Is there any long-term hope for Windows phone ?

[steve2470]

I just bought a Blu Win HD LTE and I like it, but hey, I'm a fanboy more or less. What REALLY shocked me was that one of my favorite companies told me flat out they would no longer support their Windows phone app due to low market share. They have Android and ios versions, so it's not like they don't give options. The Android app works just fine.

From what I've read, MS has repeatedly made too many mistakes with Windows phone and has burned people. If Satya Nadella doesn't do something semi-radical or radical, it's doomed to single digit percentages forever.

[ChromeFoundry]

1. I am hopeful that the

Universal Windows Platform (UWP) will push more apps to the Windows Phone platform by spurring a broader developer community. I think the reason the platform has not taken off is because of the limited number of apps. I stopped using my Win 7 phone because of availability of common apps - that, and I could no longer upgrade. I upgraded from 7 to Mango 7.5 and had to use a hack of the Zune drivers to push 7.8 to it manually. Couldn't upgrade the hardware to 8. I felt that a phone should allow updates to the latest version for at least 2 years.

It now serves to functions as a DLNA Media Player, only.

I'm all for competition in this space. It will drive ingenuity and reduce cost.

[jrandom421]

2. From my perspective

I've been using Windows Mobile and Microsoft Phone for the last 10 years, and I find the interface far more useful, stable, and accessible than either Android or IOS. I've currently got a Lumia 640 with Windows Phone 8.1 and I love it. I'm not missing any apps that I use, and it's integration with Outlook, Skype, and Office is a dream. I am waiting anxiously for the general release of Windows 10 Mobile.

Satya said back last January, that Microsoft will keep on developing Window 10 Mobile, and that, if manufacturers don't make phones, Microsoft will make the phones in the budget, business and flagship categories. The Universal Windows Apps are going to rock, because you'll have the same apps on your phone, tablet, laptop and desktop. Continuum, the ability to turn your phone into a desktop is going to be killer!

I don't think Windows 10 Mobile will be the killer app, but you never know, especially after the Android StageFright bug, and the other problems with IOS. I don't think they're that worried about market share, but setting expectations that Windows 10 Mobile will be a niche player in showing the industry what's possible, kind of like the Surface Pro Tablet line.

Oh and there are persistent rumors of a Surface Phone, which would be killer, so stay tuned!