Much of the gaming I do in my downtime is now split between a ridiculously overpowered desktop PC, loaded with power-hungry components and unnecessary RGB, and the rest on my beloved Steam Deck. It's a sound system, and one that gets me away from the same desk I sit at all day to work, but it could be even better.

The problem is, handheld gaming PCs like Valve's iconic progenitor and Windows-based responses like the high-scoring ASUS ROG Ally and its Microsoft-centric offshoot, the equally appreciated Xbox Ally X, are just too damn big to be genuinely convenient. Sure, they're portable, and I've traveled around the world with both types, but they take up too much space in my carry-on luggage.

We're already craving more affordable, strange handhelds to offset the ultra-premium options like the MSI Claw 8 AI+ and the Lenovo Legion Go 2. As Rebecca says, "It would be great to see some smaller designs like this that are actually, truly portable and better protected." She's right, and I recently found a relic that perfectly demonstrates how PlayStation did it right in the past.

That faint rumbling sound is thousands of rolling eyeballs from gamers who don't appreciate my comparison between Valve's fully fledged PC and Sony's 333 MHz PSP Go from 2011, but hear me out — it's the pocketability that I miss. Yes, the singular hockey puck-esque thumbstick wasn't ideal, and the shoulder buttons were a spongey mess, but the sliding-screen mechanic was clever.

We came close to seeing its form factor return in 2024 with AYANEO's Slide, but it only revealed a hidden QWERTY keyboard, like some mutated BlackBerry with tacked-on joypad controls. Still, if Mr. Mobile and CrackBerry Kevin can spearhead the Clicks Communicator on the back of that kind of nostalgia, why shouldn't I yearn for a spiritual PC sequel to the PSP Go?

After all, why not? What's preventing manufacturers from returning to this pocket-sized convenience category anyway? Well, even a light pondering of the topic reveals at least two answers: the ergonomics of built-in controls will be compromised, and smartphones are already capable of running modern games without issue — but I hate playing games on my phone.

The most straightforward answer to both is a detachable joypad, something like the Backbone Pro, but it isn't quite right for me. It's another thing to carry, and I want to avoid carrying a bag full of extra gadgets. Plus, I'm far too precious about my phone's battery to force it into playing AAA games. If only there were something closer to a PC— you can probably guess where I'm going with this.

The solution was Windows Phone

You know we used to be called Windows Phone Central, right? We're never letting it go, especially when I think about modern uses for a smartphone running Windows — or even Linux, for that matter. Naturally, I couldn't expect this fantastical phone-turned-handheld to use any standard PC parts like M.2 solid-state drives, but the software side could work.

In fact, people are already running x86-64 Windows PC games on Android via Winlator, so it isn't that far-fetched. However, possibility rarely goes hand in hand with viability, and there's just no reason for this strange in-between hardware to exist. I know how powerful smartphones are and that they can play AAA games, but Android isn't good enough. I want Windows in my pocket.

Big surprise, the Windows Central guy wants Windows. I can hear the "just buy a better phone" crowd, but that's not what I'm craving. I want some entry-level, budget-friendly, compact, and pocketable handhelds that won't threaten to replace any of the high-end category leaders — no dropshipped trash, either. I'm definitely in the minority, but I miss those cute and compact consoles.

Am I just a sad old man yelling at clouds? Did the Temu-flooded clones solve this already? Let me know.

As we look ahead to Windows Central’s 20th anniversary in 2027, we’re taking time to revisit the stories that shaped our community. From Microsoft and Xbox to Windows and PC, these throwbacks remind us how far we’ve come together.

Interestingly, Microsoft did try to reinvent the phone with Surface Duo (2020) and Surface Duo 2 (2021), both of which pushed the boundaries and concepts of what a mobile device could be. However, both ran Android and were eventually terminated due to poor sales.

We also have more information about a "true" Surface phone circa 2014 that was in development, and we're trying to get approvals to publish that, so stay tuned.

The article below was first published on Friday, Oct. 23, 2015. – Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-Chief

Yesterday I wrote an analysis of Microsoft's seemingly great last quarter contrasted with a rather devastating quarter for Windows Phone. Of course, no one was surprised, and we all know the reasons. None of that was news, but it did quantify it, which was interesting. Instead, in that piece I wanted to lay out the landscape for Microsoft in mobile, what they had to do and discuss what their intentions were for the category.

After ruminating a bit on the topic, I figured I would try to answer my question: What's next? To be clear, I am speaking here purely in speculatory terms, but I do think it is grounded in precedent. Also, there are some obvious directions that Microsoft is likely to go in when you look at recent decisions.

Out with the old smartphone

A few weeks ago, I noted how Microsoft, and specifically Panos Panay, seemed less enthused about the new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL. I almost forgot to mention the Lumia 550, but then again, so didn't Microsoft at that October devices event.

The main argument I was making was that these Lumias do not entirely represent what Microsoft is doing these days. It should be clear that the Lumia 950 (Cityman) and Lumia 950 XL (Talkman) are carryovers from Nokia days. Even their codenames refer to the very first Nokia phones, in an a purposefully ironic choice.

Many pointed out to me that Microsoft picked up the Nokia mobile division. Therefore, those are their phones now. True, except that their development was still under Stephen Elop and his cadre including Jo Harlow. Both of those people were let go by Microsoft in late June. Terry Myerson took over for awhile before Panos Panay – famous for the Surface line – took over the engineering aspect for all hardware, including Windows Phone in late July.

That shakeup is a rather big one especially when you consider the old Lumia strategy, which clearly wasn't working. Meanwhile, Panay and his team are clearly knocking it out of the park with the Surface series. Now that Panay leads engineering for Windows Phone, Surface, Microsoft Band, and even Xbox there is a lot that can happen. Moreover, since this engineering team now works with the one Windows team under Myerson, there is a great deal more synergy with a single focus.

I suppose Microsoft could just kill off phones. However, that would make Nadella look bad. Not because killing mobile would be unpopular – quite the contrary, investors would applaud – but because Nadella had a chance when Elop and team were let go in June. Killing off mobile now would look bad because Nadella already did a re-org, and it makes his decision making look shortsighted. Why give the phone division to a new guy only to cancel it?

Plus, I still have not heard an argument about how the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) for Windows 10 has any meaning once you remove mobile from the equation. The whole thing just goes away.

Instead, I believe Microsoft has specific plans for mobile, which is why they gave it to Panay. However, I don't think they are just going to do a me-too flagship smartphone either.

The future of smartphone devices

Windows Phone, as we know it, is dead. It lost to Apple's iPhone and Android back in 2014 (some would say back in 2012, although for while things were looking up). In 2015, Windows Phone has been tenaciously hanging on as Windows 10 comes to fruition, but it is clear the old model is not working.

I said earlier that the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL "do not entirely represent what Microsoft is doing these days." I used the word entirely because undoubtedly Continuum is a Microsoft vision of the future along with all of Windows 10 as an OS. In that sense, these new Lumias do represent Microsoft as they will showcase all that Windows 10 can offer. I don't think Microsoft was lying when they said that.

Nonetheless, when you look at the history of what Microsoft has recently done in hardware, they don't completely fit either. Let me give some examples.

For a few years, Apple's iPad was dominating portable computing. People called for Microsoft to do something similar. What did we all want? An iPad hardware with Windows. They responded with the Surface. That was not what people were expecting, and it's something entirely different. Even in 2015, the Surface Pro 4 is no iPad Pro.

For years, MacBook Airs and Pros were crushing premium laptops. People called for Microsoft to make their own. Microsoft responded with the Surface Book. Once gain, they went beyond what was expected and created something entirely different.

For years, people were asking Microsoft to make (another) smartwatch. Android had theirs. Apple released the Watch. Fitbit is already crushing it. Now we have the Band 2, which in my opinion, is the best of everything. Again, it is their own niche.

You see where I am going with this. Microsoft is not about creating hardware for the sake of creating another thing. They only create hardware after consideration of where the market is going to be, not where it is now.

Microsoft canceled the Surface Mini because it was just a small Surface. It reportedly brought nothing new to the table. It wasn't going to disrupt the market; it was another me-too device.

Now we are asking for a Microsoft phone. We get the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL? It just doesn't fit. Those are nice phones; they are just not radical departures that challenge convention. Microsoft is now about challenging convention. Remember, out of the blue they announced holographic computing in the biggest "Whaaaaaa?!" moment in my career.

Apple used to be like this too. All they did was release another smartphone in 2007. We already had those, so what was different? Well, the whole philosophy behind it. No physical keys, large display, and complete control over the OS. Many of us, including myself, laughed it off. Many didn't even call it a smartphone since it had no app SDK ergo it was not a platform (remember, web apps?).

It's a legitimate question unless you believe the current app-phone model is going to go on forever. Are smartphones doomed to "Welp, we made the OS more complex and threw new hardware at it" system, or are they going to evolve? Where to we go from here?

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella even knows smartphones are about what is coming next, not what is here now. In an interview with Mary Jo Foley, Nadella said this about their smartphone strategy:

We already know smartphones are having an effect on computing. Tablet sales are in a slump as smartphones with large displays take over. Even Apple cannot escape that cannibalizing effect with their Plus phones and iPads. PC sales are also down and no, it's not because of Windows, but rather people have tablets, phones, TVs, and wearables competing for their processing time.

Remember when you used to check email on a desktop PC, not on your smartphone?

I bring this all up because if I had to guess, this is the question Microsoft is trying to answer. They know they can't win with the current system. Apple and Android are too dominant. So what you do is jump ahead and create a device for where people are going, not where they are. The Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL is where we are today in mobile tech. It's not different. Why else do we compare it to the iPhone or latest Android devices and go "oh yeah, not bad I guess".

For many a "Surface phone" would just be a metal phone with high-end specs and a Surface label. I always laugh at that since what Surface represents – transformation – is not that. That's just another smartphone with a brand name. Big deal.

Microsoft tried to kickoff modern PC development with the Surface. That was the whole point. What would such a program look like for phone if they wanted to re-invent that category?

Ditch platform specific programming, make universal hardware

Window Phone has always had one Achilles heel preventing mass adoption. Apps. This problem is even more pronounced in 2015 as we transition to Windows 10 and yet another software platform. The problem is not just Microsoft's. BlackBerry has this issue too and sorry to say, even Android. I still see commercials for new hit games and services that are iOS first with Android coming later.

It is not a trivial problem, but rather one that represents where computing is today. As a developer, you have to choose your target platform wisely. It is likely not an easy decision, especially now that Windows 10 is on 110 million PCs already. At some point, developers may find it tough to ignore an app on Windows 10, especially once the Xbox store opens later in 2016.

When you look at Windows 10 and its Universal Windows Platform, you get an idea of what Microsoft wants, which is agnostic software for hardware. Doesn't matter what device you are running you just install the thing you want, end of story.

There is only one problem. There are other operating systems out there that you need to compete with like iOS and Android and even old Win32 apps and games. So what you do is create tools to let devs just port over their creations. These are, of course, the Bridge Technologies Astoria, Islandwood, Centennial, Westminster that should streamline this process for Android, iOS, Wind32 and web apps, respectively.

Microsoft wants to get rid of software development not only targeting hardware but the OS itself. Apps and services are blending and if the future is to go forward something needs to give in this tug of war. This reasoning is what Nadella calls a "path dependent strategy":

The next piece of the puzzle is what does a phone look like in this system?

Microsoft is clearly playing around multi-OS booting systems as reflective of their patents. They got the Android runtime to run within Windows 10 Mobile. They have a patent on 3D Touch navigation. They also bought Ntrig, which helped with that new G5 processor for pen input in the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book. They have this idea of Continuum for PC and mobile, which is the software side of what Surface hardware is about. They also have this thing called HoloLens on the horizon and other crazy innovations.

I do not think we have seen what Microsoft has planned for mobile, not entirely.

Certainly the idea behind Continuum, which is turning your phone into a PC, is a big part of their future. Indeed, I see pocket computing and the concept of running a software-agnostic platform as the goal. This yet to come world is going to be about screens and what is in your pocket.

I think whatever Microsoft does in mobile will attempt to be what Surface was to modern computing in solving the 'Tablet or PC?' problem.

Microsoft has been reportedly working on a 'metal phone' that runs Intel hardware, which is something even I have heard from sources. The one thing I know is this is an internal Microsoft-Intel project and had nothing to do with Nokia. What that all means is going to be the fun part, but I don't think it's going to be just another phone with specs. There will be something unique about it and hopefully something that was not anticipated.

