Microsoft: Windows Phone isn't our focus this year!

[TMavC5]

Don't you miss the Windows Mobile platform or the interface etc.?

I also switched to Galaxy S7 Edge (and its bad ***) no regrets so far. The real reason i switched was the great camera.

Once W10M is ready, i will return. Life is short, all technology are out there, play with them and have fun. So what if MS isn't focusing on W10M, is that mean life has ended?

Remember most apps on W10M like OneDrive (automatically upload), Outlook and Cortana is on other platform. And most run better on other OS (sad but true).

You have choices, go out there and explore them.

 

[ceraf]

This year isn't about mobile, its about Windows, all of it, mobile inclusive. However, me, I'm not a developer, but I'm super excited for UWP, for Cortana and Skype, for Ink, Hello and the possibilities of those APIs in the hands of developers. Indeed the future is her and its clearly with Windows 10.

All the tools and possibilities may be in the hands of developers, but MS still has to convince those developers to actually use them. One example is UWP:

Just remember, a universal app does not mean the app is automatically everywhere at once or that it should be. It is up to the developer to make that happen, and they operate on their own internal development schedules.

Why are some 'universal' Windows 10 apps only available on desktop but not mobile (and vice versa)? | Windows Central

Having said that, I really hope MS manages to change all these doom-and-gloom perceptions -- whether valid or not -- because it certainly isn't helping their case.

 

[BluetoothFairy1]

Agree.
WP is dead and has been replaced by W10, which is able to run on the form factor, which used to be a smartphone.

 

[Jean Claude Lopez]

So, I just read this article on Verge and thought of sharing with you guys. This is a really big disappointment.

Microsoft is making it ever more harder to stick with Windows Mobile. For the first time, seriously considering switching to Android.

http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/30/11333378/microsoft-windows-phone-windows-mobile-plans

What else do you want from Microsoft? They already put out two premium phones and 2 midrangers (950, 950xl, 550, 650) and there's the HP x3 coming.

 

[luxnws]

Nope don't give random numbers, on that very site there are the percentages for each mobile OS by version too, at least take the time to read them if you want to argue

I wouldn't bs about easily verifiable numbers. Just go back to my other message that drilled down into the netmarketshare.com data.

http://forums.windowscentral.com/mi...would-like-see-future-update.html#post3436183

The ratio of usage by Windows Phone users on WP8.1 versus Windows Phone users on W10M was 11-to-1 from Oct 2015 through Feb 2016. One-twelveth is less than 10%. Simple math.

Will the percentage of Windows Phones running W10M go up over time? I think it will. But total Windows Phone usage should decrease as the old WP8.1 phones get 'retired' and replaced. We already know that sales of Windows Phones have declined every year for the past three years. That implies those old retired phones are being replaced by Android or iOS phones.

We'll get more a few more data points when Microsoft announces earnings for the quarter just ended, if they continue to break out Lumia and non-Lumia phone sales.

 

[pallentx]

http://forums.windowscentral.com/general-windows-phone-discussion-lounge/208468-76.htm --

all the recent posts indicate that more people are leaving WP after release of WP10 . Sad..

Well. I'm not going anywhere, but I stayed out of that thread because I'm not thinking of leaving. There's some self-selection bias going on there.

My 950 is my favorite WP so far. I'm a little annoyed with some reoccurring Bluetooth issues and I'm a little bummed we still don't have wireless payments (but that's nothing new), but otherwise I'm having a great experience. I've seen a net add of apps I use since Windows 10 has come out. I'm sure what the app situation is overall, but I haven't lost anything I use and have picked up a couple of new ones for 10.

I really don't get the doom and gloom and anger because MS is not "focusing" on promoting the phone right now. How would "focusing" look different? Announce some new features or hardware that no one is going to buy? If you love WP, you have to see that MS is doing the best thing for it by building an ecosystem for it the only way they can. This strategy may fail too, but its the best one they have.

