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Microsoft canceled an 'all-screen' Windows phone in 2014
All-screen phones may be all the rage in 2017, but Microsoft apparently had chance to beat everyone to the punch 3 years ago... and whiffed it. Windows Central has obtained the prototype of an unnamed Windows phone (believed to be the precursor to the Lumia 435) that had extremely thin display bezels save for the bottom, where a chin held the front-facing camera. The performance would have been modest by 2014 standards with a 5-inch 720p screen, a Snapdragon 200 chip, 4GB of expandable storage and a 5-megapixel rear camera, but you'd have had an eye-catching design for under $200. To put it another way, you wouldn't have had to buy a Sharp Aquos Crystal to impress your smartphone-toting friends while sticking to a budget.
Microsoft officially ends support for Windows Phone
It's official: for all intents and purposes, the Windows Phone era is over. Microsoft has ended support for Windows Phone 8.1 just over 3 years after its April 2014 debut. From now on, your WP8.1-toting device won't get software updates or technical help. This doesn't mark the end of Microsoft's mobile ambitions (Windows 10 Mobile is still hanging around), but it does finish a long, sad story in the company's history that reflects the tech giant's shifting priorities.
Who's still using Windows Phones? The NYPD.
Microsoft may have all but given up on Windows Phones, but rookies in the New York City Police Department are now getting them with their gun and badge. As CNET reports, the NYPD only started handing out department-issued smartphones and email addresses in 2015, and the official device of the largest police force in the United States are the Lumia 830 and Lumia 640 XL.
Microsoft brings mobile payments to your Windows 10 phone
Windows 10 users have been left out of the tap-to-pay trend while their friends use the likes of Android Pay and Apple Pay, but they're about to catch up in style. If you're a Windows Insider in the Fast Ring and use a Lumia 650, 950 or 950 XL, you can get a new version of the Wallet app that gives you NFC payments at stores that support it. It'll seem mostly familiar if you've used current Android or iOS options -- it's just a matter of unlocking your phone and bringing it close to the shop's terminal. The app will hold your coupons, loyalty cards and passes, too.
Microsoft kills what's left of the old Nokia
Last week, Microsoft sold off what remained of Nokia's feature phone business while Windows Phone's market share slid below a single percent. Now, the company has taken what's clearly the last step in correcting Steve Ballmer's decision to purchase the mobile world's former number one. The Verge has secured an internal memo from Microsoft's Terry Myerson saying that the company will cull 1,850 jobs, 1,350 of which are in Finland. The company has also recorded a $950 million impairment and restructuring charge on its balance sheet, of which $200 million will be severance payouts to those employees.
Microsoft finally rolls out Windows 10 Mobile to older phones
For a while there, Windows 10 Mobile was only easy to come by if you needed a new phone or liked unfinished software. Now -- finally, thankfully -- Microsoft is starting to rollout its Windows 10 updates to existing devices running Window Phone 8.1. As you might expect, though, the list of compatible devices skews pretty heavily toward hardware crafted by Microsoft and Nokia, so those of you hanging onto your special HTC One M8s are out of luck for now. The other thing to bear in mind is that while Microsoft has officially kicked off the update process today, there's a good chance you're still going to have to wait for it.
Microsoft's budget Lumia 650 finds a few ways to impress
Microsoft's Lumia 950 wasn't a bad phone, just one that didn't seem to live up to its potential (when we tested it, anyway). We've encountered some stunners since then, but Microsoft's latest effort — the Lumia 650 — manages to impress despite its modest aspirations.
Microsoft retreats back to the low-end with the Lumia 650
Since Microsoft took control of Nokia's Lumia smartphone brand, it hasn't exactly been cranking out the most compelling of hardware. The recent(ish) Lumia 950 and 950 XL are the closest it's come to new flagships, but today the company's retreated back into its comfort zone with the low-end Lumia 650. The new device's boxy frame is wrapped in an anodized aluminum border and measures only 6.9mm (0.27 inch) thick, but there's little to get excited about under the hood.
