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

[Ten Four]

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.

That is the stereotype but I see tons of iPhones in heavy day-to-day use by all sorts of people in all sorts of environments and used in different ways. Like I wrote earlier, my daughter, who is Hell on technology, has an old iPhone 4 that replaced her previous iPhone 4 on warranty. She destroys phones. She is on her third Otter case--we get the heaviest duty ones available. Her current case is so battered that pieces have fallen off of it. I'm impressed that an iPhone has stood up to what she puts it through. At work, most of the phones are iPhones, but many are older generation 5s, 5cs, etc. They just seem to keep going and going. Sure, I think there are some people into the jewelry aspect, but not the majority who go for the phone system they see their friends using, which in many cases is iPhone. And, it does help when everyone you know is on the same system. My daughter's college has an Apple store within the campus where you can get parts, assistance, and repairs done. That type of thing makes iPhones very useful, along with knowing that anyplace that has an app will have an app for your device, and probably the best app available.

 

[sniperboywc]

I don't see why Microsoft does not have a focus for Windows Mobile. Microsoft can afford to let Windows Mobile die because it would put them purely at the mercy of Apple and Google. Both companies would more than love to replace all of Microsoft's apps with their own. If that happens, Microsoft would become just like HP.

 

[ClixT]

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?

I returned the 6s+ for it. I just can't justify the price of the 6s+ if I can get the SE for $399 and I get to keep the 950 XL. But yes it is a solid device. Still getting used to its sized though.

 

[Kram Sacul]

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.

True. If you have either Android or iOS it really doesn't matter which OS you have. MS will support both. Can't say the same thing about WP/W10M.

 

[chuckdaly]

Exactly! Just like app developers, service providers limit their services to platforms with large userbases (Windows 8 & 10 being exceptions to the rule). So unless you believe there will be no new platforms created in the next 5 years, consumers will need to care which platform they choose.

 

[Ivan05il]

I think that title is missing "either" at the end. I like W10M, the idea of how it's supposed to work. I installed it on my L1520, the so called final version and it's still too buggy, changing some settings sends me back to start screen, Weather app opens every second time if I am lucky, some screens just open and then close again. Those are not obscure bugs that escaped testing. It's amateurish.

 

[Joe920]

Re: Well, ?t's Not Looking Good

This year, there is no Windows 10 app at all for MLB TV, [..] no one is batting an eye over it.

I see what you did there.

 

[Christopher Kendalls]

Was it their focus last year? When was the last time it was their focus? Everyone should have seen the writing on the wall when the Android projects were cancelled. I love the idea of Windows Phone, but it is so much easier to just use Microsoft's apps on Android and iOS and just let Windows Phone take care of itself. You don't have to upgrade to the latest and greatest to get Groove Music, or get maps to save to SD in HERE Maps, among other things. And its a lot cheaper, I just picked up a refurbished Moto E for $5 that will do the trick.

Maybe in the distant future, when Microsoft decides on one way of doing things, sticks with it, and does not reinvent the wheel, again, I'll come back around. And I did not invest a lot into WP 8.1; I only paid $40 for my 635. But it is the principle that I have a lot of problems with. I could have spent that money on an Android and experienced Microsoft's ecosystem in a better way a long time ago on Jellybean or KitKat instead of obsessing over what is going to happen to Windows Mobile. Right now the cheapest bet is to upgrade a 640 and deal with it, but then there are all of those Android and iOS apps one STILL does not have access to.

Do they want us to leave? Probably, if we're not spending any money and aren't evangelizing their platform. The big spenders that invested hundreds of dollars on their WP 8.1 have a lot more to lose and are in this a lot deeper than I was. We're not going to spend money on a new Windows 10 phone, and from what I keep reading, there are no compelling Windows 10 phones to give anyone reason to go all in on the platform. Maybe paying $20 a month on the Next program makes the pain a lot easier to tolerate, I don't know.

This is just a premium service that is not for everyone. All of the MVNO that support Windows Phone have expensive monthly plans. All of the cool Microsoft services, that are free on Android, cost money to continue to maintain (like Groove Music or OneDrive). Everything is just cheaper on Android; and while you get what you pay for in some respects in others that is not entirely the case. I actually prefer purchasing music from Google Play, whose albums and singles are cheaper, than I do from Microsoft which sells music at a premium. Ditto for the Movies and TV services where a free episode or free movie happens once in a blue moon on Microsoft's platform. I once paid 60 cents for a movie on Google Play.

 

[Akhil_007]

why so shocked....
we all know MS have a lot ...i mean really a lot of things to work on.
and surely mobile department comes in last place mostly.
live with it.

 

[Steve Adams]

I am. I have a new android phone ordered. later W10M.

 

[Christopher Kendalls]

why so shocked....
we all know MS have a lot ...i mean really a lot of things to work on.
and surely mobile department comes in last place mostly.
live with it.

We deal with it, by virtue of owning a Windows Phone. We don't have to deal with it anymore.

