The death of Windows Phone and the birth of Windows 10 Mobile

Brink · Aug 20, 2015

It was such a beautiful dream. The openness of Google, matched with the control of Apple. Quality and quantity, optimised apps that anyone would be free to make. All married together with a bold sense of style and the massive branding power of Microsoft, there was no way that Windows Phone 7 could lose.

And yet here we are: 2015. Five years after the dream once started, yet all that is left to do is pinpoint when it became a nightmare; how did it all go so wrong? As Windows Phone is laid to rest once again, soon to be born anew as Windows 10 Mobile, it is certainly a pertinent question.

In 2010, the mobile world and its trends were not quite so set in stone as they now are. Apple, having started the smartphone revolution (at least according to some), was focused on the success of its newest device form factor, the iPad, regarded by many as an over-inflated phone....

....And now, we arrive in the present, where things are dimmer still. The Lumia line, once loud and proud, has reportedly been trimmed to a meagre six annual offerings. Nokia’s Devices and Services division has been written off, to the tune of $7.6 billion. And Microsoft, once again sensing the way that the wind is blowing, has opted to start again, with the launch of Windows 10 Mobile now imminent.

“Windows Phone was such a beautiful dream, but now another may begin”

Kantar currently places Windows Phone at 3.0% market-share in the USA. In the UK, this figure is slightly higher at 11.4%. And yet, when both Android and iPhone almost exclusively dominate the rest of the market, in a pattern that is repeated throughout the world, Microsoft has had to temper its ambitions. Satya Nadella, Ballmer’s replacement, is a canny thinker, and in reducing the Lumia lineup to a mere 6 devices a year, he has both drawn a line in the sand regarding the firms intentions in this area, while also planting the seeds for the future success of Windows Phone. Now that other OEMs have less competition, they may feel more inclined to join the party that was once so crowded with close family members.

So what can be learned from the past of Windows Phone, in order to best avoid its mistakes and repeat its greatest successes? The lessons are many, but all have their root in Microsoft having been caught resting on its laurels; if its new mobile OS is to succeed, it must pursue its future with a vision and energy that has hitherto been lacking, the doldrums must be left behind.

Windows Phone was such a beautiful dream, but now another may begin.
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:)

EMaini · Aug 20, 2015

Samsung Focus: The death of a phone and its resurrection

Just an update for those who may care:

I am working through my apps that did not auto-magically reinstall.

The following applications, not only did not install, but when I went to the marketplace on the phone, they did not even tell me they had already been installed and where installed as if for the first time. They are:

SimpiRSS

Here I am

Flickr from Yahoo

I may have others as well, just thought I would let you know for whatever reason it is not keeping track of every purchase.

It looks like if you redownload an paid application, you get an email as if you purchased it a second time but when I go to the billing website, it only shows once. Someone at MS needs to check the workflow rules someplace because it does not make sense
from a user experience pov

Wow! This sucks!

EMaini · Aug 20, 2015

Samsung Focus: The death of a phone and its resurrection

That was a PITA... I am considering going from my Quantum to a Focus but stories like yours has me a bit worried..

Zune definitely needs to include a total backup just like iTunes does with iPhones & iPads, honestly I am amazed when WP7 was released they didn't update Zune to do just that, MS has to know that backing up WP7 devices through Zune should have mirrored that
of iTunes/iPhone seeing it is one of the most loved features of iPhone users...

Hello MS are you listening???
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My understanding is the next Zune Update will have something and what I believe is that you will see a Zune update first, then the first WP7 update and the Zune Update will backup your phone before it does an update (I am speculating, I do not have first hand
knowledge). I am pretty sure it is not lost on MS, given what was in the Kin Studio. I am hoping we get more info when the MWC comes around next week.

PITA, yes -- I expected some and I also expect it to get better.

Boozad · Aug 20, 2015

Shame, but I can't say I'm surprised. MS really need to get major corporations on board to develop their apps for them, if that happens then W10 mobile will be a serious competitor to the other two. I seriously hope that happens.

Gary · Aug 20, 2015

Isn't Mobile just another word for Phone?

Brink · Aug 20, 2015

Yep, "Windows 10 Mobile" is basically just a rebranding of "Windows Phone 10" to go along it's one OS for all devices theme. Mobile will cover more than just phones. *Smile

BugMeister · Aug 20, 2015

[youtube]rzXsD5629XA[/youtube]

- the Lumia really is a neat little device, though..
- pair it with a Win10 PC and/or an Xbox to see how it flies..!! *Biggrin

BillyBob · Aug 20, 2015

Just a load of rubbish as you can tell by him saying 11.4% is slightly higher than 3%, in what Universe. Also they're not going from one OS to another, just an upgrade.

Windows Phone now takes up 10.1% of the markets in Spain, France, Germany, Italy and the UK. In the same period Android use fell by 3% in those same countries.

Contra · Aug 22, 2015

I was toying with the idea of getting a Windows phone when they come out with 10 for it, but I don't know if it would be a downgrade from my iPhone 6 plus or a parallel move

BugMeister · Apr 4, 2018

they really are separate camps..
it's hard to make a straight comparison..

the iPhone6 certainly is a monster piece of kit..
- but it's expensive..

- I can't vouch for the performance of the higher end Windows Mobile range
but I do know that the iPhone6 knocks spots off my little Nokia, for performance.. *Rolleyes

Microsoft will be announcing their full range of mobiles sometime soon,
so that may be a good time to start making straight comparisons..

I just like having the Microsoft Mobile/Windows/MSOffice inter-operability thing
- just need to add an Xbox One to get the whole kit.. *Biggrin

The death of Windows Phone and the birth of Windows 10 Mobile

The death of Windows Phone and the birth of Windows 10 Mobile

The death of Windows Phone and the birth of Windows 10 Mobile

The death of Windows Phone and the birth of Windows 10 Mobile

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