 

[Verne57]

Ummm, except to say that the mobile and desktop platforms are now merged. That's a huge difference. And this merging of the M/D platforms was the reason all the earlier mobile platforms were abandoned. MS is finally realizing a goal they've worked on for years. Now, we get to see how that plays out.

 

[sikurunana]

iPhone SE looks like a solid phone.
4" screen size, so fits perfectly in the pocket and not too big, and only $399.

Anyone agrees?

 

[Laura Knotek]

iPhone SE looks like a solid phone.
4" screen size, so fits perfectly in the pocket and not too big, and only $399.

Anyone agrees?

It wouldn't be bad for someone who likes a small device. However, I have a 5.7" device, so I would not like something that small.

 

[Paolo Ferrazza]

I wouldn't bs about easily verifiable numbers. Just go back to my other message that drilled down into the netmarketshare.com data.

http://forums.windowscentral.com/mi...would-like-see-future-update.html#post3436183

The ratio of usage by Windows Phone users on WP8.1 versus Windows Phone users on W10M was 11-to-1 from Oct 2015 through Feb 2016. One-twelveth is less than 10%. Simple math.

Will the percentage of Windows Phones running W10M go up over time? I think it will. But total Windows Phone usage should decrease as the old WP8.1 phones get 'retired' and replaced. We already know that sales of Windows Phones have declined every year for the past three years. That implies those old retired phones are being replaced by Android or iOS phones.

We'll get more a few more data points when Microsoft announces earnings for the quarter just ended, if they continue to break out Lumia and non-Lumia phone sales.

I don't about october and 10% . I know from the data of march that w10 is 25% of active win8.1+win10 phones if you looked at the march netmarketshare site. Again, did you drill a bit through data? Nobody is saying that the quarter sales won't go down for some more months, just saying the drama about the phone is dead is not supported by numbers, at least for now.

 

[Paolo Ferrazza]

iPhone SE looks like a solid phone.
4" screen size, so fits perfectly in the pocket and not too big, and only $399.

Anyone agrees?

In my opinion, all apple phones are funny from an engineering point of view:
-the 4" has too much horsepower for that screen resolution, moreover someone buying that form factor is usually going to use very basic apps so again a cheaper phone would be better.
-the bigger iphones have very optimized OS and apps but all the hardware inside the phone is surpassed by the competition with lower prices

Add overpriced accessories, add no customization...

So all in all, let's leave win10 out of the contest, but, if you are not into the "I have an iPhone so I'm cool" thing, there is no reason not to prefer android over apple in any form factor.

 

[sikurunana]

In my opinion, all apple phones are funny from an engineering point of view:
-the 4" has too much horsepower for that screen resolution, moreover someone buying that form factor is usually going to use very basic apps so again a cheaper phone would be better.
-the bigger iphones have very optimized OS and apps but all the hardware inside the phone is surpassed by the competition with lower prices

Add overpriced accessories, add no customization...

So all in all, let's leave win10 out of the contest, but, if you are not into the "I have an iPhone so I'm cool" thing, there is no reason not to prefer android over apple in any form factor.

I don't mind Android, as long as they don't slow down overtime.

I've had a Sony Xperia Mini, and Sony Xperia Arc S. The Arc S was an awesome phone, but running not many apps slowed it down after a while. Facebook and Messenger drained most of the memory so I ended up removing them completely.

 

[libra89]

iPhone SE looks like a solid phone.
4" screen size, so fits perfectly in the pocket and not too big, and only $399.

Anyone agrees?

It is very solid. Imo, it's perfect for a smaller sized phone without any real compromises! It's starting price is even cheaper than the Sony Xperia Z5 compact that came out last year. The back camera is awesome, and it's even lighter than the 5s was. I just got mine yesterday and I'm over the moon. You can also trade in other smartphones in exchange for a gift card that you can use to deduct from the final total (but I don't know the value and/or if it works for windows phones; someone on iMore who got the SE said that he traded in a (samsung galaxy) s6 and a iphone 5 together and he basically had nothing left to pay).

