Is Microsoft really going to shut down Windows Phone ?

[JamesDax]

Nope

 

[anon(5969054)]

No of course not. Windows 10 is on all sizes of screens. Otherwise the whole point of W10 is gone and the success of the desktop version will be doomed. Nobody will make universal apps if there is no mobile. And people would just stop using windows and extend from their Android /ios mobiles towards their more powerful counterparts aka Chrome/mac. Mobile is required in this day and age. It is the gateway to an ecosystem.

 

[ScrubbyXD]

Windows phone has a very costly admission price in the form of the requirement of a qualcomm SoC.

 

[DoctorSaline]

Microsoft has already spent much on Universal Windows platform and probably spent enough on under the hood changes for Windows 10 mobile as well that I see no point in discontinuing it now. Microsoft should rather see how well it does. So clearly the sky isn't falling YET. It may very well be on the table if Windows 10 mobile fails to take off. Even to an ignorant observer, Microsoft hasn't done much in way of its mobile platform until now. The question is how much the developers, OEMs and carriers trust in Microsoft's commitment towards it's mobile platform after Windows 10 mobile gets RTMed. In my eyes it's for the first time that Microsoft has really started to play this game and I for one hopes it doesn't gets abandoned.
I for one want to see what Microsoft brings next to the mobility because from where I stand the future looks really awesome for Windows 10 mobile as far as core OS features, esthetics and usability is concerned. But then again its not their move to make. They have made their move. It's now developers, OEMs and carriers turn to make their move and either make or break this platform. It would be a bummer if it doesn't take off. It would be the biggest disappointment for me since I really considered Windows' mobile platform as the best of both(iOS and Android's) world.

 

[ohgood]

Seeing the latest rumors and the direction MS is heading. But if they were to close the mobile OS division then why invest money to make WP 10 ? Will WP10 end up as BBOS 10 ?

edited by mod:
We'd appreciate such rumour threads including the source. Instead of shutting it down I looked for the possible source myself. I suspect it's this:

https://www.thurrott.com/mobile/win...it-unveils-new-mission-statement-to-employees

UPDATE : Just saw this http://www.forbes.com/sites/ianmorris/2015/06/30/microsoft-isnt-going-to-kill-windows-mobile-it-has-a-better-plan/

it wouldn't surprise me if they did close the platform for now.

there lack of development, blackberry-Esqu marketshare, and missing flagship from last holidays season point to a logical next step.

it would be very wise for Microsoft to wait n see about the public's response to windows 10 before they spend another billion on windows phone.

 

[keithhackneysmullet]

I think this is more about Microsoft not wanting to be a phone builder . It would make no sense to abort windows 10 mobile. Mobile is computing now . If Microsoft wants to push it's software and windows as a service then there has to be windows 10 on a phone. Ijust think Microsoft wants someone else to build them

 

[winboy]

Microsoft promotes a new Lumia Phone ad geared towards business.

 

[anon(5969054)]

Microsoft really needs to send out a crystal clear message that they are fully begins Windows mobile for years to come.

 

[Kram Sacul]

Honestly speaking, how many people here think that an OS can be built overnight, and be discarded just like that. Yes, compared to iOS and Android (both in terms of features and marketshare), we seem pathetic. But can we all STOP and think about it first. iOS kind of kicked of this smartphone revolution, so I wouldn't comment much about them. Android, on the other hand, started out the same way WP did, incomplete (not that it still isn't till today), slow and NOT POPULAR. Honestly speaking, how long did it took Android to become popular ? It was around the 2.x - 3.x era of Android phones then it became popular. What I am saying here is, how long have we been around ? And how many iteration have we gone through (7, 8, 8.1). Maybe we will never be n.o 2, maybe we will forever remain at n.o 3, but all these negativity I have been seeing in this community really puts me off, and, mind you, it stems from some rumors. Lets take a look at some facts, shall we.

1. Windows 10 Mobile: If MS is getting ready to shut it down, why bother with the 940/940XL, and all the technical previews. People complain that the technical preview is pathetic, and broken, but thats software development for you. You want to be the first, sure, but there WILL BE BUGS and codes are not magically written and you can expect them to work 100% instantly. I know this because I am (a starting out) software developer, so bugs/broken features in the technical previews are acceptable.

2. The efforts they put in to court people: I mean, if they wanted to shut down WP, why bother with Universal Apps / Project Islandwood / Project Aestoria ? Why go through all the efforts of building more tools for developers, and consumers alike if you are going to discard this the next day ? Mind you, all these costs money, and I don't think they would want to spend MILLIONS, just to waste it the next day.

