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Windows Phone has dying a slow death since 2016, but over the weekend Microsoft decided to officially finish the job. Microsoft officially announced via Executive Joe Belfiore’s twitter account that it would be discontinuing the production of the Windows Phone over the weekend.
For existing Windows Phone users, this means that there will be no additional software updates outside of bug fixes and security updates.
It may surprise you that in 2007, the early pre-touch Windows Phones had 42 percent of cellphone market share, but by 2016, Windows Phones only accounted for less than one percent of smartphone ownership.
After the world switched to the smartphone model of mobile phones, application developers were not sinking enough resources into developing apps for the Windows Phone. Not having enough apps and developers reason appears to be one implied reason for the Window Phone’s termination.
Even after paying app developers to create an app for the handset system, there was just not enough popular app development and support to maintain a thriving user base.
The Microsoft mobile game plan going forward seems to be developing apps as a third-party for former brand rivals Apple and Android. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced it is bringing its Edge web browser to both iPhones and Droids, allowing users seamless integration from browsing from computer to phone and vice versa.
The Edge app is currently still in beta testing to work out the bugs before a full release. Between Edge and Microsoft Launcher for Android, Microsoft is investing its major brand capital into building a relationship with the major phone developing players, instead of trying to make handsets and operating systems in addition to everything else they do.
One thing that makes the news announced over the weekend even more hilarious is that the man who announced the phone’s demise had not even used a Windows Phone in months. Belfiore had already ditched his own Windows Phone several months prior, instead choosing both a Samsung Galaxy model and iPhone for his business and personal phones.
When one of your executives doesn’t even use your product, it definitely means game over. And if you’re one of the one percent of consumers who happen to be reading this article on a Windows phone, I’m sorry for your loss.
