Confused - Mix feelings.

[X0LARIUM]

So I've sold my (perfectly working) Lumia 950XL after what Belfiore said about the future of Windows Phones.
Do i regret it? May be.
But I'm a little lost, i believe like most of you here, about the future of our beloved software.

I am having thoughts of buying one again, this time (hopefully) for a little longer.

But my biggest fear in (re-)investing in this platform is plagued by scary thoughts like what if all the apps suddenly stop supporting the OS. Like WhatsApp is one of the most crucial app today.

What happens if in an extreme case scenario where literally all the mobile (not UWP) apps abandon this ship together or one by one.

Will this happen? Should i buy one at a full price, only to learn a few months down the line that I've made a HUGE mistake? Get a second-hand one for the time being to let it all cool down?

Any help?

 

[Bobvfr]

I can't see how it wont happen, I am currently lucky the few apps (Not supplied with the OS) I actually use are almost exclusively UWP apps so have a chance of staying around for some time, but I would have thought if it costs money to support an app with a dwindling user base will drop off, MS have the OS on life support and it's only a matter of time (Maybe a couple of years) before they cease.

However I am fairly confident that MS will bring out a smaller device that will run Windows 10 and have some kind of telephony, the "Phone" and "Messaging" apps are already there and I am sure they can be switched on as they have already worked, all they need to do is realise Skype isn't the way forwards. I don't see why I cant make and receive calls to my PC's and Xbox.

Personally if I could port my mobile number over to my MS account and then MS produce a smaller pocket-able device (Maybe mobile phone sized) and have data always on I could loose my current mobile data plan, but I could not do this unless my number could be ported.

The real problem comes down to UWP apps themselves and the strategy MS have, they are currently out of the mobile market so UWP's are fighting a losing battle on the PC side let alone the dead mobile OS. And MS aren't showing the commitment to the idea they should, so why should others.

I am using my 950XL it still works for me, but I couldn't justify replacing it with another one at full price in this coming year, second-hand would work if the battery is OK, or I would buy a cheapish Android to keep me going.

If a small "Phone" sized foldable Surface device is released, it wont be cheap, but then if it can do what my current Surface Pro 4 can do, it's my full blown desktop (With 28inch monitor, full sized keyboard and mouse, speakers, web cam, microphone, storage and CD/DVD all plugged in) yet with one wire unplugged it becomes a tablet, if then with a couple of quick folds it can slip in my pocket they will have a top end device at a top end price that can create it's own market.

Who knows, but I wouldn't want to pay a lot for a WP at the moment.

 

[X0LARIUM]

I can't see how it wont happen, I am currently lucky the few apps (Not supplied with the OS) I actually use are almost exclusively UWP apps so have a chance of staying around for some time, but I would have thought if it costs money to support an app with a dwindling user base will drop off, MS have the OS on life support and it's only a matter of time (Maybe a couple of years) before they cease.

However I am fairly confident that MS will bring out a smaller device that will run Windows 10 and have some kind of telephony, the "Phone" and "Messaging" apps are already there and I am sure they can be switched on as they have already worked, all they need to do is realise Skype isn't the way forwards. I don't see why I cant make and receive calls to my PC's and Xbox.

Personally if I could port my mobile number over to my MS account and then MS produce a smaller pocket-able device (Maybe mobile phone sized) and have data always on I could loose my current mobile data plan, but I could not do this unless my number could be ported.

The real problem comes down to UWP apps themselves and the strategy MS have, they are currently out of the mobile market so UWP's are fighting a losing battle on the PC side let alone the dead mobile OS. And MS aren't showing the commitment to the idea they should, so why should others.

I am using my 950XL it still works for me, but I couldn't justify replacing it with another one at full price in this coming year, second-hand would work if the battery is OK, or I would buy a cheapish Android to keep me going.

If a small "Phone" sized foldable Surface device is released, it wont be cheap, but then if it can do what my current Surface Pro 4 can do, it's my full blown desktop (With 28inch monitor, full sized keyboard and mouse, speakers, web cam, microphone, storage and CD/DVD all plugged in) yet with one wire unplugged it becomes a tablet, if then with a couple of quick folds it can slip in my pocket they will have a top end device at a top end price that can create it's own market.

Who knows, but I wouldn't want to pay a lot for a WP at the moment.

But isn't that too much of a chance that you (or i) will take? I mean, my trigger was Joe Belfiore's blatant denial to continue with the platform. How direct csn they be? I love Windows Phone and had MS shown 10% of the love the fans are showing, believe me, it would have been a lot different right now. And as you said, you don't see why that wouldn't happen, i too think so and somewhere believe i made the right decision. However, i miss my 950xl.

 

[Aravind Belagaje]

Ya windows phone is an awesome phone. It is one of the best. But it isn't quite a good time to invest on the platform. System apps will be supported till 2019 or 2020 but soon you can expect them to go to only bug fix mode. WhatsApp might support little longer(that is the only app supported).


One more thing the apps submitted to store at the time of windows phone 8.0 will require maintenance from developer but most of the company stopped maintaining it so you can except many apps to leave the platform.

 

[Umbra Emsisoft]

Lumia 950XL one of the few phones with removable battery, so i won't sell it unless someone pay me 3 times its original price.

 

[Neill Baldwin]

I was in the same boat and just purchased a used 950xl off of BuySwappa. I'm now perfectly happy with it and depending on my schedule and what my needs will be, just switch back and forth between it and my Galaxy S7 edge. I don't feel like I'm "investing" in W10 mobile, just using a phone I enjoy using, until it dies.

Originally posted by X0LARIUM
So I've sold my (perfectly working) Lumia 950XL after what Belfiore said about the future of Windows Phones.
Do i regret it? May be.
But I'm a little lost, i believe like most of you here, about the future of our beloved software.

I am having thoughts of buying one again, this time (hopefully) for a little longer.

But my biggest fear in (re-)investing in this platform is plagued by scary thoughts like what if all the apps suddenly stop supporting the OS. Like WhatsApp is one of the most crucial app today.

What happens if in an extreme case scenario where literally all the mobile (not UWP) apps abandon this ship together or one by one.

Will this happen? Should i buy one at a full price, only to learn a few months down the line that I've made a HUGE mistake? Get a second-hand one for the time being to let it all cool down?

Any help?

 

[toph36]

If you don't need much as far as apps, then Windows Mobile is still good. I couldn't deal with the app situation and just want Android. Don't feel great about it, but now I can finally get me work email on my phone. Crazy that couldn't on my Windows Mobile device being that we use Exchange for our mail here are work. Other apps like Fios, Amazon Video, Banking, and Sports apps that are lacking on Windows Mobile. It was a sad day for me to move on, but I am over it now.

 

[89caps]

I don't see buying a Windows Phone an investment because value won't be increasing for that device. You aren't getting awesome new features, you aren't getting better apps and app support, you aren't even getting much from Microsoft via advertising or verbal commitment.

Buy another Windows Phone because you like it and it is the best tool for you to get stuff done. Otherwise I wouldn't consider it any more than buying another pair of your favorite jeans.

 

[justjun555]

"Where the body has burned, the heart too must have been burned,
Now why are you scrapping the ashes, what's your desire(search for)?"
these translation of verse of ghajal ( a lyrical poem with rhyming words) with deep meaning written by legendary urdu poet ghalib perfectly describes your situation.
but still if it matters to you that much then you should get it.

 

[Jcmg62]

So I've sold my (perfectly working) Lumia 950XL after what Belfiore said about the future of Windows Phones.
Do i regret it? May be.
But I'm a little lost, i believe like most of you here, about the future of our beloved software.

I am having thoughts of buying one again, this time (hopefully) for a little longer.

But my biggest fear in (re-)investing in this platform is plagued by scary thoughts like what if all the apps suddenly stop supporting the OS. Like WhatsApp is one of the most crucial app today.

What happens if in an extreme case scenario where literally all the mobile (not UWP) apps abandon this ship together or one by one.

Will this happen? Should i buy one at a full price, only to learn a few months down the line that I've made a HUGE mistake? Get a second-hand one for the time being to let it all cool down?

Any help?

Hell no

 

[techiez]

But isn't that too much of a chance that you (or i) will take? I mean, my trigger was Joe Belfiore's blatant denial to continue with the platform. How direct csn they be? I love Windows Phone and had MS shown 10% of the love the fans are showing, believe me, it would have been a lot different right now. And as you said, you don't see why that wouldn't happen, i too think so and somewhere believe i made the right decision. However, i miss my 950xl.

thats y I moved to SG Note8 about 3 months back, Couldnt keep holding onto W10M when MS was clearly shouting to everyone to getoff W10M and leave them alone.

 

[jlabelle]

It is hard for me to comment on this thread and to write that: I have been one of the most fervent admirer of Windows phone and mobile effort. For me, the 920, at the time, coming from the iPhone, was a marvel: a wonderful hardware, ahead of its time (built like a rock, wireless charging, wonderful camera, big screen...) and the 1020 was a head turner.
The software had some genuine unique touch with the integration of various social streams, the scout search and other nice feature of the OS.
Windows 10 Mobile was as much a step forward in many aspect but also many steps back. All in all, my Lumia 930 and then 950 served me well and the Live Tile start screen remains something that I will regret forever.

But after seing Microsoft putting more effort on Android and iOS, and admission of the death of Windows 10 Mobile, I wondered if I could wait for the mythical Surface Phone.
The nail on the coffin was applications that I am using daily like Skype for Business and corporate email that should work perfectly with Windows device as we are using Office services but it just happened to worked much better on other platforms than Windows mobile.

So at some point, I asked to the office a new corporate phone that would be dual SIM so that I could really evaluate and plunged for a S8+. The phone in Switzerland was at 590CHF so a little bit more than 500€ which is an incredible value.
I was expecting not to like very much the Samsung experience but have been greatly surprised. I replaced the default launcher with Microsoft Arrow (to get the Bing wallpaper and news/info feed). I am using mostly Microsoft services (Outlook, Office Lens, Skype, OneDrive...) and I find the OS genuinely great to use.

I am still on Android 7.1 (Oreo is coming this month normally) but the OS is:

• indeed very sleek, beautiful (this is important as I found many Android phone UI simply ugly as hell)

• with plenty of function that used to be the strength of WP8 (wave the end or turn upside down the phone to silent him, bring it to your ear when looking at a contact to issue a call, ...)

• plus plenty of functions making life much easier (finger print scanner or a quick / working iris scanner, trusted devices and places that unlock the phone automatically, edge panel to have shortcuts like phone contact, great integration of social app and accounts... contact alltogether, millions of functionalities powerful but well done and easy to use and self explanatory

• last but not least is the choice of hardware. And the S8 is just a gorgeous and great device. Camera is great (and fast) with portrait mode, very nice video..., dual sim, amazing OLED screen, very good battery life, always-on screen in standby, led and edge lightning notification, virtual on-screen buttons to get benefit of the huge screen but with a "3D touch" home button, wireless charging, water resistant...

 

[jlabelle]

And, even myself, someone who always claimed not needing a lot of apps, I must admit that having a fully functioning Tesla, Skype for Business, OneNote (possibility to annotate with the finger), Spotify, Google Map (I know, I know...), ... and the Enpass password keyboard that allow me to fill in login/password everywhere in the OS are just super refreshing.
I am even using Edge and Cortana so my Android device is just a much better Microsoft mobile than the 950 has ever been.

At this point, when come the time to change of phone, let's all be real, Android phones are just a much better choice in every possible ways and whatever angle you look at it.

 

[BajanSaint69]

If I were not already in the eco system I wouldn't buy into it now. Nor would I advise anyone to buy into it now. For someone already in the eco system who wants to hold on and see if Andromeda/courier/whateveritis will drop in 2018 I'd say go for it if you can find a handset at a cheap price as a stop gap.

IF the folding surface is released

and

IF it is a phone

and

IF it is in your price range

even then remember next to nothing will be transferable from your old windows phone.

If you want to buy a handset to keep in windows phone in the meantime? go for it. If you have a windows phone that you are happy with and it isn't breaking down? Then just keep using it.

But you could also just buy an Android phone and have about as much that is transferable anyway.....

 

[Vincent McLaughlin]

That's strange. I've never had issues logging into the Exchange email server with my old job. Could have been some other issue.

 

[garak0410]

I feel your agony. I left in 2015 when I saw the writing on the wall. You for sure will go through more agony as this was the best mobile OS. Everyone in my family whom I converted to Windows Phone in 2012 are still in agony and they miss it. But we have to move forward and we are all on Android now, mostly "pure" versions of it with Motorola and Pixel. Personally, I wouldn't go to another Windows Phone. You may get those who say it has "enough" for them or that they "don't need apps" but truly, it is an abandoned platform and it will only get more left behind.

 

[Vincent Ryan]

I`m still using an L650 running the latest insider fast ring and besides the odd glitch it handles all of my work, family and social needs, for the record i dont use farcebook, snapechat or any other kids apps so the so called app gap doesnt bother me, i really do not want an iphoney or adroid thingy so keeping my windows phone till it dies!

 

[ThaKrazyOne]

I too finally jumped ship back to iOS. I had a Windows Phone since 2013 when the Nokia Lumia 520 came out for AT&T for $99. I thought it was a steal for the price and the way it looked and felt. So much I converted several family members over. We were all happy with the phones and rarely ever had issues. But once the Windows 10 Mobile move came around, is where the confusion began. By that time is when there problems began. Then one by one family members started to switch. This past saturday I went to Costco to pick up some things for New Years, but walked out with a new iPhone instead. I was the last holdout. I will miss using the phone, but waiting is not an option for me anymore. As of this writing, I have a total of 3 Lumia 950's, 1 830 and I believe 1 640 at home. With the exception of one of the 950's which is Dual Sim, I will be putting the others for sale in the near future. Adios Windows Phone. I had a good almost 5 year run with you.

 

[Hawkwind2005]

Made the move to Android a few months ago, but reading your comments is making me want to stick my sim back in my trusty old 930! Must resist the temptation...

 

[Mister Wolf]

Nah, don't do it. As much as it was good at it's peak, it is dead now. Microsoft killed it.