Point is, why would they even bother with doing all these if they just want to throw it away the next day. The fact that they are still doing this means they STILL CARE, and I think they are trying their best (although, yeah, I disagree with some of the directions they are going in some areas, but thats another discussion). So please, people, take what is being reported with a truckload of salt and think please. Life is much more than just Android/iOS/WP, so dont get all overly upset about these things. Things happen for a reason, and maybe what we are seeing here today wouldn't affect the foreseeable future, but maybe in the long term it can help us, but this is just what I think. I don't usually participate in these types of arguments, but seeing the reactions of people these past few days really made me want to say something.

Exactly. MS has put too much work into W10M or whatever to just drop it altogether. I do think there might be plans to phase it out if it doesn't work though.

The only thing that's dead about W10M is one handed usability.

 

[SonOfDad]

Shutting down wp is the last thing MS is going to do, it will let andriod and iOS make a mockery of the OS

Do Google and Apple even bother making comments about Windows Phone anymore? They've both ripped ideas out of Windows Phone in the past and Androids "material" design looks more like Windows Phone than Windows 10 mobile does. Both are flying so high I doubt they're worried at loosing any numbers to Windows 10 in fact they might even gain them as existing WP8 users who were happy with the OS are questioning the changes currently being shown.

MS are clearly making money off apps/services for iOS and Android and it seems that's where Nadella wants to take the business rather than having it's own mobile division. Yes they could offload it but who'd want a non performing third mobile OS?

 

[rollindice]

Just think about it, won't make any sense ,won't happen

 

[jmshub]

Everyone linking to articles posting gloom and doom. Did anyone read the opposite perspective from our own Daniel Rubino? Try giving this article a read and see what you think of it. It's just common sense and good perspective on the rumors. Microsoft and the future of Windows Phone and Windows 10: The sky is not falling | Windows Central

 

[Sam_93]

More on rumors coming true. Layoffs expected from mobile handset section.More Microsoft layoffs on the horizon? - Fortune

 

[rhapdog]

I saw several sites pushing this story and I can't say this isn't by design. It seems that with each progression of this roll out of Windows 10, the more anxious these bloggers get...and it almost seems orchestrated. To me it does. I'm sure we will see a lot more of these posts in the coming days and weeks.

Yes, I have noticed that as well. I think Apple and Google are both scared witless of Windows 10 and what an entire, streamlined, consistent experience of an ecosystem it will bring. They know they can't match it. The only way to keep people from buying into Windows 10 is to try to kill Windows 10 mobile from the start, so they begin getting all their cronies to start prophecying the death before it is even born. If people steer clear of Windows 10 Mobile for fear it will be cut, then developers won't develop for Windows 10, and it will damage it all. It's a desperate attempt from desperate people who are afraid Microsoft will become a giant monopoly of everything if they succeed, leaving too small of a slice of pie for them. My opinion, not necessarily fact. Not necessarily non-fact, but we really can't say for sure, because I don't like to report rumors as fact the way so many "journalists" seem to do.

More on rumors coming true. Layoffs expected from mobile handset section.More Microsoft layoffs on the horizon? - Fortune

That's not a rumor coming true. At least not yet. It's just more speculation if you bother to read the entire article.
Fortune is Apple biased, as I have noticed in numerous articles in the past. Of course they will spell doom and gloom any way they can toward Microsoft.

They act as if Microsoft is dying or something in that article. Microsoft is growing rapidly, and the tough choices they have been making will only make Microsoft bigger, leaner, and better able to handle all the different markets they are taking on.

 

[LockOnTech]

1) If microsoft were to really shut down windows phone; then why go through the trouble of making the lumia 640 and 640xl?

2) (speculation) if microsoft were to abruptly get rid of windows phone; this would be no different then what Blackberry did with the playbook about not receiving OS10, look how that turned out.

3) Microsoft has a good thing going right now, I expect it to not let it go to waste.

 

[Magikal]

If they really wanted to shut down Windows Phone, why would they release mid-rangers like 640/640xl? If they really wanted to shut down WP why would they release low-end devices like 435/532/535 ?
But if they shut down WP, that would be a huge blow and disrespect to all Lumia owners. Some sort of a suicide.

 

[FindleInClev]

I don't think this is a all-or-nothing thing. I have a feeling though that MS could pull back from emphasizing selling to consumers. I've seen more marketing that is directed at businesses, like on their YouTube channel. And they also try to appeal to younger demos because of the more affordable phones. If they are only making one or two flagships, I don't see that changing the current landscape in the US.

 

[syspry]

I think Apple and Google are both scared witless of Windows 10

Lol! You owe me a new keyboard, I spit coffee all over it laughing

 

[bo_woods]

Apple probably already has their "one OS" in the works, and it'll get tons of praise lol

 

[tgp]

I think Apple and Google are both scared witless of Windows 10

Lol! You owe me a new keyboard, I spit coffee all over it laughing

Yeah I laughed too! Good one rhapdog!

You know, I actually think it's more accurate to say that WP fans are scared witless of Apple and Google. :smile: