Time to Re-Introduce the Windows Phone - 2022

[luckymaf]

According to DigitalTrends, Microsoft has Windows 11 running on ARM-based chips made by Qualcomm. Is it time to re-introduce the Windows Phone ? The Lumia 950 with the Windows tile user interface is the best phone I have ever used. Especially if you are steeped in the MS Windows ecosystem – Office 365 etc.
I finally reluctantly abandoned my Lumia 950 and bought a Samsung Galaxy S21. Frankly the S21 Android sucks compared to the 950. And MS put the 950 in the grave five years ago.

Hey Microsoft – BRING BACK THE WINDOWS PHONE !

 

[interlocutor1980]

I only used HTC 6X about 1 year in 2014 which was a Windows Phone then switch to android but after reading your views and comparison definitely try Windows Phone if Microsoft launch.

 

[luckymaf]

interlocutor1980 - thanks for your reply.
Hey - Windows Central, surely you must have some sway with Satya Nadella or who ever it is at MS running the show, now that MS stock is trading at $280 per share (worth TWO TRILLION DOLLARS). Rather than subjugating and collaborating with a dominating yet inferior Android world, reintroduce the Windows Phone. 99.9% of Android apps are insignificant. Pay MS Phone developers to build/configure the 100 mobile apps that are most popular on Android and introduce phone users to a new, inspired Windows Phone. Just do it !

 

[o4liberty]

Don't believe Microsoft will waste any time on a new device since Google and Apple have the lock on OS and devices.

 

[HelloNNNewman]

Agreed… MS folded up mobile devices and ended the OS development long ago. Them getting back into that sector is about as likely as Palm coming back (which was leaps and bounds ahead of even current Android functionality).

 

[finbaar]

It's quite simple. Microsoft are not going to release a new OS for phones or a modified version of W11 for phones. That isn't going to happen. And as for the idea of reintroducing W10M or the even older WP8.1, well that's just crazy. Microsoft now have there full suite of apps and services available on Android - with and without Google Play Services - and iOS. There is zero reason to go back to developing phone operating systems.

 

[Laura Knotek]

That's not going to happen. The lack of apps was the nail in the coffin. Android and iOS have even more apps and developers now that those developers won't bother with something that didn't interest them over 10 years ago.

 

[phlamethrowre]

All of this is true and it’s really a shame. Windows Phone was the only OS that could pull me alway from iOS for any length of time. It was just so different from the other two mainstream phone platforms.

 

[luckymaf]

Too bad that the Windows Phone remains in Microsoft's rear-view-window. MS could partner with a handset manufacturer, introduce the “W11M” operating system, pay the developers of the most popular apps to build quality programs designed for W11M, make the phone available via AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc, and create a niche market. With a good marketing campaign enough Windows desktop users would migrate to W11M to make the product profitable and viable. Microsoft just do it!
And don't tell me that this idea is Steve Ballmer all over again.

 

[bleached]

Agreed… MS folded up mobile devices and ended the OS development long ago. Them getting back into that sector is about as likely as Palm coming back (which was leaps and bounds ahead of even current Android functionality).

What functionality is Android missing? Android is by far the most capable mobile OS ever. This is a rediculous statement!

 

[bleached]

Too bad that the Windows Phone remains in Microsoft's rear-view-window. MS could partner with a handset manufacturer, introduce the “W11M” operating system, pay the developers of the most popular apps to build quality programs designed for W11M, make the phone available via AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc, and create a niche market. With a good marketing campaign enough Windows desktop users would migrate to W11M to make the product profitable and viable. Microsoft just do it!
And don't tell me that this idea is Steve Ballmer all over again.

They did that and it didn't work. They partnered with Nokia, the largest phone manufacturer at the time and effectively destroyed their sales. They paid developers to build apps, but that didn't work because they only did the bare minimum to get paid. They don't get to control what phones the carriers sell, but they did have something on each one of them at points. They didn't sell.

Why would it work this time? The platforms are entrenched. There is nothing Microsoft could do that Android or iOS doesn't do better. Nothing.

If you don't like your S21, there are plenty of other options out there or you can customize it. Square icons and vertical scrolling is easy to accomplish.