 

[Paolo Ferrazza]

That is the stereotype but I see tons of iPhones in heavy day-to-day use by all sorts of people in all sorts of environments and used in different ways. Like I wrote earlier, my daughter, who is Hell on technology, has an old iPhone 4 that replaced her previous iPhone 4 on warranty. She destroys phones. She is on her third Otter case--we get the heaviest duty ones available. Her current case is so battered that pieces have fallen off of it. I'm impressed that an iPhone has stood up to what she puts it through. At work, most of the phones are iPhones, but many are older generation 5s, 5cs, etc. They just seem to keep going and going. Sure, I think there are some people into the jewelry aspect, but not the majority who go for the phone system they see their friends using, which in many cases is iPhone. And, it does help when everyone you know is on the same system. My daughter's college has an Apple store within the campus where you can get parts, assistance, and repairs done. That type of thing makes iPhones very useful, along with knowing that anyplace that has an app will have an app for your device, and probably the best app available.

Didn't say they are fragile or don't last. I just said that they not balanced. Look at the latest SE, 4" with a lot of horsepower, I'd like to see CPU and GPU usage of that phone for a random user. They just had to justify the high price point to lure old 4" users to spend more money and they do so with overkill hardware and great phone as a jewel marketing. I admire them, they can can sell a solid product for the double of their competition.

 

[pureview_lvr]

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

Its been since they launched WP

 

[mayconvert]

Android launcher

 

[Kram Sacul]

That's basically what W10M has become: a sad WP-style launcher. I remember using one on my Atrix 2 in 2011. It was accurate enough to get me hooked on the metro design language that I soon wanted to own the real deal when WP8 came out. Even convinced my parents and friends to get 920s. Now I feel embarrassed to recommend WP to anyone.

 

[badMojo69]

No duh Micro Shaft. Are you a beta tester...

 

[badMojo69]

Windows 10 mobile is most definitely not dead. Microsoft wouldn't be working flat out to bring the likes of HP on board just to kill it. All their saying is that it's not a do or die core priority for them right now. Windows Mobile is here to stay

LOL Dude you don't know Microsoft very well. They will not hesitate to stick a fork in something if they are ready to move on.
How much did they spend on Nokia and then kill it. Remember this thing called RT...dead

 

[Jonathon Sanders]

I've been through Android (early days), iPhone, newer Android, and now finally WP. I had a WP someone gave me and I put Windows Insider on it and updated to WM10 beta and really trashed it. So I bought a Lumia 1520 on eBay and keeping it on 8.1 until the official WM10 release comes for it through the Update menu.

However, after owning all of the major phones (aside from BB in its day) I can confidently say I am happier on my WP than on all the other devices. Why? The idea behind Continuum isn’t a gimmick or a next-gen cool idea. It is just reality. A PC in your pocket that also makes phone calls. The tech is getting there and eventually beyond. So, to those saying that WP is dead. Not even. It will happen. It will be made. Perhaps, the current WM10 is not it but Microsoft gains nothing by just abandoning the idea moving back to the old days of PC OS. If MS gives up then someone else will just step in and get it done (Apple?) and then where does that put all of MS other offerings/products?

The idea behind Continuum is what I want and I’m willing to take the ride with MS. Everything else is just a phone with a flashy app store that eventually gets boring. But a PC in your pocket that goes everywhere with you and eventually replaces all my devices? That’s long term thinking and that’s what MS is – a long term company. So, I will sacrifice today’s convenience and the ability to brag about my phone or tell everyone how awesome it is (even though it will be replaced by something more awesome in 10 months) for the ability to own the game tomorrow. And once Continuum hits its stride, it will definitely own and everyone will be saying as they did in the 90s, Apple/(Google) who?

 

[luxnws]

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.

If you notice, that linked comment was posted on the day that Microsoft announced the list of Lumia phones that would be eligible for the W10M upgrade.

As I noted, the percentage of Windows Phones running on W10M should go up. Assuming the older phones running on WP7 and WP8 get retired first, newer phones that are eligible for the W10M upgrade will make up a greater proportion of the total.

The offset is that fewer W10M-eligible Windows Phones were and are being sold.

Even if the W10M adoption rate tripled in March, that would represent less than 1% of all mobile phone users running on W10M. That's leaving a lot of headroom, too. If you are developing specific Windows Phone apps for a company or organization, then the numbers won't matter. If not, the niche is small.

 

[luxnws]

LOL Dude you don't know Microsoft very well. They will not hesitate to stick a for in something if they are ready to move on.
How much did they spend on Nokia and then kill it. Remember this thing called RT...dead

Agree. Some say Blackberry isn't dead because government and many companies still use Blackberrys. To the typical consumer however Blackberry is not a viable option. Without the numbers, developers won't develop popular apps for the platform and so Blackberry is for all intents and purposes is dead to them. That's what most mean by dead.

Is Windows Phone at that point yet? In the U.S., probably pretty close. The main holdouts are in EU and emerging countries. The availability of Microsoft apps is keeping the platform alive but with the apps now available on Android and iOS, Windows Phone doesn't have that hook to itself any more.