If you were the Surface team, what would a truly transformative mobile phone be that you designed? Rattling off specs alone misses the point, folks. I am talking about ideas here, not numbers or whatever the latest Qualcomm chipset that is available.

As I said at the beginning, this is based on my speculation but also recent Microsoft decisions and even product announcements. To suggest their vision for mobile phones is just another smartphone I think would be shortsighted.

We know Microsoft can not only dream big but deliver too. Between Windows 10, HoloLens, the Surface Pro, and the new Surface Book we know Microsoft can create new hardware categories. That was just for 2015. Let's see what happens when they apply those ideas to mobile.

What you need to know

• Bill Gates says a US Justice Department antitrust investigation contributed to the failure of Windows Mobile.
• Gates admits that he "screwed that up because of the distraction."
• Gates also mentioned a missed opportunity involving a Motorola device.

Bill Gates spoke about the downfall of Windows Mobile at The New York Times DealBook Conference. Gates shared how his own distraction and an investigation by the US Justice Department hurt Microsoft's mobile efforts. He also revealed that Microsoft almost launched Windows Mobile on a Motorola headset, but missed by a few months.

Gates points towards a US Justice Department antitrust investigation as a contributing factor to Windows Mobile losing to Android in the mobile market space, "If it hadn't been for the antitrust case... we were so close, I was just too distracted. I screwed that up because of the distraction." He also stated, "There's no doubt that the antitrust lawsuit was bad for Microsoft, and we would have been more focused on creating the phone operating system, and so instead of using Android today, you would be using Windows Mobile."

The transition from Windows Mobile to Windows Phone had several issues and cleared the path for Android to contend for mobile market share. In the early days of Android, the success of certain devices helped push Android forward, but Gates says that things could have gone differently, "We were just three months too late on a release Motorola would have used on a phone, so yes it's a winner takes all game."

It's impossible to say how different things would have been for Windows Mobile if certain Motorola devices ran it instead of Android. It's also worth noting that this is likely a simplication of events and that many factors led to the failure of Windows Mobile. Gates did not specify which Motoraa phone almost ran Windows Mobile. The Verge points out that the Droid range of Android phones was a success around the same time as Gates' story.

Gates also spoke about the "winner-take-all" nature of the mobile phone market in June when he stated that ceding the mobile market to Android was his "greatest mistake ever."

Microsoft's Windows phones are the pariah of the tech industry. It wasn't always this way. Pre Windows Phone Windows Mobile once occupied a dominant position in the smartphone industry as a platform for professionals and techies. Then the iPhone pushed "smartphones" into the mainstream, and everything changed. Microsoft would never again approach the 40 percent mobile market share it once achieved.

The iPhone's 2007 launch initiated Windows Mobile's precipitous fall which Microsoft sought to stall with the touch- and consumer-friendly Windows Phone's 7, 8, 8.1 and Windows 10 Mobile. Conceding Windows-on-phones market defeat, Windows 10 Mobile was infamously realigned with the enterprise sealing its fate. With each OS "advancement" Microsoft's smartphone market share continued to fall. Many fans held on hoping for a turnaround that never came, and a deeper commitment from Microsoft that never materialized.

Most diehard fans have since left the platform for greener iPhone and Android phone pastures. A few of us remain more or less content with the vestiges of a platform that honestly began to disappoint, around Windows Phone 8.1, even before the bottom fell out. Still, I've been using Windows phones since 2006, and my Lumia 950 XL with Windows 10 Mobile is still my daily driver.

• Related: Hey Windows phone fans, here's why you may want to pass on Android
• Related: Hey Windows phone refugees – here's why you should pass on iPhone

What drew me to Windows phones?

The idea of "Windows in my pocket" drew me to my first smartphone (which was my second cell phone), the Cingular 2125. It was a candy bar shaped Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphone with a physical keyboard and a "big" (for the time) 2-inch screen that I bought in 2006 for $299. It allowed me to surf the web, watch saved movies from the SD Card, download apps from the web and much more. My Cingular 2125 Windows phone was superior to the flip and feature phones my peers and others were using at the time.

My Tilt and Tilt II, followed my 2125 with Window Mobile 6.0 sporting slide-out keyboards and larger displays. Their design combined with Windows 6.0/6.5 made me feel like I was carrying a min-laptop in my pocket. Modifying the UI of this open operating system (OS) was one of my favorite parts of Windows Mobile. So after Apple launched the iPhone with its closed OS and locked-down UI, I was disappointed with the overly simplistic, closed Windows Phone 7 OS and UI Microsoft launched in response.

It wasn't until Windows Phone 7.5 and the "massive" HTC Titan that Live Tiles, Hubs, the OS level integration of social media platforms, the UI fluidity and more won me over to Windows Phone. I loved interacting with Facebook friends directly from the People Hub as if FB and Twitter we part of the OS. I enjoyed posting to social media from the Me Tile and the aesthetic and social network integration of the Photos Hub. The person-focused Messaging Hub which provided a continuous conversation stream centered around a person even when I switched from a text messaging to Facebook Messenger was a joy. When Windows Phone 8.1 brought welcome additions like Cortana to the mix, while ditching the power of the Me Tile and more, the "progress" was bittersweet.

Windows 10 Mobile with the addition of hamburger menus and eradication of the large fonts and the carousel aesthetics all but killed the beauty of the OS that drew me in. I'm still here, however, because I still prefer Live Tiles (I know there are Android skins), the platform still works for me, for now, and the cost of getting what I want, a Galaxy Note 9 at $1000, is more than I can justify paying right now.

My Ode to Windows Phone 8

Do we really need top of the line smartphones?

Windows Phone 8.1 improved upon and took away from the Windows Phone 8 experience.

I'm a techie so of course, I want the latest and greatest tech. But as a Windows phone user who is using a three-year-old device what I, and perhaps most of us, need and want are very different things. I'm not a heavy app user. And statistically, most people only use six top apps 90-percent of the time. So statistically most people are not heavy app users. And those apps that are most used, like Facebook, Instagram, and others, are found on Windows phones (for now).

Now I am painfully aware that many apps many people use, like my banking app, is no longer available on Windows Mobile. Apps that my wife and I need for our small business are also missing. And many apps like my favorite News program and other advertised apps are missing. But for what most of what most people do most of the time: surf the web, watch videos, interact on Facebook and Twitter, email, message and more, even in its declining state, Windows phone still does the job. Would an iPhone or Android phone do things better? I'm convinced that yes, they would, but they're not Windows phone. I'm also aware that the lack of some apps on Windows Mobile is a barrier to certain jobs. I'm not trying to convince anyone to switch to or hold onto a sinking ship. I'm sharing my experience.

I know that the tech industry and many of our own internal motivations convince us that we need the latest and smartest devices to participate in the modern age of mobile computing. I believe that that urge in most cases is driven by want rather than actual need, however. As someone in tune with the tech industry and immersed in this world I contend we could get along just fine without catering to the annual ritual of spending hundreds of dollars for an incremental step in device evolution at the behest of tech companies in their quest for more profits. Especially when the device we spend $1000 for this year will be used to surf the web, listen to music, watch videos, message friends and take pictures just like the device we spent $1000 for last year.

Let's be honest, no one really needs a $1000 smartphone

What lies ahead?

I'll eventually move on from my three-year-old Lumia 950 XL. It will likely be to a $200 Android phone or perhaps a $1000 Galaxy Note. That's if I don't hang on long enough to reap the possible Surface Andromeda fruits of Microsoft's Windows-on-mobile strategy of which Windows-on-phone has always only been a part.

My switch to Android or Microsoft's Pocket PC (if it makes it to market) is inevitable folks. When the time comes I'll be sure to let you know.

It's hard to let go of the things you love, and in the case of Windows on phones, for some it's harder than others. Many of us have already moved on, many are still actively using and enjoying their Lumia, Elite x3 or Alcatel Idol 4S.

In the case of our latest forums discussion, what if the mobile part of Windows was open sourced?

Let's be clear: This is basically an impossibility. Windows 10 Mobile is built on the same platform as Windows on the PC, and there is a ton of code in there that Microsoft wouldn't ever send to the open source community. It isn't like Android, where AOSP is just the basic bits and the Android you see on a phone is built on top.

Windows is entirely proprietary and beyond the unlikely nature, you'd also need someone to do something with it. No phone manufacturers have shown much interest to this point and it's a little tough to imagine a fan in their basement making serious strides forward.

Nevertheless, one can dream. If you share the dream, think it's utterly absurd or anywhere in between, hit the forums thread below and join the conversation.

Petitioning to make Microsoft's Windows Phone open source

Because the iPhone is as popular as it is, you're able to use virtually any popular app or service on it. The truth is, you can happily switch and still be all about Microsoft if you want to. After all, why should you give up the services you love just because you change phone platforms?

The sad truth is Windows 10 Mobile just isn't competing right now, so the holiday season may well have been the opportunity to make the switch. If the iPhone is where you're headed, we have some tips to make the transition as painless as possible.

1. Get an Apple ID

If you're going to use an iPhone, you're going to need an Apple ID. Without one, you can't sign in to the phone or download apps. So if you don't already have an Apple ID, get one. It's easier to do on your PC than on a phone, so it's a good idea to do it in advance.

You're not required to have a credit card on file to download apps or content from the App Store, so you can literally just sign up for an account and use it to log into your phone. You don't even have to use most of Apple's stock apps anymore, you can uninstall a whole bunch of them. If you want to buy apps without using a credit card, you'll need to pick up vouchers from a retailer and redeem the codes.

Sign up for an Apple ID

2. Microsoft it all up

If you're going to be keeping all your Microsoft services and accounts intact (why wouldn't you?), you'll be happy to know iOS is your friend. Microsoft supports the platform with all its core apps and services.

And they're mostly pretty darn good. You can still get the Xbox app. And your Outlook mail and calendars are safe. Microsoft is even bringing Edge to the App Store soon, and its new streaming platform, Mixer, is already there. Anything you need to use you'll find in the App Store.

See Microsoft Apps in the App Store

3. Set up Outlook contacts, calendars, and mail

Microsoft does have an Outlook app available for iOS and it's pretty good. You can just download it and get your mail and calendars that way, but it's not the only way.

By integrating your Outlook account into the iPhone directly you can use the iPhone stock calendar and mail apps, as well as being able to use a range of third-party solutions which hook into that information. Fantastical, for example, is one of the best calendar apps on the iPhone and it'll be able to hook into your Outlook account once you've set it up on the phone.

If you're looking for a guide to getting going, we've got just the thing for you.

How to set up Outlook calendars, mail and contacts on the iPhone

5. Add Windows Central to Apple News!

Unlike Android, iOS doesn't have an official Windows Central app. They won't let us. Sad face for that one.

What it does have is Apple News which is pre-loaded on every iPhone. And Windows Central is on Apple News so you don't need to be very far away from the latest and greatest in the world of Microsoft! You'll also want to keep tabs on iMore for the best from the Apple side of the tracks. And they do have an app.

• News App: The Ultimate Guide
• Download iMore from the App Store

Your tips

These are some basic tips to help get started on an easy, Microsoft-filled life on iPhone. If you recently made the switch, help out your fellow readers by sharing your own tips and tricks in the comments below.

Updated December 22, 2017: Guide refreshed to make sure you've got the best tips if you got a new iPhone for the holidays!

Because Android is as popular as it is, you're able to use virtually any popular app or service on it. The truth is, you can happily switch and still be all about Microsoft if you want to. After all, why should you give up the services you love just because you change phone platforms?

The sad truth is Windows 10 Mobile just isn't competing right now, so the holiday season may well have been the opportunity to make the switch. If Android is where you're headed, we have some tips to make the transition as painless as possible.

1. Sign up for a Google account first

The only absolute Google necessity you need on an Android phone is a Google Account. Without one, you can't sign in to the phone or download apps. So if you don't already have a Google Account, get one. It's easier to do on your PC than on a phone, so it's a good idea to do it in advance.

You're not required to have a credit card on file to download apps or content from the Google Play Store, so you can literally just sign up for an account and use it to log into your phone. You don't even have to use the Gmail app or any other forward-facing Google services. If you want to buy apps without using a credit card, you'll need to pick up Google Play vouchers from a retailer and redeem the codes.

Sign up for a Google Account

2. Microsoft it all up

If you're going to be keeping all your Microsoft services and accounts intact (why wouldn't you?), you'll be happy to know Android is your friend. Whether you just want to use Outlook, Office or Skype, or go nuts and install Microsoft's own Android launcher and lockscreen, there's a ton of Microsoft apps in the Play Store.

And they're mostly pretty darn good.You won't have to cancel Groove. You can still get the Xbox app. And your Outlook mail and calendars are safe. Better yet, Microsoft has a single app to help you find and download all of its other apps.

