British phone maker Wileyfox gearing up to launch a Windows phone later this year

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
published

British phone maker Wileyfox, known thus far for its lineup of Android phones, is working on a Windows phone. In a low-key announcement reported by UK outlet Mobile News (via All About Windows Phone), Wileyfox confirmed last month that it is hoping to launch the phone in August.

The mobile maker isn't exactly aiming for the consumer segment with this new device, however. Like the HP Elite x3, Wileyfox is squarely targeting the B2B market, only with one big differentiator on its side: price. From Wileyfox VP of sales Andy Lee:

"Increasingly people are screaming for costs to come down and want a good affordable device. If businesses are going to buy thousands of devices to kit out their work force, they need a good price point. That's where we're going to hit it out.Most firms can't afford to spend £500 per device. But with us they can be assured quality and the right features.For example, courier companies can use it to scan products and save money which is of course what they want. That is the benefit of Windows and how it's adaptable for B2B."

Wileyfox's previous efforts have been centered around low-cost Android smartphones, notably powered by Cyanogen OS. The firm has enjoyed some success thus far, so it will definitely be interesting to see what it has up its sleeve with Windows 10 Mobile.

Wileyfox says its first Windows phone will hit the UK first, before heading to other European territories. A range of accessories developed in-house are in the works as well.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. 

