. If their information showed a device like this would be successful, I would think we would have some information on it by now.
I have nothing to back my belief except lack of said device.

 

[fatclue_98]

If we lived in a vacuum I believe Microsoft would probably flirt with a “pocket PC” that makes phone calls. Actually, I think the phone segment would still be around but I digress. But we don’t live in an Electrolux and shareholders want ROI, not game changers. The cloud has been driving the profits bus and it’s not making any stops. That’s my $.02 for what it’s worth.

 

[nate0]

But we don’t live in an Electrolux and shareholders want ROI, not game changers.

How do they compare to Rainbow?

 

[anthonyng]

I'm just surprised this one windows journey on any device took so much longer than they touted initially. Like they sold me on the idea with windows 8, I bought stock because of that and the Lumia 920 lol.
They had to go with so many stop gaps, bit by bit another product type, what a journey.

 

[ManofGod1000]

I'm just surprised this one windows journey on any device took so much longer than they touted initially. Like they sold me on the idea with windows 8, I bought stock because of that and the Lumia 920 lol.
They had to go with so many stop gaps, bit by bit another product type, what a journey.

Yeah, it was a good journey that sadly had to come to an end. Oh well, it was fun well it lasted.

 

[Adventurer64]

Darn it, I'm primarily back on Android with a V40 ( My 950XL still works, but apps I absolutely need are no longer functioning. For example, the United Airlines app just stopped working a few weeks ago. My wife needed a new phone and I took advantage of the TMo buy one get one free deal. It's only been a few weeks and I miss live tiles already. I'm using Microsoft Launcher, which is OK, but the Win 10 UI is much better in my opinion. Launcher 10 or Square Home 3 just don't do it for me since there are very few live tiles. My 950XL is primarily serving as a media device, gps and back-up phone.

 

[nate0]

Darn it, I'm primarily back on Android with a V40 ( My 950XL still works, but apps I absolutely need are no longer functioning. For example, the United Airlines app just stopped working a few weeks ago. My wife needed a new phone and I took advantage of the TMo buy one get one free deal. It's only been a few weeks and I miss live tiles already. I'm using Microsoft Launcher, which is OK, but the Win 10 UI is much better in my opinion. Launcher 10 or Square Home 3 just don't do it for me since there are very few live tiles. My 950XL is primarily serving as a media device, gps and back-up phone.

Welcome to the club...

 

[beman39]

MY GAWD, ADroid can't even get punctuations in my texts or messages via the voice dictation, MSFT got this perfect and never had a problem, I can't tell you how annoying it is to see a text with no punctuation!.... really? in this time N age? smh…

 

[EFats]

We all know these large companies do studies that help direct their strategic direction. If their information showed a device like this would be successful, I would think we would have some information on it by now.
I have nothing to back my belief except lack of said device.

Sure, that's exactly how Steve Jobs came up with the idea of the iPod and then the iPhone and then the iPad...a committee of guys studying what your average guy wants...

What's the difference between a mobile phone and a laptop with SIM card? The cheapest iPhone is now currently sports a 6.1" and it goes up from there. A Samsung and Huawei are trying to push massive foldable phones. It doesn't take much to imagine a current version of the good ol' netbook (remember they came out at ~ 7" screen) running Windows 10 (desktop) that also has a SIM card slot and makes phone calls.

Which would you take? The Galaxy Fold with a 7.3" screen? or the tried-and-true netbook with 7" screen running full Windows? Instead of pretending to do everything a real desktop does, it actually does everything a desktop does because it runs exactly the same OS and exactly the same apps. Microsoft already has the UI which is small touch screen ready.

 

[ADIVARAPU HARIPRASAD]

Right now, I'm using Lumia 640 dual sim (windows 8.1) and bought Alcatel idol 4s (Windows 10) mobile for next usage. Whatever it is, I'm going to use windows Phone till Microsoft stops supporting or shuts down the platform entirely

 

[Chuck Finley69]

Sure, that's exactly how Steve Jobs came up with the idea of the iPod and then the iPhone and then the iPad...a committee of guys studying what your average guy wants...