• Download Microsoft Apps from the Google Play Store
• How to Microsoft-ify your Android phone

3. Move your contacts to Google

While you may want to limit your Google involvement, if you're moving to an Android phone it's a good idea to sync your contacts to your Google Account. That way, it's all easier to manage, and if you ever need to go back to Windows (or over to an iPhone), it'll be simple to work with them.

The easiest way to do this is to go into Outlook on the web and export your entire contacts database as a CSV file. Here's how:

1. Log in to Outlook.com.
2. Navigate to People.
3. Click the manage dropdown.
4. Select export contacts.

5. Click export.

All your Outlook contacts will be saved in a single file that you can import to your Google Account. This is another good reason to setup your Google Account before you get your new phone, because you'll be able to just sign in and your contacts will be there.

Importing them into your Google Account is pretty straightforward.

1. Go to contacts.google.com.
2. Sign in with your Google Account.
3. Click more.
4. Click import and choose the CSV file you saved above.

Any new contacts you add to your Android phone can be synced with all of your existing contacts in one place on your Google Account. So even if you're not using Gmail, it's worth doing.

4. Use Cortana

Cortana can't do quite as much on Android as on Windows, but it's still pretty useful for more than just replacing the Google Assistant.

On Android, you can use Cortana to sync notifications to your PC, which is handy to have on any platform. But because you're signed in with your Microsoft Account anyway, everything you already set up from Windows will be there, too.

We also happen to think that Cortana has a better personality than Google Assistant — and a better name!

Download Cortana from the Google Play Store

5. Install the Windows Central Android app!

All the folks at Windows Central still love you even if you're going over to using an Android phone. Windows Central is committed to providing all the Microsoft content you want, and we've got an app in the Google Play Store so you can keep tabs from your new phone.

The experience is a little different, but the great content is the same. You'll also want to keep checking out our sibling site Android Central and its Android app. Then you'll always have the best of both worlds.

Download the Windows Central app for Android from the Google Play Store

Your tips

These are some basic tips to help get started on an easy, Microsoft-filled life on Android. If you recently made the switch, help out your fellow readers by sharing your own tips and tricks in the comments below.

Updated December 22, 2017: We've refreshed this guide to make sure you're getting the best help if you're transitioning away from Windows phones to Android this holiday season.

Believe it or not, there was a time before Windows Phone where Windows on mobile devices were actually pretty dominant. Windows Mobile was what competed on "smartphones" back in the day, and it was pretty good. In fact, it was so good, we once called ourselves "Windows Mobile Experts."

It was configurable, customizable, and was available on a wide range of hardware, including the infamous HTC HD2. Windows Mobile 6.5 was the last version of Windows Mobile before Microsoft killed it in favor of its new Windows Phone 7 OS.

Windows Phone 7 was a step back in many regards, missing many features, functions and configurable options that Windows Mobile fanatics had come to know and love. Instead, Windows Phone 7 focused on the user-interface, making a beautiful, fluid Start Screen and Metro design language. Windows Mobile was not a pretty OS in comparison.

Still, Windows Mobile had its fans, of which many didn't like Windows Phone 7 when it first launched. If you were one of those people, we want to hear from you! We have community members talking about this very topic right now, so make sure you jump in and check it out.

Let's talk old-school Windows Mobile

To say the relationship has been tumultuous would be an understatement. As with any relationship, there are two sides to this story.

Chime in: After what happened with Windows Mobile, should Microsoft ditch CEO Nadella?

A matter of perspective

In addition to my exciting position as a writer for the largest Microsoft-focused community, I've been an ordained minister for over two decades, an educator and an advocate for individuals with disabilities. Mediation is a common theme between all these positions. Mediators must understand both sides of an issue to help involved parties understand, not necessarily agree with, each other's perspectives.

Additionally, Windows Central is a forum-focused community where users, developers, and even Microsoft representatives, can communicate. Loyalists, embracing this platform, have passionately shared concerns regarding Microsoft's commitments, or lack therefore. We've published articles echoing some of those concerns. We've also articulated Microsoft's position on topics ranging from mobile to canceling consumer products.

And, Microsoft, loyalists would like a word with you.

A phone in hand or one that's planned?

First, a word to loyalists

Microsoft's "platform company," provision-of-tools and cross-platform missions have been counter-balanced with cryptic and confusing messaging about mobile and an increasing abandonment of consumer products. Thus, writers are challenged to communicate Microsoft's goals to a disenchanted core audience starving for mobile and consumer-focused news, who are generally disinterested in other topics that provide much-needed context.

If Microsoft's the platform for everything does it need a phone?

Furthermore, many readers mistake an articulation of Microsoft's strategies as endorsements of expected success rather than provisions of perspective by a mediating party. A writer's role, particularly for a disgruntled audience, entails communicating the unpopular perspective of what is increasingly perceived as a hostile opposing entity. We're not necessarily trying to persuade readers to like what we believe Microsoft's doing, we're trying to help you understand it.

Loyalists must also understand our vocal community can easily become an echo chamber of ever-escalating, though legitimate, frustrations. My unbridled addition to that cacophony of voices via rants, as a long-time and disappointed Windows phone user, would be a waste of my opportunity to provide useful context. This is sometimes misinterpreted as misunderstanding our common plight. Using my position to rant rather than presenting both sides of this relationship could act as a barrier to productive mediation, however.

Loyalists should try to understand Microsoft's position

Barring Xbox, Microsoft isn't really in the consumer products business. CEO Satya Nadella recently stressed that point:

Loyalists must brace themselves for Microsoft's continued focus on being the platform of platforms.

Microsoft and Qualcomm: architects of an always-connected computing future

Microsoft will continue pushing augmented and virtual reality, primarily through OEMs, via Windows Mixed Reality. It will further integrate iOS and Android into its ecosystem via Microsoft Graph, Cortana, Azure and cross-platform apps. It will incorporate a plethora of devices and platforms into an all-encompassing web of ambient computing through intelligent edge computing and IoT. Its first-party, Project Andromeda Core OS mobile device will be enterprise-focused, niche and aspirational.

Microsoft must understand loyalist's position

What loyalists find confusing and infuriating is that amidst all of this platform-, tools- and enterprise-focused talk, Microsoft has launched consumer-focused products and services that fans have embraced and the company has failed to support.

Microsoft has everything it needs to succeed with consumers except follow-through

Consumers have invested time, money and energy in Microsoft's ecosystem. Losing the convenience and familiarity of Groove Music is frustrating. Watching developers leave a mobile platform Microsoft could have better supported, while developing its next-generation approach, is disheartening. Docs.com's demise makes our organizing comprehensive portfolios of content a waste of time. Microsoft Band, Zune, Kinect, and more, expand the tale of abandoned consumer-facing products. So you kind of have to wonder if Movies and TV is next.

Nadella's candor about repeatedly abandoning committed consumers is a refreshing level of honesty regarding Microsoft's mistakes. Level-headed loyalists welcome that type of honesty and further open dialogue at this "virtual table."

Dear Satya ...

As our favorite products are severed from the ecosystem, we legitimately question how you value our commitment. How can we have the promised "best on Windows" Microsoft experience when Microsoft's best efforts are on iOS and Android?

We understand Microsoft's a platform company. But it's you, Microsoft, that enticed us with compelling consumer products. Your messaging and actions are conflicting.

Given our longstanding relationship, loyalists would appreciate clarity. Carefully crafted PR messages promising personal computing nirvana as you cut first-party products and direct us to competing platforms won't do. Unorthodox candor and honesty is a fitting balance for the unorthodox handling of your loyal base.

Given your humility in admitting past mistakes, Mr. Nadella, we hope this invitation to our virtual table may be honored.

Windows 10 Mobile is dead. Microsoft's Satya Nadella made the decision to pull back on the company's mobile efforts, abandoning Windows 10 Mobile and no longer focusing on new features or hardware for the platform. This has angered many Windows phone users, because Windows phone to them was their only viable option.

Now, the remaining Windows phone users have two choices, remain on the dead platform that is Windows 10 Mobile with no new features or hardware, and eventually less and less app support, or make the switch to iOS or Android, which isn't something the remaining Windows phone users want to do.

We've seen a lot of Windows Mobile fans express outrage at Satya Nadella, claiming that Microsoft should ditch him in favor of someone who has an eye for consumer products and services. It's easy to take it personally — after all, you purposely spent your money on this platform — but it's worth noting that despite the failure of Windows phones, Nadella has done plenty of great work for other parts of Microsoft.

In fact, Microsoft is making more money than ever, pleasing shareholders and increasing profits in Surface, Office and Azure. So we want to know your opinion, would it be a good idea to ditch Satya Nadella after the Windows Mobile debacle? Or is his efforts elsewhere worthy enough that he should be given a pass for the death of Mobile?

Should Microsoft ditch Satya Nadella after Windows 10 Mobile?

Windows 10 Mobile is on its last breath — at least for the foreseeable future — and many longtime users are switching over to iOS and Android.

Windows Central Managing Editor Al Sacco recently started a thread in our forum asking those of you who have made the switch what you miss most about Windows 10 Mobile.

Sacco goes on to ask whether or not you regret switching over and mentions that the Live Tile interface will no doubt be a hot point of contention.

What do you have to say? What feature(s) do you miss the most about the late mobile platform? Head over to our forum and let us know what you think.

Join the discussion on the Windows Central forum!

Though he didn't mention Windows phone specifically, Nadella clearly failed in his commitment to Windows phone users. Reneging on a promise to make Windows phones if no one else did, withdrawing from markets where Windows phones thrived, a lack of marketing and failing to lead Universal Windows Platform (UWP) support with first-party apps is a condemning litany of proof of Nadella's failed commitment to consumers.

The cost of abandoning these users is higher than angering a few loyalists. Mobile platforms are key to developer, OEM, and consumer relationships. They're also the nexus for technologies such as smart homes, smart speakers, and wearables.

Nadella severed Microsoft from all of these things, and its bridge to the future, when he abandoned Windows phone users.

The allure of mixed reality and AI

During the recent interview with business podcast Marketplace's Corner Office, Nadella said the following of Microsoft's failure in mobile:

When asked of his most recent significant mistake, Nadella replied:

Pursuing a shiny new mixed-reality and AI future while abandoning Windows phone users may have burned Microsoft's bridge to that future.

Windows phone's Catch 22

In his book, Hit Refresh Nadella said: "I did not get why the world needed the third ecosystem in phones, unless we changed the rules." If he plans to bring a unique device to market powered by Core OS he faced a difficult crossroads when deciding Windows 10 Mobile's future.

Should he continue to allow Window phones, with their negative reputation, to remain in the market? Or should he eradicate the platform and start fresh with a new product category unassociated with Microsoft's failed smartphones?

If he chose the former, the negative narrative that surrounds Microsoft's mobile attempts would've persisted. By eradicating phones, Nadella may silence that narrative before introducing something new. However, "hitting refresh" may cost vital consumer, developer and OEM relationships.

Keeping Windows phone alive until a new device materializes, with a phase-out thereafter, could have been a wiser choice. But Nadella likely saw a rejected platform coexisting with its new approach as an opportunity for product and message confusion.

His choices were lose-lose propositions.

No developers, no bridge to the future

Purging Windows phones may have been the wrong choice if Nadella wants developer support for what's next. With no mobile platform developers lose interest.

In addition to other efforts, Microsoft could have built standard-setting, first-party UWP apps to communicate a commitment to and confidence in its own platform. Developers may have followed suit. Nadella focused on other platforms instead.

Without developers, UWP's future, which serves Microsoft's entire device family not just phones, is in trouble. Though Microsoft hopes Windows 10 S will draw developers to UWP, most are mobile-focused. Nadella has removed what little incentive they had. Consequently, the Windows Store and Microsoft's non-phone mobile vision, including cellular PCs and HoloLens, will suffer.

Developer's don't love Microsoft

Abandoned OEMs and the loss of future markets

Sadly, HP and other OEMs suffered the same mishandling by Microsoft as consumers. Nadella's broken consumer, developer, and OEM relationships will invariably affect the company's future.

Mixed reality, wearables and AI-supported ambient computing will need developers, OEMs and consumers. Without a mobile platform and its associated developer and OEM relationships, Microsoft has no bridge from the present to its vision of the future.

Will lack of consumer focus hurt Microsoft's future?

Killing Windows 10 Mobile following a history of abandoning Windows phone users will likely have a more profound future impact than Nadella anticipates.