85 Comments
  • No U.S. release? Good to see another phone in the market. How are their android phones I'm curious
  • They seem pretty good. Their "A-Lister" (their word, not mine) is the Swift 2X. Those specs running Windows would be nice if they upgrade the SD430 to at least a 617 for Continuum
  • They don't even have a US release for their Android phones. They are typical low budget Android Phones. I've learned to generally stay away from low budget phones of any kind. 
  • Considering they're a British/European brand no launch in the U.S. isn't exactly a big surprise.
  • Considering the market is saturdated with Android in the US, it's good they never did.
  • And you'd be wrong. I have a Swift 2 Plus. It's got a metal body, and though the specs may look middle of the road on paper, in practice it's well balanced, runs smoothly and fast, and is generally a pleasure to use. The battery lasts a day and a half, it has an effective fingerprint sensor and unlike some budget Androids proper NFC, as well as quick charging. I'm not interested in games so haven't pushed that side of things, but it has no problem with video. Camera is decent without being spectacular - of course there are compromises at this price, but they don't intrude 95 per cent of the time. I don't have money to burn and paying 500 pounds for a device that will last 2-3 years at best seems insane to me, especially when I've already got a couple of very portable Windows computers. Thanks to Microsoft's Arrow launcher I've even come to like using Android, but if there was a half way decent W10M option I'd certainly be tempted back, and on current form Wileyfox will certainly deliver that. Only trouble is I've got used to using Android Pay, and there's zero prospect of MSFT's Wallet gaining traction in the UK in the near future. 
  • That may be true for THIS phone but the past several budget phone have been just that. 
  • Ur so salty - relax man
  • Salty? Because I voiced my experience about past Android budget phones that the OP asked about? Oooookay
  • Android pay and MS wallet is basically the same. The shop/backend infrastructure actually is the same.
  • And the people behind them are the same too. Know them by name ;)
  • You can find some articles and reviews on Android Central http://www.androidcentral.com/search/Wileyfox?query=Wileyfox
  • Now that is very unexpected but welcome! Cool.
  • Great news!
  • Huh...well cool.
  • Will this phone run windows 10 mobile or windows 10 on arm?
  • W10M
  • Good to know. :)
  • Positive news, but probably another OEM that is going to burn his fingers at a Windows 10 Mobile device. Don't get me wrong, but with W10 on ARM eminent (approx end of this year), W10M is doomed to vanish, unless they'll keep it for OEMs to create cheap phones, although I think this is unlikely. The lack of information from MS looks to me as a sign that they will come with a new type of device with telephony (ultramobile pc). They kept quiet about surface book and surface studio, so...(maybe build 2017 will shed some light on the situation).
  • They are unlikely to get burned on this, they wouldn't be doing it in the first place if their customers were not already asking for it. And it's likely to be in small numbers anyway perhaps even made to order, it's just a small firm offering another option to their customers. In short it won't do much, if anything, to the current state of W10M, but I don't see this company going bust from making too many of the device and not selling them.
  • They sold around 500.000 devices last year and 2 Mio is a goal this year... Not the biggest company but that small neigther if you ask me.
  • Win mo is a goof market in UK still although going down hill, one time it was 12%
  • The interesting thing is hp acer and now wileyfox are saying there is a corporate market for Wm. I'm ok with that its how bb got in.
  • The interesting thing is hp acer and now wileyfox are saying there is a corporate market for Wm. I'm ok with that its how bb got in.
  • That worked out great for BB!
  • At one time, yes. But they stopped innovating.
  • The good thing about Wiley is they SUPPORT their phones.  When Cyanogen screwed them over, they made sure to transition users from Cyanogen OS to Android Experience.  That speaks alot for company to not leave their customer in the dark.  I would think they would do the same if the scenario presented themselves with Windows. Wileyfox ditching Cyanogen for an 'enhanced' Android experience http://www.androidcentral.com/wileyfox-goes-record-about-transition-away...
  • If MS is going to have windows 10 cloud run only store apps, why wouldn't they have mobile that does the same?
  • Ok this was a surprise reading this. Now I think MSFT needs to speak up on their plans for 'mobile'. I am hoping that with this company planning on releasing a new device they have been in talks with MSFT and something positive is going to come out of it both for them and us users/fans of W10M etc. I would certainly consider this device but only and I mean only if MSFT has given us all some sort of reassurance of their plans for mobile or Win on mobile.
  • Actually, I think for HP which is a much larger company to hop on board, there must have been some dialog between the two companies to go through with the plan of releasing the X3.
  • It's not a consumer device.
  • I hope they can get the accessories right. I think it's something the Cerulean Moment desperately needs....for example a lapdock with the same build quality as the HP Lapdock but at less than half the price. The moment is going down the same route of 1 device to rule them all, one to use in any moment and for that they need the kind of accessories HP are using. not that it would mean instant success or that people would rush to buy them, just that HP are the only companies providing the full experience and it's at a cost that only enterprises who really want it will buy at.
  • Phew... Thank God, UK first... Not U.S of Donnie... 💃🏾
  • Actually, Asia has been getting more of the Windows 10 mobile phones of late.
  • Wow great news for Europeans!!
  • UK is not Europe thou :D
  • I'm assuming your not referring to one of the moons of Jupiter. That means you're wrong. The UK is very much a part of Europe. It even still is a part of the European Union (EU). Though not for too many years, as the UK has voted to leave the EU. (And only now most are realizing the stupidity of this move.)   But for the comming years the UK will be part of the EU which means the Wileyfox phone will effectively be available in the whole EU.
  • Yeah i know, the thing is i leave in Spain, and i'm afraid UK leaving UE may have impact on EU economy too so that was a way of mine to protest!
  • Well England is part of Europe, we've not left the eu yet, but even then it still be part of Europe.
  • Why did you leave us :'(
  • Because we were promised there'd be loads of extra money sloshing about for public services when we leave. Unfortunately they keep talking about cuts now, since the vote. I'm not sure that the politicians advising us are very bright... Personally, I'll stay if you can arrange for current EU citizens to hold on to dual nationality.
  • Thanks for the answer
  • Europe is a continent, European Union is a union. They aren't leaving the continent.
