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With support for the now-discontinued Windows 10 Mobile devices set to end on December 10, 2019, Microsoft is recommending that its current Windows 10 Mobile customers move to an Android or iOS device instead.

Microsoft made the recommendation in a Windows 10 Mobile support document (via Thurrott) explaining its plans to stop offering security updates and patches for Windows 10 Mobile.

windows-phone-8-1.jpg
With the Windows 10 Mobile OS end of support, we recommend that customers move to a supported Android or iOS device. Microsoft's mission statement to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, compels us to support our Mobile apps on those platforms and devices.
Microsoft ended support for Windows Phone in July 2017 and stopped active development on Windows 10 Mobile in October of that year, leading to the death of the platform. Microsoft struggled to get app developers to write apps for the device, and it was also never able to establish a strong user base.

With the abandonment of Windows 10 Mobile, Microsoft has been focusing on other platforms and has a wide array of apps available for both iOS and Android devices.

All customers who have a Windows 10 Mobile device will be able to keep using it after December 10, 2019, but no further updates will be available.

Article Link: Microsoft Suggests Windows 10 Mobile Users Switch to iOS or Android as Support Winds Down
 
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nwcs

macrumors 68030
Sep 21, 2009
2,722
5,262
Tennessee
Farewell Windows 10 mobile... From a developer point of view you were nice to work with but from a consumer point of view you were just not good. Now get the live tiles off of Windows 10 desktop...

It does seem Microsoft is cutting its losses. First Edge, now this is going away. BizTalk is gone, I think. Maybe they’ll kill Sharepoint (please)....
 

Hrududu

macrumors 68020
Jul 25, 2008
2,299
627
Central US
I’d be interesting to see how many active users are still out there. Can’t say I’ve seen anyone using a Windows phone in quite a long time and the newest hardware has got to be pushing 3 years old.
 

darksithpro

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2016
582
4,572
I’d be interesting to see how many active users are still out there. Can’t say I’ve seen anyone using a Windows phone in quite a long time and the newest hardware has got to be pushing 3 years old.



Agreed, It's been 2-3 years since I've seen anyone actually have one. Probably a few who just want a phone to make calls once in a while.
 

Vetvito

macrumors 6502a
Sep 30, 2012
532
13
After a decade plus, and Microsoft even recommending people to move on...someone somewhere is still screaming it’s not a failure.

Outside fanboys, we all knew it was an epic failure with the Ultra flat UI and no upgrade path from Windows Phone 6.5 to Windows Phone 7 to Windows Phone 8.


Remember the “it’s faster on a Windows Phone” campaigns?
 

bobenhaus

macrumors 65816
Mar 2, 2011
1,024
487
MS really missed the ball on a mobile OS.

Not really if you think about it. All devices that run Windows 10 not counting PC's have either SIM cards or a WIFI connection ie: Xbox, Tablets, RF's, POS systems and other embedded or non embedded devices.. Now think about all the Window 10 PC's that are around 700+ million. I think MS is doing just fine. Also alot of people are using Skype, Messenger and other type VOIP devices to talk nowadays. So Mobile/Smart phones are not really needed anymore. Also all these windows 10 devices have a Windows 10 store and its improving all the time. Also MS is coming out with a folding and other devices with Windows 10. Innovation is what MS is doing with Windows 10. The future is getting brighter for Windows 10 devices all the time.
 

lkrupp

macrumors 68000
Jul 24, 2004
1,857
3,770
I remember Steve Ballmer laughing his butt off when the iPhone debuted. People here are quick to point out and revel in Apple’s “failures” but this colossal and monumental failure of Microsoft to even grab a piece of the mobile/wearable market is undoubtedly the tech failure story of the 21st century so far.
 

SenorMac

macrumors newbie
Jul 17, 2014
2
14
You need two hands and both feet to count the number of music services, devices, phones, and PC platforms they've abandoned (sometimes weeks after introduction) since the iPod came along. Thanks for your money, get rekt. -Microsoft
 
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Skeptical.me

macrumors 6502a
Jun 10, 2017
648
631
Australia
Not really if you think about it. All devices that run Windows 10 not counting PC's have either SIM cards or a WIFI connection ie: Xbox, Tablets, RF's, POS systems and other embedded or non embedded devices.. Now think about all the Window 10 PC's that are around 700+ million. I think MS is doing just fine. Also alot of people are using Skype, Messenger and other type VOIP devices to talk nowadays. So Mobile/Smart phones are not really needed anymore. Also all these windows 10 devices have a Windows 10 store and its improving all the time. Also MS is coming out with a folding and other devices with Windows 10. Innovation is what MS is doing with Windows 10. The future is getting brighter for Windows 10 devices all the time.

Things might be changing for MS, and sure they have the console and PC gaming market well and truly. Also, most businesses still use the cheaper PC's with WIN10, and WIN10 PC's are generally less expensive than Apple products. But in terms of the last decade they haven't had the best Cell Phone or Tablet OS on the market, at all. I hate working with MS products, but I have to. I prefer Linux and macOS by far. Also, in terms of privacy MS products are a nightmare.
 

7thson

macrumors 65816
May 13, 2012
1,342
1,433
Six Rivers, CA
A collective groan emanates from the ten people still using it. Seriously though, it’s unfortunate it didn’t last. It would be better for the consumer and the marketplace to have more competition.
 
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truthertech

macrumors 68020
Jun 24, 2016
2,109
2,263
Part of the failed legacy of Gates and Ballmer. Gates is hailed as some sort of brilliant mind, but it was actually hard work and one momentous piece of luck with IBM adoption. They bought their original horrible OS for $30K from someone else and then had the great fortune to get IBM to license it, and the rest is history. When your OS is default for the manufacturers, it doesn't matter that it was terrible, and the money still pours in. Just like with Internet Explorer. They had a unique lack of vision, unlike Jobs. Kept tinkering with the horrible MS-DOS and couldn't envision things like GUI, mouse, etc. Windows concept was stolen from Apple and only Apple's poor IP protection in its licensing to MSFT kept MSFT from having to pay many billions.

Gates and Ballmer missed on the two greatest innovations and game changers in tech history- the Internet, which Gates admitted he, after pushing from many employees went home one night to really explore the Internet and realized that they had to shift over to it- LOL. Of course, mobile computing was the other great item that they were clueless about, and they never recovered from. Ballmer suffered the final embarrassment of even after wasting $15 Billion on Nokia to try and get into mobile, not understanding the impact the iPhone would have and predicting its failure.

Doesn't mean they weren't good business people and didn't work hard as they rode their monopoly to great profits, but that was despite not being innovative or visionary. After leaving Microsoft, Gates has a steady track record of not being able to envision the future, but because of his wealth is still hailed as some sort of genius and shows up on talk shows. A smart, but not brilliant mind. Ballmer, an average mind who took advantage of his opportunity of being one of first MSFT employees. Kudos for that.
 
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