Hitting refresh

Microsoft Corporate Vice President Joe Belfiore's recent Windows phone tweets were specific to Windows 10 Mobile. If events continue playing out as outlined, Microsoft's project Andromeda may yield a unique Core OS-powered device.

Still, rather than hitting refresh, perhaps Nadella should have recommitted to Windows Mobile. That would have preserved relationships needed for this potential device and Microsoft's broader future vision.

Why the death of Windows 10 Mobile is a good thing

On the other hand, technological shifts toward a more connected 5G and edge-computing future, supported by cross-platform progressive web apps, AI and bots, may transform the dynamic between developers, OEMs, consumers and Microsoft, from what we see with the current the app model.

Only time will tell.

Now, with Groove Music throwing in the towel, many users are jumping ship for other mobile platforms. However, some are less quick to switch.

Windows Central forum member abel920 recently created a thread saying that they're standing their ground and sticking with Windows Mobile to the bitter end.

abel920 goes on to say that it's understandable why you'd want to switch to a different platform, and that you might be seduced back when a "new spark has been ignited." Wise words.

There are already a bunch of replies, with some users declaring solidarity, while others are discussing exactly why they left, and at what point. Care to join in? Head over to the forum and let abel920 know whether you're in or out!

Join the discussion on the Windows Central forum!

Windows Core OS is a version of Windows 10 that can be tweaked for use on any device type according to our own Zac Bowden. Windows Core OS will allow Windows to run on wearables, PCs and a variety of other form factors, including mobile. Essentially, Windows Core OS enables the ability to remove specific Windows functionality that isn't essential to make Windows "lighter" and a better fit for the targeted hardware.

The key point here is that Windows 10 remains fundamentally the same version of Windows 10 regardless of the device it's running on. Because of the OSes flexibility, distinct Windows variants such as Windows 10 Mobile will no longer be necessary. Windows 10 will simply be Windows 10 on any device it is running on.

This additional information regarding Windows Core OS and the adaptable UI, CShell, is consistent with our previous analysis of Microsoft's One Windows vision. Of course, nothing exists in a vacuum, and Apple and Google have their own agendas. So what are the philosophical differences between Microsoft's one OS strategy and its rivals approach to personal computing?

Different perspectives: Apple's many platforms

Apple, Google, and Microsoft are the primary providers of personal computing operating systems. With Windows Microsoft has maintained a near 90-percent dominance of the desktop for decades, dwarfing its nearest rival Apple's MacOS. The script is dramatically flipped in the mobile arena where Microsoft has less than one-percent of the market. Android has over 80-percent of the market while Apple's iOS claims all but a tiny fraction of the remaining share.

Microsoft's personal computing strategy has always been to bring one Windows, in some form, to the range of devices people use. Conversely, Apple has an OS for all form factors. It has watchOS for wearables, iOS for phones and tablets, macOS for the desktop and tvOS for the living room.

The benefit to this approach is that each of these platforms is tailored for the devices they run on. The downside is they also each represent a different target for developers. Of course, Apple has 16 million registered developers and is a darling of the tech industry. Consequently, getting developer support even for disparate platforms is nowhere near the challenge it would be for say Microsoft. Sadly, Redmond, with only one platform, is struggling to garner developer support for its Universal Windows Platform (UWP).

Google's OS duality

Google falls somewhere in between Microsoft and Apple's approaches. Rather than one OS like Microsoft or several, like Apple, Google maintains two platforms: Android and Chrome OS.

Android runs on a broad range of device types from phones, to wearables to IoT devices. There has been little success in bringing a viable form of Android to the desktop scenario, however. Android simply doesn't yet have the level of comfort and consistency in a desktop context that Windows provides.

Chrome OS, a browser-based operating system, is Google's desktop platform. Chromebooks, which run Chrome OS have found growing popularity in the education sector. They're affordable, easy to maintain and because everything is web-based, a user's data is always easy to access from anywhere. Rumors of a merged Chrome and Android hybrid, have been floating around for years but have yet to bear fruit.

With all the excitement over Windows on ARM don't forget about Google's Andromeda

Ironically Microsoft adopted the moniker of Google's rumored universal OS, Andromeda, to describe (at least internally) its application of a single OS to rule them all.

Different approaches, same goal

Despite the different approaches to personal computing Apple, Google and Microsoft are all headed in the same direction. Each company has the goal of making mobile devices more powerful and more capable of doing what were traditionally tasks reserved for the desktop.

In less than 10 years smartphones have taken on web-surfing, document editing, messaging, emailing, increasingly more demanding gaming, job searching and a host of other previously PC-centric tasks. A combination of increases in processing power and apps have made the evolution of the mobile landscape a suitable replacement for the desktop for an increasing, but still limited range of PC-centric tasks.

Still, Apple, Google, and Microsoft recognize that because mobile is where most consumer personal computing is occurring mobile platforms must continue to become more powerful to accommodate even more desktop-type computing.

Convergence

Apple's and Google's primary personal computing platforms, Android and iOS, evolved around smartphones and an app-centric model designed for light, touch-centric computing. These companies now have the challenge of maintaining the advantages of the mobile platforms that have made them successful while making them more robust in order to handle increasingly complex computing.

Consequently, they are in essence moving mobile-centric paradigms toward a more inclusive personal computing paradigm that supports desktop computing contexts. Apple's iOS-based iPad Pro, with keyboard, pencil and marketing lingo that equates the tablet to a PC are evidence of this.

The truth about Apple's iPad ads

Google has made a similar move by bringing Android apps to Chromebooks. Android-based laptop designs have also come to market. Samsung also brought the Continuum-type DeX dock to market which turns an Android phone into a desktop. Unlike Microsoft's UWP apps, however, Android apps aren't developed with the same consistency to scale to all form factors, dynamically provide a context-sensitive UI and conform to appropriate input methods. UWP apps can dynamically conform to monitor, mouse and keyboard or touch-friendly mobile interactions.

Windows Core OS: Then there was one

Both Apple's and Google's attempts to accommodate more complex computing are centered around keeping their successful mobile platforms distinct from their desktop OSes. Microsoft has the opposite challenge. It has been successful on the desktop, and with Windows Core OS, it is attempting to bring the power of Windows 10 to everything.

The advantage Microsoft has is that Windows 10 is already where iOS and Android are trying to get. As the standard for desktop OSes, it has in power and range of functionality what users and manufacturers are increasingly pushing their mobile devices to achieve. So rather than trying to make its mobile OS more robust or capable like the competition, Windows Core OS allows Microsoft and OEMs to trim full Windows down for mobile and other devices. It keeps all of the power of Windows while relinquishing features not needed for a given form factor.

Windows Core OS opens the door for potentially creative hardware designs that Microsoft may bring to the mobile and IoT space.

Of course, the app gap will still be a challenge if this nimble approach to Windows makes it to market. It does modernize the platform, however. If Microsoft ever gets past the app gap problem, leveraging things like progressive web apps, Windows Core OS and a robust ecosystem bring something unique to mobile that Apple, Google, and consumers may not be able to ignore.

Updated September 30, 2017: Several sources have come forward and told us the "Andromeda OS" effort is now internally referred to as "Windows Core OS." We've updated this article to reflect this.

The existence of Microsoft's mobile strategy is debatable. One fact is certain, however, Microsoft needs a mobile device to ensure present and future personal computing relevance.

Smartphones are at the center of technologies that are shaping the future computing landscape. Without a mobile device, Microsoft is solidifying its position as a non-participant in personal computing's consumer-driven future.

A potential ultramobile PC category may help Microsoft and its OEM partners carve out a new, initially niche, telephony-enabled PC category that addresses its absence in mobile but doesn't compete directly with smartphones. PC manufacturer partnerships, electronic or embedded SIM (eSIM), IoT, 5G, edge computing and the synergy of Windows 10 features are all important factors to the long-term positioning of what may potentially become an evolving new PC category.

Assuming this analysis is correct, and results in an actual device, how might Microsoft, OEM partners and Qualcomm position and market ultramobile PCs?

If it's a PC, sell it like a PC

Microsoft must avoid two major pitfalls while executing its mobile strategy. Selling a traditional smartphone against the competition is a no-brainer. The other, presuming ultramobile PCs are the goal, is trying to sell them through traditional smartphone channels. The PC distribution channels Microsoft and its manufacturing partners have established over the past 40 years may prove a more viable strategy.

With Surface and Windows 10, Microsoft inspired partners to build quality 2-in-1s and mobile-oriented PCs that are predicted to remain growing PC segments. These PCs take advantage of Windows 10 features like inking, gaming and more. Ultramobile PCs can be positioned to make use of these successful OEM relationships and range of Windows 10 features.

Existing PC retailers like Best Buy, Staples and Walmart could sell ultramobile PCs to consumers, and existing business-to-business (B2B) channels could sell to the enterprise. Like existing PCs in retail outlets, they can be displayed and packaged with peripherals like monitors, mice and keyboards, like the Continuum-enabled Acer Jade Primo Windows phone. Or like the HP Elite x3, it can be packaged with a Lap Dock-like peripheral. This potentially foldable device could be a tablet when unfolded, a phablet-sized handheld when folded and a laptop or desktop when docked.

Like all technology, over time these devices will become more powerful, and we have evidence that Continuum will become more capable. Consequently, users could potentially create touchdown spots in homes and offices where ultramobile PCs would connect to stationed peripherals in place of old PC towers. Windows 10 on ARM can already run demanding PC tasks such as HD video playback, Inking, Adobe Photoshop, Halo Spartan and Office.

Since the telephony capabilities of ultramobile PCs are not the focus, positioning them as PCs is strategically appropriate and helps avoid carriers as the primary means of distribution.

eSIM and 'bypassing' carriers

Windows 10 on ARM doesn't support telephony yet, but we're conceivably moving swiftly in that direction. With Qualcomm's integrated eSIMs, Microsoft's partners are bringing always-connected, cellular PCs to market beginning this year. eSIMs require less space, allow for lighter and thinner devices, and enable connected devices to be recognized on cellular networks just as traditional SIM cards do. They also allow users greater flexibility with choosing cellular providers. Consumers will have on-device ability to switch between carriers and plans as they see fit and to purchase data directly from the Windows Store.

Microsoft announced carrier and OEM partnerships for cellular PC vision.

eSIMs on tablets are nothing new. But if cellular PCs segue to telephony-enabled ultramobile PCs, the flexibility in carrier choice for voice and not just data helps Microsoft step back into the phone space "from a side door" while still not competing directly with smartphones.

If iPhone and Android phone users purchase an ultramobile PC for PC purposes, they would in effect have a second "phone." This trojan phone effect could be a slow and methodic strategy to bring flexible telephony options to the mobile space.

The GSM Association (GSMA), a body of over 800 mobile carriers, has standardized eSIM guidelines. If Microsoft progresses from eSIM-capable cellular PCs to telephony-enabled ultramobile PCs, it will be following the evolution of supporting technologies.

IoT, 5G and the edge of the cloud

Edge computing allows IoT and connected devices with increasingly powerful processors, that are close to users, to handle much of the processing previously relegated to the cloud.

Reduced latency (time it takes data to reach connected devices), increased processing power and proactive abilities of AI on devices on the clouds edge (like mobile devices) are some advantages of edge computing.

What is Microsoft's intelligent edge and how does it affect mobile?

Qualcomm's CEO Steve Mollenkopf describes it this way:

The imminent implementation of 5G networks will add more capacity and greater data rates to the lower latency that edge computing enables. Mollenkopf says data centers can "essentially be moved closer to where data is used making distributed computing happen." Ultramobile PCs as part of distributed networks could be one business model Microsoft envisions. Monitoring and acting upon the real-time status of equipment or processes may be more efficient on such devices in that context.

Living on the edge

Ultramobile PCs would be positioned (with billions of other IoT devices) on the edge of Microsoft's cloud.

This perspective potentially reveals how Microsoft's cloud strategy works in accord with its mobile objectives. A new category of highly mobile PCs that take advantage of the processing power on the intelligent edge could leverage AI and other high-data processing tasks.

Microsoft may envision a consumer model where ultramobile PCs proactively communicate with connected cars (for which Microsoft provides cloud support) or a growing number of other connected consumer appliances and IoT devices.

If this view is accurate Microsoft's cloud initiatives are forward-looking and foundational to a potential mobile computing paradigm which benefits from edge computing, 5G networks, Microsoft's cloud and Qualcomm's vision of mobile computing's future.

Windows 10, a synergy of features

Microsoft's personal computing strategy is driven by its one-Windows vision to bring the power of Windows to all form factors.