  • We're trying. Currently mixing up a load of concrete to fill in that hole under the channel. Next stage of the plan is a very large propeller and rudder... and a captain's hat for Boris. Just got to get him to cough up all that cash for public services he promised us first. Who's got the invoice? We even tried to send him off to Russia until he pays up but he dodged out of that one somehow.
  • I know i just was exaggerating
  • WHATTTT????
  • That's the kind of news we like to hear over here! Another one! :D
  • Their Android handsets are very nice and superbly priced too....
  • Hey another affordable Windows Phones, Yes But no word on it coming to the U.S. #&%£!!! ?
  • Actually the Cerulean Moment is affordable.  If you're on Tmobile, the Alcatel Idol 4S has a very attractive price for what you get. ($288)
  • I'd be very surprised if the Cerulean Moment ever sees the light of day.
  • I just switched to T-Mobile about 2 months ago, I had a chance two check out Alcatel I4S, its a cool phone.but I wish it had gorilla glass instead of dragontaill. I went thru 2 idol 3 5.5 for dropping it and cracking the glass. Once that glass cracks the whole screen becomes unusable. I was afraid this would be an issue with the Alcatel I4S. So I passed and got the Stylo 2plus instead. But I still have my other windows phones. Was going to get the Primo but I read nothing but bad reports on that phone.
  • US got the Alcatel Idol. We get this instead. It'll be interesting to compare.
  • The US has never been a fan on Windows phones, yet Europe and Australia managed to get around 10-12% market share in some areas and I have no doubt it could climb back to that if hardware is made available. Currently it's the HP Elite X3 and that's it, no other devices available outside the US.
  • Splendid!!!
  • Well that's a refreshing change, it's a shame it's not in the us, but now I think on it I'm surprised more windows phones are not targeted for Europe as wp did really well there.
  • They fared pretty well with Android in the business space, at least in gathering small scale roll outs and trials. Hopefully, the absence of needing to crowdsource will make this a contender to at least get some [windows] devices into the market.
  • I think it was mainly the Nokia name which did well for Windows Phone/Mobile in Europe.
  • Played a part, but it was not the main reason. Last couple of years Nokia also got a legacy stamp.
  • Nice to new phone makers
  • This company sure offers some tempting prices for its mid-rangers. However the main concern here, or with any such new device, remains to be support from MSFT considering how they are crossing more devices off of the list with each update.
  • Party people
  • #heroes
  • I won't be spending any money on a Windows Mobile handset unless Microsoft shows some clear direction. Their pushing back of Windows 10 Mobile and increased focus on Windows, CShell, and Windows Arm makes me think that will be their true direction and not pure Mobile. Until they say so though my hardware purchases are on hold. Don't want another Lumia 900
  • To be very honest Microsoft said a lot of things already. A lot of those changed...
  • Good news 🙂
  • this is crazy... it is not going to sell enought.
  • This is great news, ill be in the market for a new Windows phone later this year, hopefully it will be a nice upgrade from my L650!
  • I expect to se more OEM make Windows smart phones because the Restone 3 Windows 10 mobile updates are going to make any 'Continuum"  capable Windows 10 Mobile smart phones look and operate like a PC when connecvted up to a 24 inch or langer monitor screen. if the Windows smart phones are loaded with the Windows 10 on ARMS soft ware they will also run full Win 32 desktop programs. Folks the age of the smart phone Pocket PC hybrid is upon us 
  • :)) had enough dreaming?
  • Very cool news indeed, will import one into Australia for sure.
  • This is very unexpected and welcome. Hopefully they won't have to resort to crowdfunding to release it.
  • Wow, more confusing messages re WP's.
    Welcome news but what a cluster fk the entire sorry WP saga has been.
  • Is MS telling interested OEMs to concentrate only on enterprise?
  • another idiotic business only thinking, Nadella style. It won't work! Business are trying to get away from windows mobile as it sucks.
  • That's where you're wrong. Business want and need Windows Phones
  • I agree - or at least I think the best/only hope for the platform now is via a business sell, where the security argument could be compelling (presumably why the NYPD recently bought into the system). The app gap could be insignificant for business use, and indeed UWP presumably offers an easier way for businesses to offer bespoke apps across desktops and mobiles. Microsoft said as much and then undermined themselves by failing to offer a decently functional affordable handset. There was lots to like about the 650 but it was underpowered and now it's non-existent anyway. If it was relatively simple for Wileyfox to drop W10M into the Swift 2 (or Swift 2X) they'd instantly have a good business offer, and maybe Microsoft would then stop faffing around with its marketing and start making the case. They won't win back the consumer space right now, but as others have said, the cross-device positioning of W10 itself needs a phone presence and trying to "redefine" the phone category when Android manufacturers are aiming to do so themselves is going to be a much harder sell. Blackberry isn't a sensible comparison, because the security argument couldn't outweigh the limitations of the OS. That's not true of W10M. And if W10M survives as a business proposition at least it still has a platform from which it might eventually claim consumer attention.   
  • @bebochek wrong. No sane business would want a pathetic windows phone these days. NYPD got burned pretty bad by Microshit. A very good example of how mediocre the entire phone business plan was and it (what's left of it) at MS
  • Interested and excited to see what this device will be. :) I would like to see a new 65X processor in a Windows Phone
  • This is positive news and great to have a new OEM coming to the platform, one with a good track record. They are being sensible about this, they are looking to fulfil customer requests for better security. They still have their Android range, an existing base of customers, good service and they sell direct to customers or through large online channels, avoiding pitfalls of carriers.  They have their heads screwed on, let's see if businesses respond.
  • Wow a well priced octocore device... Just needs w10m and worldwide availability.
  • a QC 201 with windows crap 10 mobile at 249EUR? :))) they either are high on something or got the same illness from Cerulean, thinking anyone would bother with this. But then again, fanboys will have to wait and see that it will FAIL like all the others did, before they will stop dreaming again.
  • Any news about an upcoming W10M phone is good news:-)
  • Yes its very nice indeed.
  • :)))) lol another one trying to fool users. Who the heck will buy this device with a DEAD OS?? HP has failed, Alcatel has failed, Acer has failed, Cerulean freakin' moment has failed :))) haven't they learned that people don't want this pathetic OS in their pockets?