What if there won't be any windows mobile devices?

[Mike Semblance]

I don't really care. As long as there's a Microsoft OS device that holds a SIM or eSIM, and can make calls and do Continuum, I don't care what it is. I should be tired of my 950XL by January, and could hold out til June, if I really had to.

 

[EssThree]

If MS flat out stated they were abandoning making Windows portable, there wouldn't be much keeping me on their services. I have an MS account and pay for extras because I can sign in once on my phone and be ready to go with all the services I need. That wouldn't be the case without a mobile version of Windows.

If I need to get an iPhone I'll swap to iCloud and associated services. If I need to get an Android I'll swap to Google Drive and associated services. I already know people who prefer to use Google docs for collaboration, and if I need to work with them, I'll use it too. Honestly, abandoning MS would probably be incredibly convenient for me. But I REALLY like Windows more than the other platforms, so that's why I'm still here.

 

[PerfectReign]

MS isn't giving up but whatever comes out in the future will be a device that facilitates "content production" not "content consumption" so phone/laptop hybrids if they can make it work as MS re-trenches around the PC.

Interesting observation. I've occasionally wondered if we will all be using Chromebooks in five years.

 

[PerfectReign]

If / when Skype for Business provides dedicated SMS to cellular.

though it is clunky, Skyoe (not Skype for business) already can send/receive SMS from both mobile and desktop.

 

[skydiverian]

In the short/medium term, I'm starting to think that realistically I'll have to switch to Android. I'm not a big fan of it but having had an ipod touch for 4 months, I don't think ios is viable - in any case, dual sim iphones don't exist and that's pretty much a mandatory requirement for me. cshell makes sense but there's no practical advantage as an end user - and so I guess I'll be switching away until there's a significant improvement in stability and app quality.

 

[jason hendry1]

i am now a android user, its down to microsft not making a decent new flagship yearly and off course leting here maps go, and not bringing the speakerphone option into windows 10 mobile on my 930 which used to have it in windows 8.1 mobiel, thats why i no longer trust microsft. Hell even on my android phone I cant use my preferred groove app because it doesn't read my sd card on a s7 edge and my ipad doesn't even have a groove app lol. Hum they want android and apple users to use groove to purchace music, they are doing the best job possible to destroy themselves.
windows 10 ui for mobile is still second to 8.1 mobile but I prefer it to android, unfortunately they not only need to support windows mobile like past the silly 3 years they droped my 930 but now I need all the apps like google, bank a wireless pay and I might come back. The only reason I haven't ventured away from windows 10 desktop and replaced it with Linux(a sub par replacement or mac desktop is the hope that in the future they will have a premium mobile phone with all the apps. But every year I am futher away from actually careing. Still if microsoft didn't release another phone for windows platform or if makers like Samsung or lg or sony don't make premium windows 10 mobile offerings I would seriously consider moving my gaming needs to a platform and then going all mac. To be honest the playstation 5 will probably be a 4k 60fps pure option as I wocant go xbox as the controller is something I don't like(yeh I'm on my onw there).

 

[jason hendry1]

once you leave windows mobile and go iPhone or in my case android youll realise what your missing. Yeh the ui in 10 and livbe tiles along with Cortana is simply still mostly the best on mobile but when you look at the apps you don't have starting from say the speakerphone option in windows gesture that isn't and hasn't ever been in windows 10 to say googles proper never breaking down you tub app unlike metro tube, tube cast or even mytube you begin to see where the real windows 10 floors are. Hell I hate adverts but don't mivnd them on you tube as I have a very crash free always working app unlike the last year on my 930 and 830 in windows. Even apps like sliming world or my fitnesspal I have on android, I have a Santander app I have a virgin app and a Vodaphone app, all of which I didn't have on windows 10 mobile, Even paypal has left along with ebay both of which I use all the time. I even have here go on android But to be fair I use google maps more now after 12 months because of street maps 3d, something windows misses in both areas. Then theres other things like my uk Santander bank app a now necessity for me or even android pay that works in every single shop in my town. My 930 promised that in 2015 but never delivered, I don't see any windows phone with a wireless mobile pay option working out of the box today, I barely ever use cash now so my piggy bank is getting thin.
I loved windows mobile 8.1 and lied windows 10 mobile I love live tiles its just way better than styatic tiles but with the way microsoft has showed lack of support in their handsets, the way they don't support mobile phones with their own software that their own phones had in 8.1 but never in 10 like gestures mobile, because of their preasure on desktop to force me to use edge and to try and prevent me opening pages to my default choices, to the onedrive free storage removal scandal and also not supporting android or ipads with a groove app, and no the groove app thant cant read a sd card is not acceptable for s7 edge users, then I really don't see a lot of people flocking back, I don't, microsoft keeps making mistakes, even last month they chose to drop support for a Lumia 930 a great phone and that was after only 3 years. I don't like spending 400 pounds only for it to not be supported 3 years later. Damage has been done, its gona take microsfts windows 10 platform to be more matured and apps to be exactly like android or iPhone and its gona have to guarantee the longativity and life span of its devices before I consider reinverting in microsoft and I know I'm far from the only one thinking this. Sometimes the best os doesn't always win, trust is a big thing too.