I believe Microsoft intends for ultramobile PCs to present a synergy of Windows 10 features. They would be a single device useful for a range of creative, productive and leisure purposes, including:

• Windows Ink and digital notepads.
• Windows Mixed Reality and virtual and augmented reality handsets.
• Continuum and desktop or laptop PCs.
• Windows gaming and Xbox as a powerful gaming platform.
• Composable Shell (CShell) as a consistent context-conforming UI experience.
• Cloud and AI to leverage Microsoft's Azure, AI and edge computing investments.

The synergy of these features on unique PC form factors optimizes the benefits of edge computing that may make this device Nadella's ultimate mobile device.

Such a device would not categorically be a productivity, leisure, business or consumer device. It would be all these things. Microsoft and its partners could potentially market the unique experience Windows 10 ultramobile PCs may offer.

Following the breadcrumbs

This speculative analysis offers an outlook of how current and evolving technological infrastructure could support the positioning and distribution of a new telephony-enabled PC category.

With a Windows 10-driven strategy, and eSIM, IoT, edge computing and unique hardware investments, Microsoft may be en route to Nadella's ultimate mobile device.

That's what forum user kr33m0 is asking in the Windows Central forums.

I can understand the sentiment, particularly for those who have been with the Microsoft ecosystem through thick and thin. During the Windows 8 days, it looked as though Microsoft was on the cusp of creating a true ecosystem, PCs for productivity and media consumption, Cortana to control IoT devices, Microsoft Band for health and fitness, all connected by our Windows phones as one-stop remotes to access all of our content and services.

Under CEO Satya Nadella, everything seems to have unraveled, however, and those of us who invested in the ecosystem have been met with multiple disappointments. Microsoft Band has been shut down, Windows phone is heading towards its end of life, and Cortana has joined forces with Alexa in a desperate attempt to keep up.

It's a sad state of affairs, but does Microsoft owe its fans for all of its failures? Even if you don't think so, do you feel betrayed? Disappointed? Lied to? Jump in the forum thread and have a good rant. It feels good.

From the forum: Microsoft owes us that have stuck with them since Windows Phone 7 and even beyond!!!

Microsoft did something right when it introduced Windows Phone 7 and the unique Live tile UI. The passion of the Windows phone fan base is proof of that. The information-laden, touch-friendly Start screen was a futuristic departure from the mundane, icon-based UI of the iPhone and hordes of Android phones already on the market.

Users became enamored with the dynamically updating tiles that surfaced news headlines, album art and current song, text messages, email summaries, missed calls, and social media notifications. Live tiles enabled apps that could be "engaged" by users before they were launched. This was a win-win for users and developers. Apps pinned to the home screen vied for a user's engagement by dynamically supplying information. This is a more proactive model for garnering app engagement than the static icon-based UI of iPhones and Android phones. And of course, the early smartphone OSes got the market-share worm. That's bad news for Window phone enthusiasts who want a smartphone.

After years of fighting for market share, Microsoft's mobile efforts seem to be taking an ultra-mobile PC-focused course. Microsoft is done, it seems, with traditional smartphones. But some Windows phone fans still want a plain old, rectangular slab sporting those Live Tiles and fluid UI they love.

The problem is, Microsoft has made finding a smartphone with its mobile OS almost as hard as finding a needle in a haystack.

Now you see them, now you don't

Two years ago Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella communicated that Microsoft was retrenching its mobile efforts from the consumer space.

The news was bad but not devastating. You see, Microsoft promised a few things to assuage those concerned about what retrenchment meant for the company's mobile presence.

Microsoft would continue making phones for three categories of users: value consumers, Windows fans, and the enterprise. This strategy's bright side was that Microsoft was only referring to its first-party smartphones. Manufacturing partners could continue making Windows phones for consumers or the enterprise. Over a dozen OEMs did just that. To convey Microsoft's commitment to mobile, Nadella made the memorable promise that if no one else made Windows phones, Microsoft would. Microsoft kept that promise until the last Lumia, the enterprise-focused Lumia 650 released in early 2016.

The Lumia 550, released in 2015, was the last smartphone made for value consumers. And the much maligned 950 and 950 XL were the last smartphones Microsoft released for Windows fans. Of the three, the Lumia 950 for $399 is the only one in stock in the Microsoft online store.

From bad to worse

To add insult to injury, the retrenchment strategy became a full retreat that created an even deeper wedge between Microsoft's mobile efforts and consumers. Microsoft publically announced that Windows 10 Mobile was focused on the enterprise and not the consumer space.

Windows Mobile and enterprise, out of sight out of mind

This signaled to OEM partners, developers and any consumers that were paying attention that Microsoft's mobile OS wasn't meant for the all-important consumer space. This move effectively cut off current and future support these entities would have brought the platform. Windows phones became an even riskier investment for OEM partners, and consequently, even harder to find.

Sadly, the New York City Police department's dropping of 36,000 Windows phones in favor of the iPhone reflects how Microsoft even dropped the ball in the enterprise and in government, its forte.

Partners doing their part

A host of OEMs have tried to make a mark with Windows phones.

Acer, Nuans, Lenovo, Sony and many others have struggled against the barriers of a challenging market and seeming ambivalence from Microsoft.

A future of partnerships and a possibile Surface phone

Alcatel and HP are the OEM partners with the most appealing devices and broadest distribution. For the enthusiast, the HP Elite x3 is a desirable device, but its enterprise focus and high price tag put it beyond consumers' reach. Alcatel's Idol 4S and the European version the Idol 4 Pro are consumer-focused devices with a more appealing price tag.

The older Alcatel One Touch Fierce XL may even appeal to some fans if they can find one.

But I still want a Windows phone!

Despite all of these challenges, there are those who still clamor for a Windows phone.

Unfortunately, the newest first-party device they can get is the year-old enterprise-focused Lumia 650. The two-year old Lumias 950 and 950 XL flagships and the Lumia 550 are the next best options for those seeking "new-ish" first-party Windows phones.

Zeroing in on what an enthusiast wants is easier than getting what he wants. Distribution channels for Windows phones are so limited that most Windows phones, even when new, weren't carried by all, or in some cases any, carriers. The Lumia 950 was available on AT&T, while the 950 XL was limited to Microsoft Stores. Neither of these physical outlets currently carry a Windows phone of any type.

The best option for enthusiasts who want a first-party Windows phone is to order from the online Microsoft Store, Amazon, eBay or some other website.

While Windows phone fans struggle to get an old, used or refurbished first-party Windows phone (and hope that it works), Samsung and Apple will soon release their newest smartphones on all carriers. Our friends, families, neighbors and coworkers will walk into their nearest mall and walk out with a brand-spanking new iPhone or Galaxy Note.

But, whatever, right? They're not Windows phones.

Dawn of a new day

Microsoft has repeatedly suggested that it's done with smartphones. The company seems ambivalent to users who want a Windows-based smartphone as it prepares for what's next.

There's reason to believe that telephony-enabled ultramobile PCs represent the direction the company's going in. If true, the distribution relationship with carriers, which seems to have been sacrificed with Microsoft's forsaken smartphone efforts, may not matter. Ultramobile PCs may be distributed through the same channels PC partners currently distribute PCs. For now, a user who wants a Windows phone will have limited success with carriers but can certainly find a Windows phone if they look hard enough.

Is Microsoft Strangling Windows phone to prepare for concept of a Surface 'phone'?

As time goes on, however, and Windows phones continue to vanish, the search will become more difficult.

That sounds crazy, I know. And that intro may have you chomping at the bit. But before you get all hot and bothered, note that I'm making a few points abundantly clear:

• Microsoft has a mobile strategy.
• That strategy has been unsuccessful.
• That strategy is still more or less on course.

What needs to be understood is that there is and has always been a distinction between Microsoft having and executing a mobile strategy and the state of success or failure of that strategy. In other words, an assertion that Microsoft has and is executing a mobile strategy is not an assertion that that strategy is succeeding or will succeed.

It is simply an analysis of what Microsoft's vision is, the vision's desired outcome, the steps toward that goal, and a view of the plans executed within the context of the real world.

Windows on telephony-enabled pocketable devices

Pocket PC 2000, a Windows CE-based mobile OS was Microsoft's early foray into the mobile space. It powered what were essentially telephony-enabled PDAs.

This pared-down version of Windows had a UI visually reminiscent of the desktop UI, Start menu and all. It was not mobile-friendly by today's (or arguably the year 2000's) standards. The tiny icons and menus required the use of a stylus. It was Windows on a pocketable device, nonetheless, and represented a partial achievement of Microsoft's Windows on all form factors and Pocket PC vision.

Pocket PC became Windows Mobile 5.0 (and persisted through 6.5) and continued bringing the familiar power of Windows, including Office, to the pockets of business users and techies. It's important to remember these devices existed within a context when PCs, not the later app-centric mobile model, defined personal computing. That's not to say there was no Windows Mobile app ecosystem. Like desktop Windows programs, apps existed but were not in a centralized marketplace. Users had to find and download apps from potentially unsafe websites until Microsoft finally created a Marketplace.

Windows Mobile smartphones were, for their time, powerful pocket PCs. PC-centric tasks such as emailing, messaging, web-surfing, file management, app usage and more had been achieved by this version of Microsoft's mobile OS.

Microsoft's mobile vision was on course.

Mobile computing shifts from a PC focus

In 2007 and 2008, Microsoft's enterprise-focused mobile direction was disrupted when Apple's and Google's consumer-focused smartphones resonated with consumers and developers. The mobile app ecosystem's birth and carrier relationships helped mainstream these non-PC-focused mobile devices.

Microsoft responded with the consumer-focused, touch-friendly Windows Phone 7 mobile OS.

The Live Tile-based UI was a departure from the desktop-like interface that preceded it. It also removed a user's ability to manipulate the OS, manage files and more; features standard to Windows on desktop and Windows Mobile.

Still, though Microsoft's immediate response to rivals was a scramble to make the Windows on phone UI consumer-focused and touch-friendly, the company continued its efforts to unify its mobile and desktop cores. This is an important point because a common core is fundamental to bringing the full power of a Windows PC to all form factors, which is the basis of Microsoft's mobile vision.

Microsoft's mobile strategy was still on course.

OneCore distracts from smartphones, achieves one Windows

Microsoft's performance with smartphones must be viewed from the perspective of its commitment to creating one core for all Windows devices. Unlike its rivals, Microsoft's smartphone efforts were never as narrowly focused on just creating a great mobile experience. Concurrent to its smartphone efforts, Microsoft also laboriously worked to make the OSes running its mobile and desktop platforms - both of which competed in dynamic, distinct and competitive spaces - into one OS.

Commitment to that difficult task distracted from a laser-focus on mobile but was necessary to bring the full power of Windows to all form factors including a pocketable device.

As Microsoft developed OneCore, it also struggled to keep its mobile platform relevant in the smartphone space. Windows Phone 7's deprecation of features Windows Mobile users enjoyed drove many of them to the more open Android platform. Furthermore, the lack of developer support kept Windows Phone in the crosshairs of tech writers who applauded the OS's uniqueness but bemoaned its lack of apps.

Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 were a step closer to OneCore and Microsoft's one Windows and Pocket PC vision. The casualty to this progression, however, were millions of Windows Phone 7.5 users who couldn't upgrade to Windows Phone 8. Windows Phones 8.1 brought the mobile and desktop platforms closer still, and with Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile Microsoft achieved OneCore. This established the Universal Windows Platform (UWP), which allows universal Windows apps to be developed for all form factors with some tweaks to match targeted devices.

Still, though Windows 10 Mobile is Windows, it's a pared-down version compared to the desktop OS. Its imminent demise after 2018 should be followed by full Windows on ARM with context-conforming composable shell or "CShell".

Yes, Microsoft's Windows on all form factors and Pocket PC mobile strategy is still on course.

Is Microsoft strangling Windows 10 mobile to prepare for concept of Surface phone

Windows 10 on ARM with CShell, a vision realized

Full Windows 10 on ARM will initially enable always-connected laptops, tablets, and 2-in-1s with improved battery life. Conceivably, Microsoft will follow these cellular PCs with a telephony-enabled Windows 10 on ARM PC category on a unique form factor.

CShell will allow this PC category to be mobile-friendly while in-hand and provide the full desktop experience via Continuum when connected to a monitor, mouse and keyboard. Windows 10 on ARM with CShell is the one Windows Microsoft envisioned since its early attempts at mobile with its pared-down versions of Windows on Pocket PCs. The full power of Windows will finally be available to desktops, laptops, tablets and pocketable devices.

Microsoft's one Windows Pocket PC mobile strategy's still on track.