Microsofts preps Windows 10 updates for Lumia phones
After Microsoft delayed the release of Windows 10 for Windows Phone 8.1 handsets, there are signs that it's finally ready to roll. The software giant has launched an internal beta for the Mobile Upgrade Advisor for Windows 10, as spotted by a Neowin reader. That's similar to the tool it used last year to prep PC users for Windows 10. According to the description, the app "will tell if your Windows 8.1 phone is eligible to upgrade to Windows 10 Mobile. It can also help free up space on your phone so you're ready to upgrade." It's still not available for the public to download, but that situation should change soon.
Microsoft: We need a phone as good as the Surface line
Speaking to Twit's Windows Weekly show, Microsoft's Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Chris Capossela has admitted that the company's latest Windows Phones are not enough to reverse the ailing platform's fortunes. Describing the flagship Lumia 950 as simply "solid," he told host Leo Laporte and Microsoft journalists Mary Jo Foley and Paul Thurrott that the company has a lot more work to do before it can persuade people to "move from an iPhone to one of [Microsoft's] phones."
Microsoft delays Windows 10 Mobile upgrade for older Lumias
If you've been itching to try Windows 10 Mobile on your Windows Phone 8.1 device, we've got some bad news. Microsoft says older Lumias won't be upgraded until "early 2016," which is a slight delay from the "December" timeline it had offered before. For the time being, that means the only way to try the new OS is to buy the Lumia 950 or the 950 XL, the former of which received a lukewarm review from our own Chris Velazco. (Well, unless you want to dive in with the Insider Preview, that is.)Microsoft hasn't explained the reasons behind the postponement, although we suspect it's to give its new software some much-needed polish. While testing the Lumia 950, we noticed a number of bugs and performance hiccups that could and should be ironed out. Windows 10 is an important play for Microsoft -- it's now or never if the company wants to gain some mobile market share -- and the first step is to get longtime Windows Phone users on side. That first impression is going to count.In a statement to ZDNet, a Microsoft spokesperson said:"This November we introduced Windows 10 to phones including brand new features such as Continuum and Universal Windows Apps with the introduction of the Lumia 950 and 950 XL. The Windows 10 Mobile upgrade will begin rolling out early next year to select existing Windows 8 and 8.1 phones."It's also unclear exactly which devices will be eligible for the upgrade next year. Microsoft has confirmed that handsets will need at least 8GB of internal storage, but that's about it. The launch and support for older hardware has been a far cry from the desktop version of Windows 10, which is an indication perhaps of where Microsoft's priorities lie.
Mini review video: Our verdict on the Lumia 950 in about a minute
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-195515{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-195515, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-195515{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-195515").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Engadget's review of Microsoft's Lumia 950 was so controversial that a few of you sent hateful Twitter DMs to our author (tsk, tsk, guys). Still, as much as we hate to disappoint our readers, we need to stand our ground on this one: While Windows 10 Mobile has promise as a platform, the 950 itself isn't exactly what we'd call flagship-grade hardware. The design lacks the charm and polish of earlier Lumia handsets, and the battery life was mediocre at best. Also, our reviewer encountered enough sluggishness and random crashes to conclude the OS still needs polish.
Microsoft Lumia 950 review: Not a flagship, but a first step
After years of misguided attempts at mobile, Microsoft is ready for a fresh start. While Windows Phone 8 and 8.1 mostly just looked like their desktop counterparts, Windows 10 Mobile aspires to something even more substantial. This time, Microsoft tried to build a mobile platform -- and a phone -- that can seriously replicate some of those big-screen experiences. Rather than just peck out emails and rough drafts on the new Lumia 950, Windows 10 makes it possible to connect a keyboard, mouse and display and let Universal apps like Word and Outlook to get more done. Microsoft doesn't think the Lumia 950 is a new phone as much as it a symbol of something new -- a standard-bearer for a kind of mobile computing that won't be contained by a single box in your pocket. Their vision is ambitious, and who knows! They might be right about all of this. For now though, it's clear Microsoft still has plenty of work to do.