 

[Drael646464]

once you leave windows mobile and go iPhone or in my case android youll realise what your missing. Yeh the ui in 10 and livbe tiles along with Cortana is simply still mostly the best on mobile but when you look at the apps you don't have starting from say the speakerphone option in windows gesture that isn't and hasn't ever been in windows 10 to say googles proper never breaking down you tub app unlike metro tube, tube cast or even mytube you begin to see where the real windows 10 floors are. Hell I hate adverts but don't mivnd them on you tube as I have a very crash free always working app unlike the last year on my 930 and 830 in windows. Even apps like sliming world or my fitnesspal I have on android, I have a Santander app I have a virgin app and a Vodaphone app, all of which I didn't have on windows 10 mobile, Even paypal has left along with ebay both of which I use all the time. I even have here go on android But to be fair I use google maps more now after 12 months because of street maps 3d, something windows misses in both areas. Then theres other things like my uk Santander bank app a now necessity for me or even android pay that works in every single shop in my town. My 930 promised that in 2015 but never delivered, I don't see any windows phone with a wireless mobile pay option working out of the box today, I barely ever use cash now so my piggy bank is getting thin.
I loved windows mobile 8.1 and lied windows 10 mobile I love live tiles its just way better than styatic tiles but with the way microsoft has showed lack of support in their handsets, the way they don't support mobile phones with their own software that their own phones had in 8.1 but never in 10 like gestures mobile, because of their preasure on desktop to force me to use edge and to try and prevent me opening pages to my default choices, to the onedrive free storage removal scandal and also not supporting android or ipads with a groove app, and no the groove app thant cant read a sd card is not acceptable for s7 edge users, then I really don't see a lot of people flocking back, I don't, microsoft keeps making mistakes, even last month they chose to drop support for a Lumia 930 a great phone and that was after only 3 years. I don't like spending 400 pounds only for it to not be supported 3 years later. Damage has been done, its gona take microsfts windows 10 platform to be more matured and apps to be exactly like android or iPhone and its gona have to guarantee the longativity and life span of its devices before I consider reinverting in microsoft and I know I'm far from the only one thinking this. Sometimes the best os doesn't always win, trust is a big thing too.

If UWP ends up being exactly like ios and android, it will have failed IMO. It's supposed to be a universal platform for windows, and lnclude power apps and fully featured games, not just ad funded freemium gunk.

I gave up on free-to-air TV a long time ago, and I've seen what ad creep becomes. I'm not keen to repear history on another media platform there.

I don't need or want a "me too", third player. I want a windows future that plays to microsofts strengths in gaming, creativity and productivity. The next generation of PC and xbox software for the future.

If the apps and games for UWP were exactly like ios, or android, I would probably give up on the whole windows platform. I mean what would even be the point of windows, if its modern app platform where identical to ios?

 

[jason hendry1]

lol cshell gave you hope. hum windows 7 mobile gave me hope, windows 8.1 gave ME HOPE, FREE UNLIMITED ONEDRIVE STORAGE GAVE ME HOPE, windows 8.1 mobile gave me huge hope, windows 10 mobile took that hope away and flushed it down the toilet, no gestures mobile speakphone option and that's microsoft app, no wireless mobile pay and its like 2017, no premium handset. I really don't think hope lies on aa new interface ui method, it lied in apps and a good phone but microsfts new strategy has had the effect of scareing off developers not retaining them like 8.1 was doing. ill have hope when they have a phone that's been out for years and is already amp with apps, that's years away at the most optimistic personally I don't think there is space for microsoft in the consumer mobile market and I think they know it. hell I see a time in the near future where they will not even be in the consumer market or at least they'll be where mac was in 1996 before the ipod saved them. Sadly microsoft only have themselves to blame, how many reboots or how many times will consumers put up with their devices life cut short through reboots. hell my 930 was less than 3 years old and microsoft stoped supporting it. Same old problems exist at microst even if they have a new leader.

 

[Drael646464]

Hence why, even when I was on android I refused to use freemium software at all (which admittedly, doesn't leave one with that much)

 

[chenryhen]

While I believe that there will be more Windows Mobile devices, the problem is when?

It's sounding like this upcoming holiday season will be the real sign of what's the come. Got my fingers crossed that someone has a <6" device planned for this ARM/cellular PC push.