Some readers may conclude this is a poor strategy or one for which the desired outcome is unattainable. That's fine, but those are not the points advocated in this piece. This is an assertion that Microsoft has a mobile strategy and that with its one Windows efforts as the driver, it's still advancing that strategy toward the goal of a pocketable, telephony-enabled device with the full power of Windows.

The claim that the unique Live Tile-based UI is inherently unintuitive and the cause of Windows phone's failure I think is limited in perspective. It is more the timing of the introduction of the Windows phone UI into the market that resulted in its rejection and the platform's failure.

The problem isn't the tiles

The fact that many consumers who are presented a Windows phone find the UI initially off-putting must be considered within the context that most smartphone users are using iOS and Android.

Consequently, the unfamiliar Live Tile UI, like most things unknown, has an inherent learning curve. The ease with which users switch between the iPhone and Android phones with fewer hiccups than moving between those platforms and Windows phones has to do with the similar static icon-based UI iOS and most Android phones share. In a nutshell, in an iPhone and Android dominated market smartphone users are used to a static icon-based UI and have little problem switching between what's familiar.

Microsoft research demos interactive Live Tiles between PC and phone.

This reality does not necessarily support a claim that a static-icon based UI is more intuitive than a Live Tile UI as some may believe.

I don't believe that the Windows phone Live Tile UI is inherently unintuitive. What I do believe is that by the time Microsoft brought it to market, its lateness simply made it "unfamiliar" to the masses of smartphone users. If Microsoft was earlier to market with Windows Phone 7, perhaps before the iPhone or concurrent to its introduction, things may have turned out differently for Microsoft.

Defining a new paradigm

There's a saying that the early bird gets the worm. If Microsoft were earlier to the consumer smartphone space, perhaps its Live Tile UI would have helped define the consumer smartphone experience.

Microsoft's Computer Human Interaction Group demonstrates the unfulfilled potential of Live Tiles on phone and PC.

In 2007 smartphones were new to the consumer masses (though old hat to the enterprise and techies) after all. At that time feature phones with their archaic UI's defined the mobile experiences for the masses.

Any new UI could have replaced that experience. The icon-based UI that Apple succeeded with was due to good timing, a good product, and great marketing.

What if Microsoft and Live Tiles were first?

Suppose Microsoft had introduced Windows Phone 7 on the heels of a feature phone consumer market rather than chasing an iOS and Android consumer market in 2010.

The frame of reference in that context would have been a feature phone UI compared to a Live Tile-based UI. The touch friendly, Live Tile, information-rich fluid Windows phone UI would have been an incredible leap in the mobile experience of consumers. Users would not have seen the touch-friendly Windows Phone 7 UI and OS as inherently unintuitive.

Microsoft who was first to the enterprise smartphone space was too slow in bringing its vision of a mobile OS to the consumer masses. Unlike what it accomplished in the PC space, it lost the opportunity to define what a mobile personal computing would be for consumers. I'm reminded of the proverb:

Microsoft as a company is by no means impoverished, but its mobile efforts have yielded an expected and ever-decreasing number to its balance sheets. The company's contentment with its PC position and its over 40 percent smartphone market share at its peak caused the company to become slothful in its mobile strategy.

Steve Ballmer mocks iPhone.

The often mocked mockery of the iPhone by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer summarizes this point.

Microsoft, not Live Tiles was the problem with mobile

Though Live Tiles aren't and never were by their nature an inherent barrier to the adoption of Windows phones, the timing of their introduction into a smartphone experience defined by a static icon-based experience is a problem to the UI's adoption.

How the new Windows 10 Start menu may help Windows phones succeed

Microsoft seems intent on holding on to Live Tiles as evidenced by their use in the Windows 10 Start Menu. This is good news to millions of ardent Windows phone fans who love Live Tiles. But Microsoft is going to have to do better if it wants Live Tiles to keep up or stay ahead of the evolving mobile experience.

Microsoft and developers must be willing to advance Live Tile functionality and the experience making them more consistent with their original vision going forward. For instance, Live Tile's must always display the latest information, must have notifications for all apps, should be more interactive, and the return of the Me Tile with added functionality are just some things Microsoft should bring to the table.

Windows Central's Daniel Rubino demonstrates exploding Mixed View Live Tiles on canceled McLaren.

Exploding Live Tiles or Mixed View, which provides access to additional app content or functions seems to be a vision that Microsoft has forsaken with the ill-fated McLaren. Apple, on the other hand, has taken and applied that concept with force touch in iOS. Microsoft would do well to revisit Mixed View.

The sad truth every Windows phone enthusiast must accept is that Live Tiles aren't at the root of Windows phone's woes, Microsoft is. Let's hope Microsoft has learned from its mistakes.

Further reading

Even if Windows 10 Mobile succeeded Microsoft would have pursued a post smartphone strategy

Impacted by the transition of personal computing to smartphones and tablets like the iPad, the PC market declined sharply in recent years. The always-connected nature of our cell phones and the comfort associated with lounging around the house with a tablet has left the desktop PC and cumbersome laptop form-factors as the infrequent go-tos for tedious or productivity-focused tasks. For everything else, small, connected mobile devices suffice.

Still, the fact that Microsoft was able to turn the Surface, a tablet that could also be a laptop, into a billion-dollar business and an industry-inspiring new PC category speaks to a demand for the power of Windows on a context-conforming mobile form factor. The 2-in-1 PC category grew (and is predicted to continue growing) while other PC segments continued to fall.

Furthermore, the smartphone as an always-connected pocketable device has become our primary personal computer.

Still, it's evident that the rectangular slab form factor and the limits of the two primary mobile OSes, iOS and Android, require users to use another device for certain productivity tasks. With a Windows PC install base exceeding a billion, 500 million of which run Windows 10, most smartphone users also use Windows PCs. I believe Microsoft's mobile strategy will lean on its PC strengths and the power of Windows 10 to bring a unique Windows PC to our pockets.

A PC for (almost) every purpose

Microsoft has applied its PC strength to creating a range of aspirational PC form factors that fit specific needs. Surface Pro is the tablet that can replace a laptop. Surface Book is a powerful laptop that is also a digital clipboard. Surface Hub is a business focused interactive display. Surface Laptop "redefines" that category and Surface Studio is an all-in-one PC and digital drafting table.

The absence of a phone from Microsoft's hardware lineup leaves a glaring gap in Microsoft's pocketable mobile personal computing strategy. The popularity of smartphones and that form-factors primary use for activities such as web surfing, messaging, gaming and other non-phone uses highlight its slant toward PC-like usage.

Microsoft's attempts to fill this pocketable personal computing space with a traditional rectangular-slab smartphone have consistently failed. Positioning a phone opposite iPhone and Android phones does not play to Microsoft's PC strengths, nor does history suggest such a strategy would ever succeed.

For Microsoft to succeed in the mobile space it must forgo the smartphone space. Direct competition with the iPhone and Android phones is suicide.

What Microsoft's mobile device needs to be

Microsoft's mobile device must be capable of the non-phone specific personal computing uses that dominate pocketable personal computing. It must also capitalize on the strengths of Windows PCs since many users still default to them for certain productivity tasks.

Thus, via Continuum, this device must be capable of becoming a full desktop when connected to a monitor, mouse, and keyboard or HP Lap Dock-like peripheral.

Like the always-connected full Windows-on-ARM cellular PCs coming this year, this device must also have a constant cellular connection and run Windows 10. Telephony must be one of the functions, though not a leading function, among the many the OS and various apps will provide.

This PC would fill the pocketable mobile gap in Microsoft's PC lineup. It would be capable of phone calls, but neither technically nor positionally would it be a smartphone.

This seven-inch PC is NOT a Surface phone

We recently reviewed the seven-inch GPD Pocket Windows 10 PC.

This device has a traditional clamshell form-factor and the standard Windows 10 UI. It does not, however, benefit from an innovative or pioneering design, nor an adaptable UI to optimize mobile use. This device does not represent what I believe Microsoft is building as a full PC targeting the mobile space. The GDP Pocket boasts the power of Windows 10 on a pocketable form factor but lacks the physical and software modifications to make it the context-conforming, mobile, telephony-enabled device we envision.

Even if Windows Mobile succeeded, Microsoft would have pursued a post-smartphone strategy

I believe Microsoft's vision of full Windows on a pocketable PC will, via hardware design and software, be optimized for mobility.

Microsoft's vision has always been to bring the full power of Windows to all form factors. By ending Windows 10 Mobile, an underpowered Windows variant, and adopting full Windows on ARM optimized for all form factors, Microsoft may finally realize that vision.

Form shifting hardware

Though there are no guarantees, patents suggest Microsoft's ultimate mobile device will have a foldable design.

We can only speculate but this suggests a phablet-sized configuration when folded and a small tablet form factor when unfolded. Add the ability to connect wired or wirelessly to monitor, mouse and keyboard or HP Lap Dock-like peripheral, and you have a single device that can be a phone, tablet, desktop and laptop.

Andromeda, the next step in the evolution of Windows, is touted as an OS that conforms to all devices form factors.

I believe Microsoft's broader vision for Andromeda is an OS that conforms to the various contexts of a single form-shifting device. Microsoft's long-term vision includes a single device that users carry that becomes virtually every device they'll need. A full-powered context-conforming OS is foundational to that vision.

CShell, Microsoft's adaptable UI.

In conclusion ...

We're not sure what Microsoft has planned. But I believe that it will be a full telephony-enabled pocket Windows PC optimized for mobility. It won't simply be a little PC like the GDP Pocket. It will be Microsoft's moving its successful PC strategy to our pockets via a modernized form factor, pen support and context-conforming UI tailored for the mobile space. It will, I believe, be adaptable to any context (tablet, laptop, phone) and via Continuum be the desktop many users still demand.

Will the rumored Surface phone be a reimagined Surface Mini?

Will it succeed? Maybe. But, regardless, Microsoft has to start (over) somewhere.

The question: "is Microsoft strangling Windows phone to prepare for the concept of a Surface phone?" That's an inherently very different question. I understand the well-rehearsed idea that Microsoft is killing Windows phone. The company's dismal performance in mobile, it's apparent apathy to marketing a first-party smartphone and it's painful silence on the matter could all be legitimately interpreted as conclusive evidence that Microsoft is indeed killing its mobile strategy.

For many Microsoft watchers, the company's collective failures in mobile from Pocket PC, Windows Mobile, Windows Phone and culminating with Windows 10 Mobile, are evidence that Microsoft has finally given up on the idea of Windows-on-mobile. I disagree.

I do, however, believe that to ensure the survival of Windows-on-mobile Microsoft has made difficult decisions that are painful for Windows-based phone loyalists, both inside and outside of Redmond, to endure. It seems Microsoft has deemed that the survival of Windows-on-mobile requires the pruning of the withering branches that are Windows phones.

The Windows-on-mobile vision lives on

To ensure the health of a tree, diseased branches are removed to prevent the disease from spreading to the rest of the tree. This pruning ultimately strengthens the roots, and if it's a fruit-bearing tree, it encourages the eventual production of fruit.

Contrary to exaggerated claims, the current state of Windows phone isn't that of a dead platform. I understand some who make the "claim" intentionally use hyperbole to express its dire condition. Windows Phone 8.1's no longer supported and Windows 10 Mobile's on just 20 percent of devices. Still, Microsoft provides limited support via OS updates. Sporadic developer support, real but insufficient OEM support from the likes of HP and Alcatel, and a passionate though diminishing fan base are also present. Together these variables suggest Windows phone is still alive, but like a branch in need of pruning, it is diseased.

Due to rejection by consumers, insufficient developer support, inconsistent commitment from Microsoft and an inescapable negative reputation, Windows phone is likely unsalvageable. Microsoft knows this. To be clear; I'm referring to a smartphone running Windows 10 Mobile, nothing more.

The idea of Windows on a smartphone is perceived by most as a "diseased concept" that I believe would be rejected no matter how Microsoft might present it. The iPhone and Android phones have defined what a smartphone is and sadly, due to external forces and missteps by Microsoft, a smartphone running any version of Windows does not fit that definition.

Still, though every smartphone is a mobile device, every mobile device is not a smartphone. It is upon this truth that I believe Microsoft is resting its mobile strategy. But to move forward with its Windows-on-mobile vision, it must first remove the diseased Windows smartphones from the market and the idea of Windows on a smartphone from public consciousness.

Smartphone woes

Microsoft's vision of bringing the power of Windows to a pocketable device is decades-old. Long before iPhone or Android phones, Microsoft's mobile OS was a player in the enterprise smartphone space.

