An -actual- Windows phone?

[laughytaughy]

I've been looking and for some reason can't find anyone else asking the same thing.

Does anyone else want a true "windows phone"? Basically a small device with a 6" screen (thereabouts) that actually runs Windows 10 on it, and can make phone calls.

This way you could install anything that could normally be installed on windows (solves a lot of the app problems) and doesn't rely on a separate mobile OS for updates, and would already be polished.

I'm sure this has been said elsewhere, and I'm missing a bunch of reasons why it's not feasible, but if they offered a phone like that I would snatch it up in an instant, even with a higher price tag.

 

[Chintan Gohel]

It's there though in a different form - lumia 950xl with continuum or elite x3 with continuum - search the site for those

 

[EspHack]

there are a few I think, but they are very rare and hardly practical for pretty much everything, why dont you get a 8" atom tablet instead, they may fit your pockets(my asus m81c does) and can run circles around any modern wp in terms of screen-on battery life and raw perf, not to mention its an actual pc

 

[Roger Stenson]

A 6 in phone is about the limit for a pocket service.
But if Continuum is to be really useful it needs to be able to load all our Intel apps. And the phone definitely needs to be able participate in cloud syncing with the SD card fully integrated into the memory management. That's my idea of the perfect phone
Roger Stenson

 

[Chintan Gohel]

There was that report of some device that has it's own projector and can run 2 OS - a 6.5 inch device I think

 

[EspHack]

There was that report of some device that has it's own projector and can run 2 OS - a 6.5 inch device I think

that'd be thick as heck

I dont think there's any "pocket size limit" as said I can fit a 8" tablet on mine, I've seen plenty of people doing that with 7" droid tablets I think, even a dude with an ipad thats even more surprising considering its almost a square screen, and if you cant live without jackets you can fit pretty much anything that happens to be flat

 

[PcPhone]

Let see

 

[Chintan Gohel]

that'd be thick as heck

I dont think there's any "pocket size limit" as said I can fit a 8" tablet on mine, I've seen plenty of people doing that with 7" droid tablets I think, even a dude with an ipad thats even more surprising considering its almost a square screen, and if you cant live without jackets you can fit pretty much anything that happens to be flat

this one: The Holofone Phablet is a 7-inch Android phone / Windows PC with a built-in projector - The Verge

 

[gjbcapital]

We are a Microsoft Windows phone ODM and have produced a series of Windows 10 mobile smartphones for the markets for the past years. However, as you may know that Microsoft has already stopped the Lumia Windows phone and meanwhile, the Windows phone global market share is shrinking now. Therefore, we are suspecting if we should keep investment on the Windows phone development.
What is your idea? How do you think the experienced Windows phone users are still interested in the Windows phone?
MolyPcphone

Personally I like the UI of windows 10 more than the other platforms so I will keep buying windows phones. So a aesthetically pleasing device like the lumia 650 with a few improvements (like 2 gb ram) will have a market. Stopping the lumia line is good for other manufacturers. Android for example may have a huge market share but also there are huge numbers of oems developing phones for android and what are the profit margins? I will be surprised if besides Samsung and a couple of others there are oems making real money there. They 'hope' they will make enough volume to be translated in future profits but most of them are losing money at present. So as long as windows 10 is developed for arm processors it will be a viable market if you manage to produce an interesting device and if you have the appropriate distribution and marketing plan.

 

[laughytaughy]

I see what people are talking about on here, but I really think that Windows 10 Mobile (which has to have separate apps made by the developers) would be inferior to a full windows 10 phone (which can load any app that is x86 compatible). There's already a "tablet mode" in windows 10, and they could either use that, or make a similar "phone mode".

Continuum, while cool, is -not- full x86 windows. As far as using a tablet, I guess I could, but the smallest one that runs windows is the surface 12"...and that's beyond huge for a phone. I want something relatively manageable in size and usability on the go. I've been hoping for an actual "computer phone" for a while, but sadly may never see it.

Edit: Just looked at the "Holofone". Is that real? It says "full windows 10". hmm...I'll have to keep an eye on that. While I wish I could remove the projector and up the specs instead, it is very very interesting. Thanks for the heads up!

Edit 2: After looking into it more, the Holofone seems pretty weak. very slow 2015 processor, a projector I'd never use, and they don't mention the resolution of the screen at all. eek.

 

[princeegli]

I see what people are talking about on here, but I really think that Windows 10 Mobile (which has to have separate apps made by the developers) would be inferior to a full windows 10 phone (which can load any app that is x86 compatible). There's already a "tablet mode" in windows 10, and they could either use that, or make a similar "phone mode".

Continuum, while cool, is -not- full x86 windows. As far as using a tablet, I guess I could, but the smallest one that runs windows is the surface 12"...and that's beyond huge for a phone. I want something relatively manageable in size and usability on the go. I've been hoping for an actual "computer phone" for a while, but sadly may never see it.

Edit: Just looked at the "Holofone". Is that real? It says "full windows 10". hmm...I'll have to keep an eye on that. While I wish I could remove the projector and up the specs instead, it is very very interesting. Thanks for the heads up!

I agree we need a windows 10 phone ,not Mobil version

 

[Krystianpants]

We are a Microsoft Windows phone ODM and have produced a series of Windows 10 mobile smartphones for the markets for the past years. However, as you may know that Microsoft has already stopped the Lumia Windows phone and meanwhile, the Windows phone global market share is shrinking now. Therefore, we are suspecting if we should keep investment on the Windows phone development.
What is your idea? How do you think the experienced Windows phone users are still interested in the Windows phone?
MolyPcphone

The problem is that Microsoft is giving the world the perception that it is abandoning windows phone market and doesn't want to be a part of it. People won't make investments into something that the media portrays as going belly up. Sure we know MS is actually just retrenching and working on the software this year and they want OEMs to take over the hardware side like with their PC partnerships, but that's not how it looks to the world. So only windows fans may buy them. Ultimately being available on all carriers including Verizon is a huge thing. In fact my guess is that a phone that supports Verizon would likely sell more as MS and other OEMs have abandoned that carrier. This is also bad because you can't have a phone that doesn't support a major carrier, it's unheard of and you will never gain popularity as a result. If I have a good carrier i'm more likely to look for a phone that supports the carrier than a carrier that supports my phone.

I have the 950xl and while continuum is great it's not really at a point where it can sell phones. It's very limited and while there's more apps supporting it, it still lacks what you can get from a cheap laptop. Ms needs to push more innovation in that area. Having full windows 10 on a phone is not a good idea unless it loads only in continuum mode via some dual chip solution. Windows 10 mobile is still not at a point where it's truly ready for the consumer market. Anniversary update has enhanced it quite a bit but they still have a lot of work to do on it. Focusing on desktop/developer tools, etc is smart because they need to build an ecosystem and using their strengths makes sense. You'll probably always be able to sell some but doubt it will be popular. MS is considered the leader of the windows phone world, even if it's just the OS they produce. They need to show leadership and that they are dedicated. Releasing a new phone would help with that image. My guess is when the mythical surface phone comes out windows shares will start growing. Not just because people want that phone in particular but it shows confidence from MS.

I think there needs to be some innovation for getting rid of the requirement for a monitor. Keyboard and mice are pretty portable these days so that's not the biggest issue, it's the screen really. Heck some cheap glasses that work like hololens but only display the image on your phone. It wouldn't have interaction or anything crazy and would still require keyboard/mouse but it would really lower the price by removing all the extra processing. It would also create privacy for you no matter where you want to get some work done. Of course it's just an idea, the feasibility and tech is always a limiting factor. But that's how innovations start, from ideas.

 

[EspHack]

this one: The Holofone Phablet is a 7-inch Android phone / Windows PC with a built-in projector - The Verge

battery: 2910 mAh

aborrrrt!

they dont even say how thick the projector hump is, and refer to it as "hd" and knowing cheap projectors that can mean a range of things, that the machine itself is capable of 1080p playback(as expected from cherry trail) but not necessarily that the projector can output that resolution natively, if I had to guess its 800x480 at best, MAYBE 720p, but thats a big maybe

 

[xandros9]

I frankly think a Windows 10 PC phone would not end well.

Here's what I'm thinking:

1. Cost and finding an appropriate x86 chipset.
Intel killed the Atoms that would've been used for these and alternatives are pretty pricey!

2. Value as a phone.
Opening it up to the vast amount of x86 programs is something, but they will be unusable on a display suitable for a phone. (even with a pen) And program requirements are different too, I don't use Snapchat on my PC, I rarely use Instagram on my PC, etc. I use the web browser all the time on my PC and that won't cut it when I'm on the go.

3. Windows 10's baggage
Windows 10 on the PC has a LOT of things going on behind the scenes and I'm not sure those'll adapt to a phone very well.
And by that I mean search indexing, whatever installed applications decided to start themselves at startup (I don't like messing with this on Android, I'll like it even less on a full Windows phone)

And Windows does not have means to automatically kill legacy programs when memory is low and such. People do not want to have to manage their programs like on a PC unless we're talking webOS or even Android level task management.

4. Requirements
Windows 10's minimum requirements are something like 16 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM for the bare minimum (most of which will be used, which is not good) and on top of that add whatever data people want to add, their programs, any malware or extra programs running in the background...

And for what? I suppose we'll get damn impressive Continuum experience but it'll need to be a solid phone first on its own.

 

[EspHack]

I frankly think a Windows 10 PC phone would not end well.

Here's what I'm thinking:

1. Cost and finding an appropriate x86 chipset.
Intel killed the Atoms that would've been used for these and alternatives are pretty pricey!

2. Value as a phone.
Opening it up to the vast amount of x86 programs is something, but they will be unusable on a display suitable for a phone. (even with a pen) And program requirements are different too, I don't use Snapchat on my PC, I rarely use Instagram on my PC, etc. I use the web browser all the time on my PC and that won't cut it when I'm on the go.