 

[DEEP NNN]

Microsoft representatives are very poor at confirming the future of Windows Mobile. They are sewing malcontent amongst their most fervent adherents. This thread is but an example.

Microsoft can stop most of the rising complaints with a serious headlining campaign outlining their mobile strategy. There doesn't have to be a Microsoft Surface phone. Any good device will do. We only have to be told something is happening.

Microsoft seems destined to reap what they sew.

A Lumina 1020 fan and continuing user.

 

[Stephen Townsley]

I dont think it matters very much. Microsoft have discontinued all their mobile devices so sales are zero or statistically near to zero. In markets that were in double digits they are now down to low digits.

Microsoft had a chance at Build 2017 to say what their mobile strategy was for developers and said nothing so there isn't one.

With zero market share and zero new devices they would be starting from a clean slate to re-enter the market. With 3 reboots over the last few years and no real effort in the last two very few buyers would trust buying a Microsoft mobile product. They will feel it was a wasted purchase because Microsoft has a habit of entering markets and just dropping out (Zune, Windows RT, Band etc).

In answer to the question. There will be no more mobile devices as Microsoft moves development into the maintenance bug fix releases of the "featureless2" branch.

 

[Premium1]

Windows Mobile for phones is dead.

 

[Chintan Gohel]

I think they are cooking up proto's for sure. And if they could generate attention, the fires would be rekindled. But in the meantime, we do have a situation, where we are kind of waiting for msft to "do something" while they approach the situation more like a political scheme

The issue most people have is not seeing that something, that sliver of realy tangible evidence that there will be something - it's one thing to develop something in secrecy like the surface book but another thing altogether to develop a mobile device in secrecy when people expect you to do that

We've been saying since I can remember that MS is playing the 'long game' when it comes to mobile. Is it so long now that people have forgotten them? I'd say yes. Maybe starting over is what they think is best. A fresh start. Could be a smart move.

So long that the new generation of people searching for a new phone will not know of the past efforts from Microsoft in the mobile space and hence not feel like they should not buy the next offering from MS

Whether MS plans for a consumer device or a enterprise device only time will tell. To me, I think they missed their biggest market and that was developing countries. It's sad that they couldn't see that themselves.

I'm 100% with you on this one - it's a tragedy actually that they tried so hard to win over mainly American consumers from Apple and Samsung that they forgot there were hundreds of millions of potential new owners of mobile phones in developing countries who had no interest in apple nor in android - they and really, I mean to say, we wanted an option that wasn't closed and expensive like apple and not cheap and laggy like android - windows phone fit that so easily and indeed it was popular here in my own country. Even Europe and South America became good places to sell windows phones

Right now, mobility apps, or full UWP - that's not the main thing, its just getting those normal, everyday desktop users to click on that store icon to look for their app first, instead of searching for it in the browser first.

And I admit, this is something I've only started doing recently. But that's all that's needed.

I've been focusing on the store first before I search the internet for apps - found an excellent torrent client in torrex, a good book reader app, a flac converter - those are actually just the start

OS X has had its desktop store for many years, but it still has plenty of non-Store software. I think if an all-Store scenario was going to happen, it would have already with on the Mac.

We can't always be comparing what MS tries to do with what apple have done or not done - if that were the consieration we wouldn't be having the surface devices as they look now

The number of mac devices are far fewer than windows pcs, laptops and 2 in 1s. And would my guess be correct if I said that the mac store apps are not the same as the deskptop versions? They don't have a way of porting their programs to the store, do they?

 

[Chintan Gohel]

It's not really like UWP needs an all store scenario. It just needs to be a place users generally do look for apps.

I don't think windows will ever be a 100 percent store scenario either. Part of the allure of windows is the freedom, whether that's technically, as a dev platform or whatever. But I could see the store being where the majority of users, find the majority of their software - and that would be a huge boon to UWP, and indirectly, every Microsoft OS platform.

Having apps installed from the store would be a better solution as that would remove the need for app installers, dubious websites, having to check for updates individually for each program whereas in the store you can just update them automatically all at once

Microsoft should pay developers to bring top 20 essential apps(global and local, bank apps, weather, transit, tv/radio, WhatsApp, snapchat, etc) to their Universal platform.