To Microsoft's dismay, the historically ignored consumer demographic passionately embraced Apple's offering and Android smartphones that followed. Microsoft's response after its iPhone-inspired awakening from years of lethargy was wracked with desperation.

Microsoft's Live Tile-based, touch-friendly Windows Phone 7 UI was a new and unique manifestation but still a continuation of its Windows-on-mobile vision. Windows Phone 8 and Windows 10 Mobile followed with many improvements and sacrifices. But as was the case with other smartphone iterations of Microsoft's Windows-on-mobile vision, they all ended in failure.

Every mobile device is not a smartphone

Microsoft is currently in a quandary with respect to bringing the next iteration of its mobile vision to market. I believe the company is planning a Continuum-enabled Windows on ARM ultramobile PC with the context-conforming CShell and telephony. This will be a mobile device, but it will not be a smartphone.

For it to be accepted by the market, any remnants of Microsoft's failed smartphone attempts must be eradicated from consumer's minds to whatever extent possible.

Additionally, I believe Microsoft has deemed physical reminders of that failed platform must be purged as well. Thus its full retreat from the market and little effort to solicit OEM support. This strangling of Windows phone while supporting its Widows-on-mobile vision puts Microsoft in a multi-faceted quandary.

Problems with pruning

Though the idea of Windows phone is quickly fading from consumer's collective consciousness, which Microsoft wants, it is also fading from developer's collective consciousness, which Microsoft doesn't want.

Due to low market share and other factors, developers never supported Windows phone in any meaningful way. Now, they're not only ignoring Windows phone as they've historically done but are accepting iOS and Android as the only platforms that matter. Still, Microsoft needs developer support for Windows 10 now and its Windows on ARM ultimate mobile device later.

Microsoft's public dance of dropping carefully curated assurances of a commitment to mobile in reference to a potential Surface 'phone' (ultimate mobile device) while intentionally choking Windows phone by withdrawing all but the most basic support sends a confusing message.

Like many bloggers, consumers and Microsoft watchers, developers mistakenly see Microsoft's lack of passionate support for the current iteration of Windows phone as Microsoft's abandonment of its Windows-on-mobile vision. Consequently, many are abandoning support for Windows and not looking back which is disastrous for Microsoft's mobile future regardless of what non-smartphone device it launches.

We're part of the problem

The other part of Microsoft's pruning process problem is you, and when I say you, I mean us. Passionate Windows phone fans who don't want Windows phone to die.

Now, this is where language becomes important, and a bit confusing. When most people say Windows phone is dead they mean the totality of Microsoft's mobile strategy or Windows-on-mobile (sometimes less accurately called Windows on 'phone' when referencing a future non-phone device).

They're not looking beyond the current iteration of Windows-on-mobile and are seeing Windows 10 Mobile as the totality of Microsoft's mobile strategy. This is wrong. Just as Pocket PC, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phone "died" but Windows-on-mobile lived on as subsequent iterations of the mobile OS, Windows 10 Mobile will likely do the same and be succeeded by Windows 10 on ARM with CShell.

As fans, however, we love, use, talk about and refuse to give up our Windows phones. Some of us still actively try to convert others (I gave that up over a year ago). Naturally, this passionate support and evangelizing of Windows phones work to counter Microsoft's process of pruning actual phones and the idea of Windows phones from the market and our collective consciousness. Microsoft doesn't want consumers thinking about the fiasco that has been Windows on smartphones when it introduces its ultimate (Windows) mobile device.

A new way of thinking

Microsoft's hardware goals are to introduce new categories of devices that help consumers work more efficiently and which conform to a user's context.

Microsoft's still unrealized mobile vision has been clearly communicated over the years. The company wants to offer a pocketable device that can make calls, be a PC via Continuum and as a result of OneCore benefit from the breadth of features available to Windows 10. Pen support via system-wide inking, mixed reality and more are examples of features this ultimate mobile device, that can potentially be all devices, may bring to the table.

Microsoft faces the challenge of proudly communicating that the range of benefits that this device will bring to the masses are features of Windows 10, while conveying that the device itself is not a phone. It's clear from previous reader's comments that that distinction will be difficult to communicate.

I'm certain that hardware design will be critical to helping to make the visual distinction as clear as possible. Unique and new ways of interaction may be another. Intentional market positioning in the PC space as an ultramobile PC and subsequent marketing as such may further distinguish this device from smartphones.

However Microsoft brings its ultimate mobile device to the table, it will do so in the wake of strangling the life out of Windows phones right before our watchful eyes. It's not pretty, but if the next phase of Windows-on-mobile is to have any chance at acceptance the world needs to forget about Windows on smartphones in order for the concept of an ultimate mobile device to take root.

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How Microsoft can ensure Surface phone success

Still, the absence of the most personal of computing devices from Microsoft's lineup is detrimental to its present and future relevance. Microsoft must launch a Surface phone.

The personal computing landscape is permeated with technologies that became relevant to consumers by way of smartphones. Digital assistants, the cloud, smart home speakers, in-car computing, IoT and mobile gaming are an increasingly cohesive personal computing tapestry spawned by and centralized around smartphones.

Microsoft's retreat from the smartphone space removed the company's rapport to the personal computing landscape and potentially eliminated its future relevance. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella promised an "ultimate mobile device" that will be "beyond the curve" and won't be like "the other guys'" phones, however.

Microsoft's ultimate mobile device

I believe Microsoft's ultimate mobile device will fill the gap left by its absent smartphones, and will potentially create a new device category. The iPhone's and Android phone's mobile dominance and Microsoft's need for "some type of mobile device," makes both these objectives necessary.

Microsoft needs a personal portal to its ecosystem and a compelling device that challenges the "rectangular-slab-smartphone" status quo.

A device with game-changing, context-conforming hardware which benefits from a synergy of technologies from inking, mixed reality, gaming and more may be the answer.

These are lofty goals. This device will require massive engineering resources, profound levels of inter-department collaboration to bring different technologies together and immense marketing and distribution follow-through. This massive investment is also a huge gamble. The risk is accentuated by Microsoft's 100 percent failure rate in mobile.

Not to act, however, is a guarantee that Microsoft, without that personal portal to its ecosystem and nexus point for other technologies, will be irrelevant in the future of personal computing. This can't be overemphasized: Microsoft must launch a Surface phone.

Failure should have taught Microsoft how to succeed

External forces, as well as internal shortcomings, led to Microsoft's mobile failures. Slow responses to the market, inconsistent marketing and distribution, support of iOS and Android at Windows' expense, not-ready-for-prime-time Windows 10 Mobile, and more plagued the platform.

Unless Microsoft is oblivious or simply doesn't care, experience should have taught it how not to fail. The coming ultimate mobile device, an ultramobile Surface PC with CShell and telephony, may succeed.

As a telephony-enabled, pocketable Windows 10 PC with Continuum, it will fill Microsoft's smartphone gap and challenge the "rectangular-slab-smartphone" status quo. Despite the best-laid plans, however, success isn't guaranteed. And Microsoft's fight to position an ultramobile Surface PC in the mobile space will be wrought with challenges.

Positioning matters

Positioning any "Microsoft" mobile device directly against the iPhone and Android phones in the smartphone space would be suicidal. The market has grown cold to Microsoft's phone efforts. Fans are bitter, consumers apathetic, OEMs uncommitted, the enterprise is disinterested, and many bloggers are hostile. Another strictly "phone" attempt would be fodder for more negativity.

Microsoft cannot position a "Surface phone" as a phone. As a telephony-enabled ultramobile PC it must be positioned accordingly. It must be clear to fans, consumers, the enterprise and bloggers that this ultimate mobile device is something new.

It mustn't look like a smartphone, but it must be familiar enough to be recognized as a mobile device. It must provide new ways of interaction but also be intuitive.

It must be positioned in the mobile, not smartphone, space as an ultramobile PC both because that's what it will be as well as to escape the stigma of Microsoft's past phone failures. It must appeal to consumers who are dictating personal computing's direction and be suitable for the enterprise. If Microsoft fails at positioning the ultramobile Surface, it will lose before it even gets "re-started."

Surface phone needs "One Microsoft"

Microsoft's strategy is the coalescing of various technologies synergistically in an ultramobile Surface. This is important to making an ultramobile Surface unique.

Surface lead Panos Panay expressed how the Surface team's working with the OneNote team was important to making the pen and Surface work together seamlessly. A more extensive level of collaboration must take place to bring an even broader range of innovative technologies to the ultramobile Surface.

Microsoft's four engineering groups Cloud and Enterprise Engineering, Office Product, Windows and Devices, and Technology and Research were structured to allow engineering heads to report directly to Nadella. This makes for a more efficient product development and product-to-market system.

This structure should also provide a collaborative environment where teams can work together efficiently and intentionally to bring various technologies to the ultramobile Surface. Panay and his team will need the folks working on mixed reality, Office, inking, AI, gaming, CShell, Continuum, Project Centennial, Cloud and Windows to make Nadella's ultimate mobile device a reality.

Marketing and distribution

Beyond the divisions building the device, other teams must ensure its marketing and distribution.

Microsoft marketing and operations.

The Corporate Strategy and Planning, Global Sales Marketing and Operations, Marketing Group, and Worldwide Commercial Business divisions must position it for success.

These teams and leaders must be held accountable for ensuring Microsoft puts 100 percent of its weight behind building, positioning, marketing and distributing Nadella's ultimate mobile device. If this doesn't happen, Microsoft's mobile efforts may fail again.

Developers, Developer, Dev … Microsoft you're a developer!

As we move toward an AI, bot and progressive web app world, no current mobile ecosystem can thrive without a strong app ecosystem. If Microsoft can't attract developers, its ultimate mobile device will be doomed from the start. Developers need to be convinced Windows is a viable platform.

Microsoft can potentially woo developers and prove its commitment to mobile by launching an exclusive suite of unique, high-quality Universal Windows Platform (UWP) productivity, entertainment, gaming and utility apps. They can fall under a "Surface exclusive" branding reminiscent of "Lumia exclusives" of the past. Microsoft must also keep its promise that cross-platform first-party apps will be best on Windows.

As the world's leading software company with resources spanning Windows, Office, Microsoft Garage apps, AI, Xbox and more, Microsoft itself is its best asset for winning developers. If it puts a 100 percent effort into building exclusive UWP apps and games before Surface phone's launch, it may inspire third-party developers to follow.

If Microsoft continues business as usual, as usual it will fail.

Beating consumer apathy requires ultimate effort

Winning mobile users requires an enormous effort. If it happens, it won't be overnight. Many consumers have a negative view of Windows phone, and after being burned, many no longer trust Microsoft.

Microsoft made a strategic (but painful to users) gamble by "purging" the market of Windows phones in hopes of purging the failed platform from consumers' minds as it prepares for what's next.

Microsoft's ultimate mobile device will be its next attempt at mobile. If it supports mixed reality, Xbox and Windows gaming, becomes a desktop via Continuum, conforms to context via CShell, has a suite of exclusive apps, has first-party apps that are best on Windows and a growing pool of third-party apps, Microsoft may have a shot at winning consumers and the enterprise.

Microsoft's Surface phone must be the ultimate mobile device

Microsoft's ultimate mobile device must be just that: the ultimate mobile device. It must be that single computing device that does virtually everything for virtually anyone. Microsoft can spare no effort and must target broad markets. It must appeal to consumers, the enterprise and gamers.

Microsoft simply must deliver.

Pooling the efforts of multiple engineering, strategy and marketing teams around an ultramobile Surface is a tremendous gamble. If Microsoft fails, resources will be wasted, the press will be unmerciful and the industry-esteemed Surface brand will be marred.

If it succeeds, the rewards will be equally as profound and Microsoft may well change the game.

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Much is made of the so-called "death of Windows phones" throughout the community and the tech media. On one hand, we have no more Lumia phones coming, and third-party efforts have all but dried up. On the other, Microsoft hasn't actually said, well, anything, really. No news is good news, right?

This very topic is the meat of a great discussion right now in the Windows Central Forums:

The opening thread goes on into a lot of detail, but it seems to have hit a nerve and is sparking quite the discussion. Hit the forums thread linked below and have your say.

In the forums: What if there won't be any more Windows Mobile devices?

A couple of weeks ago, we posted exclusive images of Microsoft's new "composable shell," a.k.a., "CShell," for Windows 10 Mobile.

What exactly is Cshell? It's not a something you find on the beach, that's for sure. From Windows Central Senior Editor Zac Bowden:

We're particularly excited about CShell, if for no other reason than it's a definite step in the right direction for Windows 10 Mobile, and it looks more modern and in line with the Windows desktop experience, which is kind of the point.