3. Windows 10's baggage
Windows 10 on the PC has a LOT of things going on behind the scenes and I'm not sure those'll adapt to a phone very well.
And by that I mean search indexing, whatever installed applications decided to start themselves at startup (I don't like messing with this on Android, I'll like it even less on a full Windows phone)

And Windows does not have means to automatically kill legacy programs when memory is low and such. People do not want to have to manage their programs like on a PC unless we're talking webOS or even Android level task management.

4. Requirements
Windows 10's minimum requirements are something like 16 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM for the bare minimum (most of which will be used, which is not good) and on top of that add whatever data people want to add, their programs, any malware or extra programs running in the background...

And for what? I suppose we'll get damn impressive Continuum experience but it'll need to be a solid phone first on its own.

1 microsoft could easily get an atom replacement if they so desire, for that hypothetical surface phone or whatever, intel is open for business as long as you pay them

2 dont close up your mind on the notion that x86 programs means running photoshop CS something, there are "modern" apps that are x86-x64 only, if I remember correctly the skype translator beta was only x86 and that app was a carbon copy of the old app for w8 RT, as easy as can they make things, killing the x86 to ARM process for developers would make it even better

3 my anorexic atom tablet boots faster than my gaming desktop which has an NVME drive, doesn't choke on anything I could possibly do with my phone, far from it, it makes my phone look like a total waste of time for day to day usage, and thats a lumia icon which is hardly slow even today

4 using resources is good, we already have 6gb ram phones, why not keep going? vista was a resource hog they say, but if you had the resources, it ran like nothing you had ever seen at the time, and thanks to that, computers are now so overpowered that they can last you almost indefinitely unless you do gaming or video editing

and all of this I say is thanks to actually trying to replace my wp with that 8" tablet, the only problem with doing so was the poor camera and horrendous keyboard which isnt the same as wordflow on wp for some microsoft reason, all the "baggage" from w10 is actually there for a reason, its functional, like 99% of problems with w10m I could easily fix myself if it was w10, there are alternatives for everything, and you dont rely on the next update miracle that will fix whatever issue they created with the last update

 

[grahamf]

I think Microsoft was planning on this, except Intel dropped the Atom line and threw Microsoft's plans for a loop. Maybe Microsoft will try working with AMD or VIA? If Microsoft backs either, they could give the partner enough resources to develop a proper chip - but they would be reenginnering from scratch the work that Intel has completed.

I wish that this happens though. I have a proper desktop and don't need a laptop, but there are times when i would like a proper portable computer in order to do random tasks (such as making a recovery USB drive for my desktop if it borks - or downloading files when I'm, on faster internet elsewhere.) I'd love to be able to plug my phone into something like a NexDock and have a full fledged laptop I can do real work with.

 

[rinosaur]

What is the benefit of having a full-blown W10 x86 on a phone? Can you even be productive running traditional x86 programs on a 5-6 inch screen?

Surface + Others have already put out absolutely fantastic portable/detachable x86 devices with relatively small screens. I don't think x86 is even good for under 10 inches.

Edit: if anyone is thinking Continuum to project to a full monitor, then you also have to have a keyboard/mouse combo to go with it. The solution is already there with ultra-portable convertible/detachables.

 

[CherokeeMarty]

PcPhone, my business partner and I are developing an IT business and having been trying out the various phone OSs (iOS, Android, and Blackberry), and haven't been satisfied with any of them so far. I have used WP in the past and found it a very usable, fluid OS with the ability to handle Office documents easily. I think there is a market out there for people on the go who need to be able to run a business from anywhere. After reviewing the specs, I think you're on to something here.

That said, Microsoft is going to need to do something big to save a good OS. MS really, really needs to finish the Windows 10 Phone OS to make it what they have been promising it would be. This failure on the part of MS is what I perceive as the real reason behind the Windows Phone decline. Additionally, MS will need to have advertising on the same level as Apple. BUILD A BRAND!

 

[CherokeeMarty]

rinosaur, I feel like you do. I have a full blown desktop, a Surface 3 that I really like for outside the office and settled in someplace, and a WP8.1, as well as OneDrive. I use a VPN service on all of it, and can function where I am.

I really don't see the need to run a full blown x86 Windows 10 program on a phone. The battery life is not there to support it, currently. And I don't want the hassle of running a full Windows 10 program on a small screen at the airport anyway. I just need to deal with individual documents and not full blown x86 programs.

 

[grahamf]

What is the benefit of having a full-blown W10 x86 on a phone? Can you even be productive running traditional x86 programs on a 5-6 inch screen?

Surface + Others have already put out absolutely fantastic portable/detachable x86 devices with relatively small screens. I don't think x86 is even good for under 10 inches.

Edit: if anyone is thinking Continuum to project to a full monitor, then you also have to have a keyboard/mouse combo to go with it. The solution is already there with ultra-portable convertible/detachables.

I already have my phone on me all the time. If I travel it would be nice to be able to plug into a provided dock or keep my NexDock thrown in a bag without having to bother with keeping it updated and maintained - just grab and go.