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Microsoft ends support for Windows 10 Mobile this year
Microsoft is winding down support for Windows 10 Mobile. The company will stop releasing security and software updates on December 10th, and it will end technical support for the devices on that date.
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 exec says Windows 10 Mobile is no longer a 'focus'
It's no secret that work on Windows 10 Mobile has wound down given the lack of new devices and software features (talk of mobile Windows updates was virtually absent at Build, for example), but what's happening with it, exactly? Well, Microsoft's Joe Belfiore has just settled the matter. The Windows VP (and former Windows Phone program manager) informed Twitter users that new features and hardware for Windows 10 Mobile "aren't the focus" any more. There will be fixes and security patches, of course, but you shouldn't expect more than that.
What to expect at Microsoft's Build 2017 conference
Microsoft's Build conference is not only about giving developers the tools they need to write apps or create Windows-friendly hardware but also Microsoft's chance to outline its vision of the future. What software and devices will matter in the months (or even years) ahead? And this time around, there's no shortage of new developments to discuss: Windows updates, the Cortana AI assistant, HoloLens, partner hardware and even a chance at new Surface gear. It's not necessarily clear what's likely to show up, but don't worry: That's what we're here to sort out. We've rounded up some of the most promising leaks, rumors and logical predictions to give you a sense of what to expect when Build 2017 kicks off May 10th.
Windows 10's upgraded mapping helps you plan elaborate routes
You likely know that Microsoft packed a lot of improvements into the Windows 10 Creators Update, but there are still a few surprises left... particularly if you use Windows' built-in navigation app to get from A to B. Microsoft has detailed Creators' numerous Maps upgrades, many of which revolve around planning trickier routes. For one, you can create multi-stop routes. That's nothing new if you use Google Maps, but it's a big deal any time you use Microsoft's default tools.
Only a handful of Windows phones will get the latest update
Virtually every Windows 10 PC can get the Creators Update, but phone owners won't be so fortunate. Microsoft has revealed that only some Windows 10 Mobile devices will receive the Creators Update when it's ready. The company's own Lumia devices are covered, naturally (from the Lumia 550 and above), but it's slim pickings beyond that -- the Alcatel Idol 4S, HP Elite X3 and VAIO Phone Biz are some of the few third-party examples that qualify. If you ask Microsoft, it's all about setting performance expectations.
BlackBerry's share of the smartphone market is virtually zero
BlackBerry may be hoping for a recovery in its smartphone business, but it's hitting rock bottom right now. Gartner analysts estimate that BlackBerry's once-dominant platform hit 0.0 percent market share in the fourth quarter of 2016. Yes, zilch. The company did ship 207,000 phones, but that gives it less than half the unit volume of the "other OS" category. This wasn't hard to see coming given BlackBerry's years-long decline, gradual shift toward Android and recent focus on services. It's still incredibly symbolic, however, and shows that the company's deal with TCL effectively amounts to starting from scratch.
The first VR-ready Windows 10 phone is incredibly basic
Google is leading the mobile VR race with its Daydream platform and headset, but Microsoft is getting ready to join in too. Alcatel has made a $470 Windows 10-powered version of its Idol 4S phone, and it's the first mobile device running this OS to have virtual-reality capabilities. Like its Android brother, the new Idol also comes with its own headset. I played around with it to see if this first stab at VR on Windows 10 Mobile is any good. Unfortunately, it isn't.
The first VR-ready Windows 10 phone arrives next week
An upgraded version of Alcatel's Idol 4S smartphone will soon be available with Windows 10 Mobile in the US. T-Mobile will be stocking the unique handset, which comes with a Snapdragon 820 processor (a marked improvement over its Android predecessor), 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. You'll be controlling Microsoft's colorful software on a 5.5-inch, 1080p display, which can easily turn into a desktop-lite experience thanks to Continuum. The fingerprint sensor on the back, meanwhile, works with Windows Hello, giving you secure unlocks. Otherwise, it's an attractive but unremarkable device to showcase the flagging mobile OS.