In my opinion, all apple phones are funny from an engineering point of view:
-the 4" has too much horsepower for that screen resolution, moreover someone buying that form factor is usually going to use very basic apps so again a cheaper phone would be better.
-the bigger iphones have very optimized OS and apps but all the hardware inside the phone is surpassed by the competition with lower prices

Add overpriced accessories, add no customization...

So all in all, let's leave win10 out of the contest, but, if you are not into the "I have an iPhone so I'm cool" thing, there is no reason not to prefer android over apple in any form factor.

I'm sorry but I believe that some of what you said here is reaching.

The horsepower thing doesn't make sense, because Sony has the same thing going with their Compacts. I don't understand the basic app thing. Since when does screen size determine what someone would do with their phone? The SE nails everything that is important to me, and in the size I prefer.

Your second point really depends on the person and what they want. I had a 5x, and it was a very nice phone, and so were both of the cameras, but it had a lot that I wouldn't use. The iPhone offers a very solid experience, and unlike what MS just pulled with some of their phones, you can even upgrade a iPhone 5 to iOS 9.3. Plus, not all Androids are created equal and additionally, some never get any kind of update.

Also, if someone was to get an iPhone to be cool, they are doing it wrong! I got an iPhone because I wasn't pleased with WM's direction, and Android was nice, but a bit too complex for me, so iOS is all that was left. Didn't know that I would end up liking it so much though.

 

[anon(9812982)]

MS is right, they should not focus on the Mobile OS, they should make phones instead. After series 3x, they stopped making smart-phones on the entire price range. You cannot except to gain OS sharing if you lack of new low-range and mid-high range phones, otherwise you must be called Apple.

 

[broar94]

^^iPhone SE speed will blow all Wp10 mobiles out of the water with its speed. And absolutely none of that "resuming" or "loading" crap that we often see on WP OS.

edit: dad has an ip6s, its really quick in everything.

 

[Brian Emmerling]

Just not to Windows Phone/W10Whatever.

In five years, will operating systems matter to the user? What will be the definition of "platform" be for a user? You have to focus on services if you want to be around in the future. In the near future, worrying about which operating system you have is like worrying about what company provides the electricity to your house.

 

[Ten Four]

iPhone SE looks like a solid phone.
4" screen size, so fits perfectly in the pocket and not too big, and only $399.

It does look great and I love the size--might make me switch to iPhone just for that reason. Nice to see a high quality small phone with a great camera. The big problem with all this convergence crap and UWP is that there are huge inherent differences in how different devices are used, and making software that can work on all different sizes and form factors brings in inherent compromises and excess code that means worse performance. Software that only has to deal with one scale--say a small screen--can be simpler and work better. It's one reason that typically iPhones run very smoothly and without glitches--they are not compromised to support lots of different devices. My daughter has an old iPhone 4 that runs just as well or better than many current-gen Androids and Windows phones.

 

[nedarata]

so windows phone in 2017 will have focus
so you can expect windows mobile 10 on lumia 520 etc

 

[mvierling]

This is nothing new. Windows Phone has never been Microsoft's focus. It has always been on iPhone and Android. Proof is in their apps.

 

[Paolo Ferrazza]

The horsepower thing doesn't make sense, because Sony has the same thing going with their Compacts. I don't understand the basic app thing.

Stating that someone does the same doesn't make it right.

Since when does screen size determine what someone would do with their phone? The SE nails everything that is important to me, and in the size I prefer.

Again taking one example when answering to a general reasoning. The fact that it's good for you doesn't change the fact that the avarage SE user will use it mainly for chat and social apps and as a phone. On AVARAGE if you want a phone to do heavy things like wathing high def videos and gaming and photography won't select a 4" phone.

I know that people will buy iphones because they are cool and they just work, I've just pointed out that they are a complete overkill by an engineering point of view and they could survive so well in the market with such products because of their great marketing of "phones like a jewel", all they did was moving the concept of the phone as a tool to the concept of phone as a jewel. In other words this SE could have had half of the power it has and cost like 100$ less and still "nail everything that is important to you, and in the size you prefer" without you even noticing the difference in your daily life