What's the difference between a mobile phone and a laptop with SIM card? The cheapest iPhone is now currently sports a 6.1" and it goes up from there. A Samsung and Huawei are trying to push massive foldable phones. It doesn't take much to imagine a current version of the good ol' netbook (remember they came out at ~ 7" screen) running Windows 10 (desktop) that also has a SIM card slot and makes phone calls.

Which would you take? The Galaxy Fold with a 7.3" screen? or the tried-and-true netbook with 7" screen running full Windows? Instead of pretending to do everything a real desktop does, it actually does everything a desktop does because it runs exactly the same OS and exactly the same apps. Microsoft already has the UI which is small touch screen ready.

Surface tablet with a phone app or SIP client is technically mobile phone. As far as true mobile phone support, developers ecosystem support or lack thereof has made that decision. Even Microsoft is supporting Android/iOS with their popular apps which seems to be far more profitable than sinking money into low/no profit hardware.

 

[anon(50597)]

Which would you take? The Galaxy Fold with a 7.3" screen? or the tried-and-true netbook with 7" screen running full Windows? Instead of pretending to do everything a real desktop does, it actually does everything a desktop does because it runs exactly the same OS and exactly the same apps. Microsoft already has the UI which is small touch screen ready.

Personally, neither.
I need my mobile device to be.......mobile.
I don’t need a larger, foldable screen that I’m afraid will crack at any time.
I also don’t need a full blown desktop OS that only slows me down.
I need mobile apps on a device I can fit in my pocket easily (I currently have an iPhone XR and wouldn’t go any larger), is efficient and makes my mobile life easier.

 

[EFats]

I agree with most of what you said, but apparently the market begs to differ. Sizes have been creeping up and up and it's impossible to find a pocketable phone anymore. The good ol' Lumia 650 is the upper limit for me.
I don't need all these apps on my mobile either, but again, apparently "the rest of the world" has decided otherwise.
These mobile OS are not that light anymore (now you hear reviewers complaining a phone "only" comes with 2GB RAM). Wasn't that long ago a full-blown desktop had that much.
Given all that, there doesn't seem to be much downside running Windows desktop on a larger mobile device if the UI fits the form factor.
Who's going to say"No, I don't want access to more apps"?

 

[nate0]

Here is a thought...
To me it does not really matter. Lots of People in America may think survival and needs revolve around social media or their Netflix account. In some ways it does... True they provide "past-time" experiences and sure we need mobile devices and technology to progress humanity, but honestly it is all just opinion and business money making stuff. And it is fun! Right? Where would we be without candy crush or pokemon? Services that Apple, Microsoft, Google, FB, Spotify, etc etc etc provide are there and why not use them or utilize. If all 5G, 4G, 3G data services got zapped tomorrow would it really matter which bionic chip phone you had? It is still cool to watch companies try to win over the crowd every year either way...

The funny thing is we think it is about what we have or how big or small my device is to make my mobile life happy. Is that what really matters?

 

[anon(50597)]

I agree with most of what you said, but apparently the market begs to differ. Sizes have been creeping up and up and it's impossible to find a pocketable phone anymore. The good ol' Lumia 650 is the upper limit for me.
I don't need all these apps on my mobile either, but again, apparently "the rest of the world" has decided otherwise.
These mobile OS are not that light anymore (now you hear reviewers complaining a phone "only" comes with 2GB RAM). Wasn't that long ago a full-blown desktop had that much.
Given all that, there doesn't seem to be much downside running Windows desktop on a larger mobile device if the UI fits the form factor.
Who's going to say"No, I don't want access to more apps"?

I don’t have a boatload of apps, just the ones I really need or use most. You’re right though, the world has moved to larger devices to watch movies and other media. That’s different from computing though. A Windows device I see as more for those needing work-related power. Spreadsheets, file management, etc. That’s completely different from what even I use my device for.
We’ll have to see what the public wants which will be dictated by future sales. You never know.