Microsoft's Lumia 950 is set for a November 20 launch on AT&T
The wait has been pretty agonizing (for some of you, anyway), but the first batch of Windows 10 phones is almost here. AT&T just announced that it'll be the first -- and possibly only -- carrier in the US to carry the new Lumia 950, which you'll be able order starting tomorrow ahead of a full-blown launch on November 20. Sadly, there's no word on whether AT&T will also carry the slightly bigger, slightly better Lumia 950XL; you might just have to get that thing unlocked straight from Microsoft.
Microsoft phone sales fell 54 percent because of 'updated strategy'
Despite being an overall strong first quarter for Microsoft, its mobile side is still hurting. Phone sales fell 54 percent over the last few months, "reflecting our updated strategy," the company announced in its earnings report. It's not hard to see why, though: Microsoft basically didn't have much to sell over the past few months. Its flagship Windows 10 phones, the Lumia 950 and 950 XL, were only announced this month, after the quarter ended. All it was left with over the summer was mid-range and low-end phones, which weren't exactly enticing in the face of an onslaught of new smartphones throughout 2015. At least there's nowhere to go but up for Microsoft's phones now (we hope).
Windows 10 Mobile begins its roll out this December
What, you thought the Microsoft news would end once the keynote from the Windows 10 Devices showcase did? Guess again because Redmond's latest operating system hits existing mobile phones starting in December -- the outfit said as much on its Lumia Facebook page. However, as Winbeta notes, it's going to be up to carriers to actually push the updates out to your handset. A way to sidestep that, of course, is by signing up for the Windows Insider preview program. Is your device going to get the update? That's a little iffy. First off, it needs at least 8GB of internal storage, and then it needs to be running Lumia Denim (system version 8.10.14219.341) to be eligible. So if you have a low-end Lumia you might be left wanting.
The Lumia 950 vs. the competition: A battle of flagships
The smaller of the new Lumias is quite the powerhouse on paper, but how does it stack up against the latest iOS and Android devices? At first glance, Microsoft's newest flagship, the Lumia 950, seems plenty powerful with its 1.8GHz hexa-core Snapdragon 808, 3GB of RAM and 5.2-inch Quad HD AMOLED display. However, we've got the face-off after the break with a side-by-side comparison between the Lumia 950, iPhone 6s and Nexus 5x so you can decide for yourself which one best suits your needs.
High-end Windows Phones make a comeback with the Lumia 950 and 950 XL
You could be forgiven for forgetting that Windows Phones were ever really a thing -- iOS and Android devices keep making headlines. After all, it's been ages since we got a high-end phone from Microsoft or one of its partners. It was... frustrating to say the least, especially if you were one of those people who fell under the spell of Microsoft's mega-marketing blitz. Now, though, we've got two new high-end Windows Phones -- the Lumia 950 and 950 XL -- ready to bring the best of Redmond's new vision of software straight into our pockets. I spent a little time here in New York City to futz around with both, and one thing seems clear: While the hardware doesn't feel like Microsoft's best, there are plenty of good ideas here.
Microsoft's Lumia 550 offers entry-level Windows 10 for $140
Back when Lumia phones were under Nokia's charge, the 5-series was a budget-friendly range. Nothing's changed now that Microsoft is in control, as the freshly announced Lumia 550 will attest. As you might expect, the spec-sheet likely won't start any fires, but the price might: $140. The Lumia 550 barely got any stage time at the Microsoft Windows 10 devices event (that went to the two new flagships), but we did hear it sports a quad-core processor, and LTE -- much in line with the rumors we'd heard (and pictured above).
Meet the Lumia 950, Microsoft's first Windows 10 flagship
Microsoft has announced the Lumia 950, the smartphone that will carry the burden of being the company's first Windows 10 mobile flagship. The device comes with a 5.2-inch WQHD (2,560 x 1,440) OLED display that'll also offer up constantly glanceable notifications that'll save on battery life. In addition, the unit comes with the same liquid-cooling technology that you'll find inside the Microsoft Surface Pro 3. Internals-wise, the company is promising an hexa-core Qualcomm processor and 32GB of internal storage, but the phone can actually take up to a 2TB microSD card as soon as they're available to buy.
