They promise 2 years.. Why not die already with such a terrible message?

[vodda]

Also remember guys, there is no such thing as a negative publicity, so making such a big noise about "m$ canceling WP" is actually doing it good.

 

[Blacklac]

Microsoft has never said they will cease to make phones in 2 years. The comment about two years was made to quiet people who incorrectly assumed Microsoft was leaving the mobile hardware arena simply because they said they were downsizing products.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Blacklac]

Also remember guys, there is no such thing as a negative publicity, so making such a big noise about "m$ canceling WP" is actually doing it good.

Lol... There is such a thing as bad publicity. I'm not saying this is it, but there definitely is.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

 

[Jas Holden]

I think that Donald Trump and Bill Cosby are finding that out.

 

[JamesDax]

How is this thread still open?

 

[tangledW]

I also have to agree with the OP on this. I've been reading a lot of these tech sites and it doesn't sound good. Even though they have announced they'll be making fewer phones for the next 2 years, it's not a big headline and they need to refute others' claims that they are throwing in the towel. Why even announce "2 years"? What does that do to the developers that are thinking of creating apps for WP?

Microsoft's messaging needs to be stronger. I used to see ads on TV but not anymore. Makes me wonder if Nadella is purposefully trying to slowly get out of it (without seeming to do so).

I've had a 920 since Dec '12 and have been patiently waiting for a flagship. I was at the mall with family this past weekend and walked by an AT&T store. I decided to go in and must say the S6 Active was very tempting. I'm willing to wait out the rest of the year. I think this is part of the strategy, to cut back on phones so they can release them sooner and not have people like me wait for what seems like forever...

They said AT LEAST 2 years. With development time for hardware, I'd imagine this means that they have hardware in the works or planned that may not be out for another 2 years, then they'll see after that.

Which means there is no need to jump ship just yet.

 

[PepperdotNet]

It seems that any news from Microsoft, whether good or bad, automatically triggers the Prophets of Doom to announce the death of Windows as a mobile platform.

What the situation was yesterday:

• Countless Lumia models in the marketplace, only the ardent ****** has any chance of keeping up with what model has what specs and abilities.
• No perceivable structure or marketing to speak of.
• No idea what Microsoft's future plans may be, there was plenty of speculation that they might kill the platform tomorrow for all we know.

What the situation is today:

• There will be fewer, better defined and obvious-what-they-are models to choose from.
• They will be using the same methodology that has proved to be successful for Surface. I expect that means fewer models, better quality, and a lot more advertising.
• Microsoft will be making hardware for at least two more years. This is two more years than we knew of yesterday.

And yet, the "journalists" of the click-bait media take this as CONCRETE PROOF that Microsoft has given up and is killing Windows mobile. Mainstream media who know nothing at all about technology just parrot what they read on the click-bait.

I just don't get how you can make such a dire conclusion, without having a very big preconceived idea of what you want to hear and ignoring what was actually said.

I do not listen to "news" about celebrities, politics or technology because 99% of the time what they are calling news is nothing more than uninformed opinion and bluster.

 

[OwenDL]

Just because a bunch of anti-MS tech news sites say it's dead doesn't mean it's dead.

Why are you all letting other people think for you?

 

[vodda]

I just wonder, how this affects other m$ products, like the band? Im reading apple clock is moping the floor with sales, are microsoft band sales any better than their phones?

 

[theefman]

Pro tip - if WP handsets were wiped off the face of the earth today, Microsoft would still be in mobile..... on ios and android with all their software. After all, when they were porting office and their other apps the party line was 'they are a software company, they need to be everywhere". So now they are, and with the pitiful numbers of WP devices sold, losing that hardware base will hardly make a difference. The 2 years mentioned gives them even more time to solidify their presence and by that time they can kiss WP goodbye without a care in the world if the situation doesn't improve.

Windows 10? It'll survive, consumers might be switching to mobile but enterprises will always need Windows. Universal apps? They were always a gamble and Windows will carry on without them no problem. The biggest thing to consider though is if Microsoft has embraced the competition in ios and android with their apps and services, why are WP fans still fighting this lost cause? The time has come to enjoy what you have for the remaining time you (might still) have it and move on when the time comes because at the end of the day, what matters is how best these devices serve our needs, and not how much we serve or are "loyal" to the companies behind them.

 

[Ten Four]

Journalists in the digital age write stuff to get page views and clicks, not necessarily to generate wisdom. You have to ignore most of the buzz being fed to the masses. MS cutting back on the number of phones released will only be visible to insiders since most ordinary phone buyers all around the world only have a very few selections they actually see and can purchase. Here in the US the only Windows phones I have ever seen in stores are the Lumia 520 and Lumia 635. Sure, AT&T has sold a few of the higher-end phones, but if you don't go into an AT&T store and ask for one you will never see one. For awhile there the 1020 was being advertised on TV and I saw it there, but those ads are long gone and the only 1020 I see regularly is owned by my son who got it by going into an AT&T store and ordering it--none in stock. My point being, if MS can just get two or three different phones to be regularly stocked by the likes of WalMart, Best Buy, Target, AT&T, and T-Mobile it will be a vast expansion of the available Windows phones, even if the company is making fewer models.