 

[jasqid]

Big nope. They just let their consumer division go, and they burned too many bridges with users. As much as I really liked my WM phone back in the day there are too many beaten dead horses on that dirt road.

 

[Q-Less]

Not seeing any signs of resurrection either. But I'd be the first one to buy one even if performance lagged a bit compared to others' flagship phones. In terms of file management I prefer my Windows tablet over my Android tablet. "Walled Garden' is the main reason. The shenanigans Google and more so Apple are doing to keep users within their systems are stifling. If I could I would use Windows on Arm on my phone. Granted, I'm probably not the average user, but if it's about just a vote, a Windows phone gets mine.

 

[Cow oy6201]

W10 Mobile is dead and buried as well as WP time to move on.

 

[wiederman]

Don't believe Microsoft will waste any time on a new device since Google and Apple have the lock on OS and devices.

Yep much cheaper for them to come out with their own app stores on each platform and introduce a MS flavor of android ala the Microsoft launcher

 

[tulak]

W10 Mobile is dead and buried as well as WP time to move on.

No, I love my Lumia 950,1020 and 810. Still rocks.

 

[EFats]

No, I love my Lumia 950,1020 and 810. Still rocks.

I'd love to agree with you but sadly ... even I have to say it is almost unusable at this point. Only as a dumb phone. This coming from a guy who still keeps a Blackberry Passport running.
At this point it's easier to say what isn't borked on my Lumia 950's

1. Voice calling
2. SMS
3. Camera
4. Newsflow RSS reader
5. Maps. Maybe my Sygic Maps is partially working
6. One of my podcast apps, either Podcasted or MyPodcasts
7. FM Radio!

...I think that's about it. Skype is hooped. Office apps are all on read-only mode. ToDo is gone. Edge browser only works for limited sites. Weather & News are both non-functional. Spotify, Netflix all bust. None of the Mastodon clients, no more manga readers. If you've got a way to keep any of these running, I'm all ears.

Hardware is also flaking out. One of my 950XL's, half the screen (left half) doesn't refresh sometimes and then screen blanks out. On all 4 of my 950/XL's it's really NG when I go out and about with cellular data on. All prone to random resets. A very curious problem. On WiFi I can push it as hard as I want and no issues.

 

[Village_Idiot]

I would love to see Microsoft jump back into the mobile market with its own OS. However, the market is so saturated that unless it can do more than the current Android (by Android, I mean Samsung) offerings, then it will be a non-starter. Even the Duo and Duo 2 (both very good devices) didn't make that much of a dent; and they are Android devices.

I have the S22 Ultra and because of the Samsung/Microsoft Partnership, I can integrate both my Tab S9 and S22 Ultra with my Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360 laptop and my (over 5yo) Dell Inspiron desktop. Samsung baked Link to Windows into OneUI and I can use DeX on both my desktop and laptop.

 

[Village_Idiot]

I thought about jumping back in with the Duo or maybe the Duo 2. But, neither phone could do what my Note 10+ and later my S22 Ultra could do. Samsung Pay, wireless charging, integrated S pen/stylus, etc. But my Note 10+ and S22 Ultra did all of that, plus I could integrate using Link to Windows and access all of my M365 apps and documents integrated with both my desktop and old Surface 6 Pro. I've used Microsoft Launcher (I'm a beta tester) for years, since it was called Arrow. Having dual screens wasn't compelling enough considering it did less than anything it was potentially replacing. Microsoft will have to come up with something so compelling and so useful, that it has to beat out Samsung for overall usefulness, and Apple for the consumer type users.

I'm not entirely sold on foldables either. I know a few who have them and like them a lot. Again, not compelling enough for me to ditch both my S22 Ultra and my Tab S9 and replace it with one device.

Microsoft has done an amazing job with cross platform integration with its apps and services. It would be better off improving on that and pushing into the AI market than trying to wade into the smartphone shark pool again.

The Smartphone Wars are over. Samsung and Apple have won, now they are fighting over the scraps. Microsoft has come from behind and is winning the apps and services war, with Google and Amazon now playing catch up. Let the AI Wars begin!