Windows Mobile vs Windows Phone

[telomoyo]

In the AskDan episode that came out today, Dan says Windows Phone is practically dead, while Windows Mobile is not. I went online to find the differences, but became more confused since it appears Windows Mobile came out in 2003, went to Windows Phone, but then Windows 8.1 is the last of Windows Phone. Can someone explain/summarize this a little better. Thank you.

 

[Rugish Dapeca]

Windows Phone = Hardware
Windows Mobile = Software

Pretty simple to think of them that way.

 

[indospot]

No, Windows Phone = Windows Phone 7, 8 and 8.1.
Windows Mobile = Windows 10 Mobile.

Sent from mTalk

 

[telomoyo]

So Msft went from Windows Mobile to Phone, and now back to Mobile? Since both are software, what's the difference?

 

[VetDuarte]

None.
He's using semantics to keep Lazarus alive.

 

[Ma Rio]

Windows Mobile is the old OS Microsoft used for 'smartphones'.
MS then moved on to Windows Phone 7, and it was a total reboot, meaning you can not update a Windows Mobile device to Windows Phone.
Then another reboot, Windows Phone 8.
And after that, we now have Windows 10 Mobile.

All of those are different operating systems. And you can only update from Windows Phone 8 (8.1 actually) to Windows 10 Mobile.
Dan said Windows Mobile (and meant Windows 10 Mobile) purely our of convenience.