NuAns raises funds to release its Windows 10 phone worldwide
When we took a closer look at the NuAns NEO in January, the Japanese company wasn't sure if the Windows 10 Mobile phone was ever going to make it outside its home country. Now, it looks like NuAns has decided to attempt a wider release, because it's raising $725,000 on Kickstarter to fund NEO's global debut. According to the team's campaign, they're using the money they'll get to buy the components needed for the device to work anywhere in the world, not just in Japan.
VLC media player hits Windows 10 today, Xbox One this summer
At last, VideoLAN's VLC media player has a universal Windows 10 app... and it definitely won't be confined to conventional Windows devices for long. The developer has released a Windows 10 beta that, on a base level, embraces Microsoft's modern OS on both PC and mobile. You'll get recent VLC staples like a media library, a network browser and a "full" player alongside Windows 10 perks like Cortana voice commands, live tiles and Continuum support when you dock your phone. However, the real fun might come later. VLC has teased the app's promised HoloLens and Xbox One support, and it's clear that it won't lose much (if anything) in translation -- the features and interface will be familiar whether you're watching on a console or an augmented reality headset.
Microsoft drops Windows 10's 'messaging everywhere' feature
When the Windows 10 Anniversary update arrives this summer, it will be missing one thing we were expecting: messaging everywhere. The feature Microsoft has been testing was similar to Apple's crossplatform iMessage integration, and Google's SMS-via-Hangouts. Switching on "Send texts on all my Windows devices" enabled users to send and receive text messages from the Messaging app on their computer that synced directly with the app on their phone.
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.
Windows 10 preview makes it easier to do a fresh install
Windows 10 Insiders are greedy but brave souls who want the latest software toys and are willing to take some risks to get them. The latest preview build (14367) gives them a "get out of jail free" card, however, with a new tool called "Refresh Windows." According to Microsoft, the tool will "install a clean copy of the most recent version of Windows, and remove apps that came pre-installed or that you installed on your PC." The caveats are that it's only available to Windows 10 Insider Preview users (of course) and that it will replace the latest version with an older, but more stable Insider Preview build.
Windows phones will finally let you log-in with a fingerprint
We've know for a while now that Windows 10 would support for alternative log-in options like fingerprint, facial and iris recognition. Thanks to Windows Hello, unlocking a phone with facial recognition is possible, but using a finger to access your device hasn't been an option. Well, that's about to change. At the WinHEC conference this week, Microsoft announced that support for fingerprint scanners will be part of a Windows 10 Mobile update this summer.
VLC media player is coming to Xbox One
The promise of Windows apps on Xbox One has been hanging out there for quite a while, but now that it's really happening we're seeing some results. One of the big names that will arrive on the console this summer is VLC, a popular desktop media player that already has versions for other connected TV platforms. Maintainer Thomas Nigro says that making it a UWP app means a beta version will hit Windows 10 Mobile next week before its official debut in May and an official version for Windows 10 desktop is due in mid-May.
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.
Twitter brings some of its latest social features to Windows 10
The Android and iOS Twitter apps have seen a number of new features in recent months, and now the Windows 10 version is getting some of those tools. With an update for both mobile and desktop, the Twitter app for Windows becomes more like those universal apps we've heard so much about. In terms of Windows 10 mobile, the update delivers features like Moments, group DMs, GIF and video support, muting, and pull to refresh. On the desktop side, there's a new dark theme akin to what you'd see in the mobile app or TweetDeck. As is the case with other platforms, you might prefer a third-party Twitter app over the official software, but at least the Windows version finally has some of the latest features.
Here Maps stops supporting Windows devices
We hope you weren't counting on Here Maps to provide directions on your Lumia. Here has announced that it's dropping much of its support for Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile. The company is pulling its apps from Windows 10's app store on March 29th, and a workaround that kept its apps running will stop working after June 30th. The Here apps for Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 will continue to work, but you won't get more than "critical bug fixes" from now on.
Microsoft no longer takes Bitcoins in its Windows app store (update)
Microsoft's grand experiment in accepting Bitcoins as payment hasn't panned out, it seems. The company has quietly updated its FAQ to reveal that it no longer accepts the digital currency in the Microsoft Store on Windows 10 devices. You can use an existing balance to buy your apps, but you can't supply more Bitcoins or get a refund. Like it or not, you'll have to use conventional money from now on.