 

[Deomin]

WOW what a terrible message! Who the **** will make apps when they know Windows mobile will be dead in two years? Great message Microsoft. You are ******* dumb!!!!! And the timing. All these layoffs right before the release of Windows 10 and flagships. Those guys ay Microsoft have their brains in their ***! Do they wanna die badly??? Windows is doomed with every single tech site out there claiming windows mobile is dead. Long term this will mean windows as a whole will die. Mobile is essential. Which OEM will makes windows mobiles???? So far I can name almost NONE. Who made any device with the Microsoft health kit? NOBODY. Microsoft is acting in ways that are beyond stupidity. Giving such bad messages and still expecting Windows mobile 10 to to hit off? Are they smoking mushrooms? Who will make apps when the future is said to be unsure after 2 years???? I repeat: NOBODY. Nadella is the biggest fail ever with no patience.

Two years are over in a heart beat and nothing will have changed. Thus Windows mobile is dead.

Just switch the platform Why you should wait to see what will happen?
I made that step last year with no regrets.
Now I have all the apps that I need, official and unofficial, stable platform, regular updates...No worries

And I had bought so many apps for my Lumia 925. But apps are there into my account, so if some day windows mobile platform gets better, I will make a switch again.

 

[fdalbor]

I think the timing is what is giving alot of people a negative view. They should have waited at least until Win10 Mobile was out before going this route. I have been a WP/Android user for some time now. But WP was my main phone and the Android my secondary. I even ordered a 640XL two days ago. I cancelled the order yesterday. Reason. I don't trust Microsoft for support any longer. Instead I will get a upper end Android and it will become my main phone. I will use my (EXCELLENT) 820 as the secondary phone. If they upgrade the 820 with WP10 and I like it I may think about getting a better WP. If not I will drop WP and go with Android only. This whole thing has been not handled very well so why should it change now. There is very little confidence in Microsoft's mobile outlook. As I already have four WP phones I will keep up and watch what is happening by using them but they just shut the door on me or my wife buying any more WP phones. Bill Gates must really be grinding his teeth now.

 

[anon(5383410)]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Satya Nadella does not care if Windows Phone dies. It wasn't his baby and doesn't appear to be a large part of his vision for the company. If it succeeds it's a bonus but if the time comes to axe something it'll be one of his first choices. Sad since I've used nothing but wp since 6.5 but not the end of the world.

 

[Pete]

"Mobile first, cloud first"

Satya has stood on stage saying this many times. He's said it in emails. Press releases stay this as a tag-line for Microsoft's description of it's business.

Where's the "Mobile" part of that statement going to come from if Microsoft publically walks away from the products and platform?

I don't see anything in those four words of the mission statement that tells me that Satya does not care for mobile. I think you're confusing Windows Phone with the Nokia acquisition that he wasn't involved with.

 

[vodda]

I even ordered a 640XL two days ago. I cancelled the order yesterday. Reason. I don't trust Microsoft for support any longer. Instead I will get a upper end Android and it will become my main phone.

Excuse me sir, but based on your signature you have already owned a lot of Lumia devices in short period of time. Someone who changes phones so often now decided to go for a phone that will last more than 2 years, why?

 

[Ten Four]

Where's the "Mobile" part of that statement going to come from if Microsoft publically walks away from the products and platform?

The mobile will come from all the iOS and Android devices running Windows apps, with or without Microsoft hardware. The whole universal app idea is to get Microsoft stuff onto iOS and Android devices where the huge numbers are. Already the best Microsoft apps are better on iOS or Android. I think Nadella's vision for the moment is to have enough devices to showcase what Windows 10 and universal apps can do, but the sales numbers will come from all the other device manufacturers.

 

[fdalbor]

The 820 was my first WP. Bought over two years ago. The 925 is my wifes main phone, bought about a year and a half ago. The other two are inexpensive backup phones that have not ever been used. Just a backup in case we had trouble with the 820 or 925. The Moto G Lte was to try Android as I already had two Android tablets. So you can see I don't change phones often at all.

 

[jefbeard911]

"Mobile first, cloud first"

Satya has stood on stage saying this many times. He's said it in emails. Press releases stay this as a tag-line for Microsoft's description of it's business.

Where's the "Mobile" part of that statement going to come from if Microsoft publically walks away from the products and platform?

I don't see anything in those four words of the mission statement that tells me that Satya does not care for mobile. I think you're confusing Windows Phone with the Nokia acquisition that he wasn't involved with.

The "mobile" in Mobile First comes from the Android and iOS platforms (in addition to WP). All of MS' core apps are available and tailored for them. He never said WP mobile first...MS is primarily a software company.

 

[Pete]

If that's the case, why bother with the Surface products (and the widespread success they've achieved both in sales and reviews)?