And this has been tried before but with no fruit - developers will take the money but develop mediocre apps and forget to update them - the developers need to feel the pull, the need, the desire to develop the apps themselves and not be forced or enticed by financial means from MS to do it

It's critical to distinguish between "Windows Mobile" and "mobile Windows." With the creation of Windows 10 on ARM I no longer care if "Windows Mobile" OS goes away because that OS no longer serves any purpose. However mobile Windows 10 devices like HoloLens and the "Surface Note" concept are critical to the relevance of Windows as a platform. If Windows is only to be used for laptops and enterprise computers (I don't believe this is the plan) then I would like to switch over to Android completely and remove all Microsoft software and services from all of my devices. My buy-in to the Windows ecosystem is contingent on mobile usability with things like HoloLens and Continuum 2.0. If Microsoft isn't serious about using Windows on mobile devices then I would prefer to abandon all of their software completely. Honestly Windows will not have any long term relevancy without a major presence in mobile computing.<br>

Interesting concept - Microsoft have to be in the mobile workspace for mobile computing and not necessarily have a mobile specific OS - there is Cshell as has been reported on Windows Central https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-cshell

The 2nd thing for me is a huge reason I've loved Windows phones is because of the Lumia range and that's stopped now anyway so unless the next gen devices, if and when they come have top drawer camera's, Always On Display (Glance) and double tap to wake then I'm not sure I'll be all that attracted to them anyway much like the way I feel about the Idol 4s and the Elite x3 just now.

We should expect that and features that haven't been thought of yet but can have a good impact

"What if" this Surface Mobile device isn't an entry for the Smartphone Market, instead just another Surface. Another tool to be used with Windows 10.

Something that complements the rest of the surface lineup? One that can let you continue on what you were doing on the pc while you're away from the pc - they demoed such a concept at the last event where you can continue reading your news app on the phone after you've left the office

Then we all march and gather outside Microsoft offices across the globe and demand for Nutella to come out and address us.
We don't let him back in until he commits to a new phone.

this might not work as people aren't that vocal about a luxury like mobile phones - we can't even get people to complain outside the president or minister's office about high food prices - what makes you think they would protest about missing phones?

The CEO has even publically said Microsoft is working on the "ultimate mobile device." The hardware and software have to come together for something revolutionary to come to market.

this is where a pessimist says action speaks louder than words

 

[Chintan Gohel]

and download a app like bluestacks and run android apps all you want. Sooo, there it is....., now what would really be amazing is if Microsoft built its own android emulation software to work specifically for windows 10 and cshell and allowed the devs of those apps to add their android apps to the windows store. I think MS will probably add something like Windows 10 S to the phones and give the option to upgrade to windows home for something like $19.99 so that you can download bluestacks onto your phone and run android apps. IJS

I've tried using bluestacks before on my surface 3 and though it works, the ads are too many and the responsiveness is slow - furthermore, the keyboard support is dismal - it wasn't easy running whatsapp on it

If there were a better emulator, one with a smaller RAM and processor footprint, then maybe something can happen

Let's ask another question though, what if MS and partners DO make another phone running Windows as all indicators suggest? With all the current talk about new devices reaching fever pitch, by the time my 950XL is two years old in Q1 2019 I fully expect an upgrade option to be out of early adopter premium price range by then. Can't wait to see what comes out this year ready for that day. Who else is getting hyped by all the C-shell development we're hearing about?

In my opening post, I was assuming I was a pessimist but in reality I'm more of a wait and see person - certainly the several evidences stated earlier by @Drael646464 have given me hope

 

[Chintan Gohel]

While I believe that there will be more Windows Mobile devices, the problem is when? You keep hearing all this talk about commitment and the things that are to come, but without releasing yearly devices in the meantime to back up the claims, it makes it hard to be optimistic about the future of Windows Mobile. They also need to do a better job with advertising and make their phones available on all major carriers in the U.S and Canada.

Don't forget the world at large, no point marketing to less than 6% of the world's population

Microsoft representatives are very poor at confirming the future of Windows Mobile. They are sewing malcontent amongst their most fervent adherents. This thread is but an example.

Microsoft can stop most of the rising complaints with a serious headlining campaign outlining their mobile strategy. There doesn't have to be a Microsoft Surface phone. Any good device will do. We only have to be told something is happening.

Microsoft seems destined to reap what they sew.

A Lumina 1020 fan and continuing user.

Thumbs up

 

[Carl Erics]

Microsoft clearly have no clue on how to deal with consumers.
Just look at two things. Bing and Cortana.
I use both, but I'm sort of a almost nerd, and i despise google.
If MS got this they would have made bing fully open worldwide and the same with Cortana. Hyped up...and available...eh...in the US only...
They really need to see what consumers wants.
I'm seeing the hololens go the same way as the phone

 

[Chintan Gohel]

Adding to my original post:

Let's imagine that Microsoft do indeed leave the mobile market as pertains to their own efforts at a mobile device and only concentrates on providing apps to ios and android

What would Microsoft lose or gain by not having a native presence in the mobile market?

1. Would Microsoft share prices drop or would they not be affected?
2. Would investors move away?
3. Would support for performing departments increase since there are more resources freed up for that?
4. Or would Microsoft eventually slow down and start losing customers who have wanted a complete solution for their needs?

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