There's a lively thread in our forum (posted by user ravimaurya027) right now on this very subject, and it's already received dozens of (mostly) thoughtful comments.

What do you think of CShell so far? Does it bode well for the future of Windows Mobile? And if so, what specifically do you think it means (or doesn't mean)? Hit the link below to move on over to the forums and share your perspective.

In the forums: What do you think about the CShell?

A lot of Windows phone users these days are switching to Android or iOS. Although that's unfortunate, we understand why it is happening and want to help. We're often bombarded with questions, such as "Which Android should I get?" Let's be honest, the world of Android is far more complicated and vast than the small circle of devices that Windows 10 Mobile currently offers.

See at OnePlus

In my previous article detailing my experience with Android as a Microsoft user, I decided to do an experiment using the OnePlus 3T. I made that decision after doing research on best Android smartphones, but I wasn't entirely interested in raw specs or the build quality. I was looking for an Android that's best for newcomers to the platform.

And that's where the OnePlus 3T comes in. I've been using the OnePlus 3T as my main device for around a month, and I'm yet to regret my decision. I could've picked the LG G6, or waited for the Samsung Galaxy S8. But I didn't. I grabbed the OnePlus 3T, and I honestly do think it's the best choice for Windows phone users looking to make the switch to Android.

Here's why.

OnePlus 3T Detailed Review

Software

Android is Android. It's Android on Google's Pixel, and it's Android on the Samsung Galaxy S8. It's also Android on the OnePlus 3T, but each hardware maker does something different that changes things. Some hardware makers clog their phones with unnecessary skins and services. Others implement useful tweaks. And some leave Android alone to be Android.

As someone coming from a Windows phone, it was important to me that my experience with the software was the best it possibly could be. So for me, the Galaxy S8 is not an option because Samsung often likes to cake Android in its own skins, added features and services, which ultimately slow down the handset. The LG G6 is less guilty of this, but HTC, Xaiomi and more all do the same.

The Pixel is probably the best choice in regards to smooth and responsive Android, but there's a problem: The Pixel is a Google phone, and at Windows Central, most of us are not Google users. We're all in on Microsoft's ecosystem. So buying a phone designed specifically for Google users probably isn't that great of an idea. So what other Android could we use here?

Enter the OnePlus 3T. OnePlus doesn't add unnecessary fluff on top of Android. The experience is almost "stock" Android, with a few additions and necessary tweaks that make using the OnePlus 3T better. For example, there's a dark mode on the OnePlus 3T, something that's omitted from the Pixel and Galaxy S8.

The OnePlus 3T shipping with mostly-stock Android is significant. There's only the "normal" amount of Google bundleware out of the box, and most of it can be disabled pretty easily. So it's an Android that isn't designed entirely for the Google ecosystem, that's mainly stock Android which means it's super fast and fluid.

That also means when you ultimately decide to install Microsoft's own Android launcher, it won't task the CPU as much as it would on other Androids, and overall user-experience is much more positive in the long run. I haven't experienced any lag on the OnePlus 3T. The same cannot be said with my experiences with the Galaxy S7 and other Androids.

The fingerprint reader in the home button on the front of the device is also incredibly quick. It's just as fast as my iPhone 7's fingerprint reader and definitely faster than the Lumia 950's iris recognition or the HP Elite x3's fingerprint scanner.

Hardware

Of course, users coming from Windows phone finally have the chance to choose a smartphone that's well-built. The OnePlus 3T is an excellent device that's well-crafted and reminds me a lot of Surface. It's made of aluminum that feels superb in the hand. Lumia 950 users will really enjoy this build quality.

The OnePlus 3T comes in three colors: gunmetal, soft gold, and for a limited time, midnight black, which is what I opted for. The phone is incredibly well-built and isn't too crazy for a newcomer switching from Windows phone. It also uses dedicated hardware keys for back, home and the multitasker. The only criticism I have is that it's rather slippery, so you might want a case.

I know many Windows phone users prefer on-screen keys. Don't worry, the OnePlus 3T has you covered. As mentioned above, OnePlus has made several small but necessary tweaks to Android, and one of them is the option to enable the on-screen navigation buttons in favor of the hardware keys. (I still prefer using the hardware keys.)

When it comes to specifications, the OnePlus is pretty well-equipped. It's rocking a Snapdragon 821, which I know isn't the latest from Snapdragon, but it does the job well. It has 6GB of RAM, which is more than most other Android flagship devices on the market. Devices like the Galaxy S8 and LG G6 are rocking 4GB of RAM, which is also reasonable.

But with 6GB of RAM, you can have more apps open in multitasking at any given time, and the OS is less prone to slowing down and lagging when doing multiple things at once. In my tests, it's clear that the OnePlus 3T can hold more apps in multitasking than the LG G6, with the G6 needing to reload specific apps when switching.

You also get either 64GB or 128GB storage options. There's no microSD expansion support, unfortunately, which may be a deal-breaker for some. There is dual-SIM however, another must-have for a lot of Windows phone users. Oh, and there's also a headphone jack.

The screen is gorgeous. It's a 1080p OLED panel, so it's not the highest quality. But, honestly, at 5.5 inches, 1080p is absolutely fine. The OLED panel is incredibly bright, and the colors simply pop. There's also a sort of glance screen that you can enable, which displays the time and notifications on a black background when you wave your hand over the ambient sensor.

The camera is an important factor for many Windows phone users, especially those on Lumias. The OnePlus 3T camera is superb. It's incredibly fast to launch. I'm not much of a camera expert, but I've not been disappointed by the OnePlus 3T's 8MP front-facing or 16MP rear-facing shooters. (For more information on the cameras, I'd refer you to the Android Central review.)

Battery

There is a USB-C charging port at the bottom of the device, but this isn't any old USB-C charging system. The OnePlus 3T utilizes something called "Dash Charge," which has the tagline "A days power in half an hour." They aren't kidding; the OnePlus 3T charges abnormally quickly.

No Windows phone on the planet charges as fast as the OnePlus 3T. In fact, I'd argue that no other commercially-available phone charges as fast as the OnePlus 3T. The 3T is rocking a 3500mAh battery, which gets you through a work day easily. In my daily use case, I can get through a day and a half, sometimes even two, before needing to charge.

Price

A lot of the time, people looking to switch from Windows phone don't have the money to be able to afford a good, high-end smartphone. This usually means they end up getting a cheap, low-end handset with terrible performance.

Considering the OnePlus 3T is rocking a Snapdragon 821, 6GB of RAM, 64GB Storage, dual SIM, a 1080p OLED display and the fastest charging in the world, I'm sure you're thinking this device is super expensive. But it's not. OnePlus is known for building incredibly high-end flagships for a low cost, and the 3T starts at just $439.

For $439, you can get yourself the 64GB OnePlus 3T, which comes with all the same goodies that the 128GB variant comes with. The 128GB model is only $479, so it's not much of a jump in price.

Now, $439 isn't the cheapest you can go for a smartphone, but for what you get in the box you can't exactly say you're not getting your money's worth.

Final thoughts on the OnePlus 3T

Based on the fact that the OnePlus 3T ships with almost stock Android, with some additional, useful tweaks such as dark mode, great build quality, incredible specifications, and a relatively low price point, the OnePlus 3T is the best Android phone for newcomers looking to switch from Windows phone.

It's not flashy and crazy. It's a good, modest and very capable smartphone. It's a great starting point into the world of Android. You can essentially turn the OnePlus 3T into a Microsoft phone thanks to Android, which is what I love the most about Android. On iOS, you can't really do that. On Android, you can set Microsoft apps as default apps, sync notifications from your phone to your PC, set Cortana as the default voice assistant, and even use Microsoft-made home screens and lock screens.

You can essentially turn Android into a Microsoft phone, which is great. Admittedly, it's unfortunate that so many people are looking to switch from actual Windows phones these days. For those who just can't hack Windows phone anymore (I'm still returning), the OnePlus 3T is an excellent best place to start if you're looking to switch to Android.

See at OnePlus

This is especially true when you consider that Microsoft's current Windows-on-phone OS, Windows 10 Mobile, is fairing just as poorly as its predecessors. Like Pocket PC, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phone, Windows 10 Mobile has failed to deliver Microsoft's products and services to the mobile masses.

The ideal position for a company that hopes to be represented in the mobile space is that it has a market-accepted mobile platform, integrated first-party products and services, and a robust third-party supported ecosystem. Microsoft only has the second of the three. Even with that, scorned fans will be quick to point out that many first-party Microsoft products, like Office Sway, make it to iOS and Android but never come to Windows phone.

Given the state of Windows Mobile and Microsoft's cross-platform commitments, many Microsoft watchers believe that Microsoft should abandon its Windows-on-phone vision and use Android instead. Some would even argue that Microsoft is showing signs of doing just that. Are they right?

Microsoft is leeching royally off of Android

Despite the competitive challenges it brings to the table, Android has been good for Microsoft. The company collects royalties from various Android OEMs due to a patent licensing agreement.

The estimated billions of dollars in yearly revenue these royalties add to Microsoft's bottom line (though dwarfed by Microsoft's core business revenue) are certainly a motivation for Microsoft to hope for Android's continued success. Though, perhaps not to the extent that that success is detrimental to Microsoft's personal computing goals.

Additional revenue isn't the only benefit Android provides Microsoft. According to Microsoft's Chief Experience Officer Julie Larson-Green, "Android is a great platform for rapid experimentation." The platform's openness and the vast number of users make it ideal for testing new features.

Thus, Microsoft's investments in garage apps such as its Next Lock Screen and Arrow Launcher for Android are not end goals in themselves.

The depth to which Microsoft can access the Android OS (compared to the limits of iOS) allows the company to create useful Android apps, which also provide opportunities for tremendous feedback for features that later make it to Microsoft's core products. Larson-Green explained:

This explains Microsoft's Android focus on garage apps. But what of Microsoft's other decisions that some interpret as suggestive of the company's progression toward Android?

Becoming Android

Concerned Windows phone enthusiasts needn't look far to find evidence that Microsoft is testing the Android waters. Shifts in UI design of Window Mobile from the bold, sweeping, cascading text we fell in love with, to hamburger menus and an Android-esque aesthetic signal that Microsoft is slowly abandoning its unique mobile vision.

The explanation that Microsoft was hoping to appeal to Android developers by making Windows phone UI elements more consistent with Android apps didn't satisfy some critics of the decision, especially since Android developers never took advantage of the shift.

Microsoft's Windows 10 Companion app may also be interpreted by some as the company's lack of faith in its mobile platform. The app helps smartphone users download Microsoft apps to their smartphones with the hope of integrating those users more deeply into Microsoft's ecosystem.

This investment coupled with the often-criticized strategy of exclusively bringing apps to iOS and Android can be seen as Microsoft hedging its bets in case Windows Mobile fails.

If Windows phone fails, Microsoft's phone companion app may herald Microsoft's plan B

Best on Windows?

Some would argue that if this is not the case, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's promise of a "best on Windows Microsoft experience" would dictate a prioritizing of Microsoft apps on Windows.

The growing number of Microsoft apps in the Google Play Store (and App Store), while Microsoft fails to bring its own apps to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) causes many to question the company's priorities.

The integration of Android with Windows 10 services such as Cortana and notifications also suggests to some that Microsoft may be preparing to abandon Windows Mobile.

Cyanogen, Microsoft cozying up with Android

Microsoft had a partnership with Cyanogen (which, after a major shakeup is now Lineage, a U.S.-based company that produced Android-based firmware for mobile devices.

This partnership, which saw the bundling of Microsoft apps and integration of Microsoft services in the Android-based Cyanogen OS, also suggests to some that the company was testing how well Microsoft products and services might integrate with Android. Former Cyanogen CEO Kirt McMaster was excited about bringing "new kinds of integrated services to mobile users in markets around the world."

Microsoft passed on financially investing in Cyanogen, and as Lineage it's no longer the company that entered into a partnership with Microsoft. Despite these shifts, Microsoft gleaned valuable data from the relationship. Deep OS-level integration of products and services like Cortana within the Cyanogen OS undoubtedly helped Redmond to, at least in part, bring a non-Google, Android-based vision of a Microsoft-focused mobile OS, reminiscent of the Nokia X, into view.

"Microsoft's" Samsung Galaxy S8

Samsung's Galaxy S8 is a beautiful phone, and Windows Central hasn't been shy about acknowledging its appeal. Microsoft, which is offering a Microsoft version of this Android-based phone in its retail stores, where Windows-based phones are ironically absent, also recognizes the phone's consumer appeal.

This arrangement may appear to be a sure sign that Microsoft is abandoning its mobile platform for Android. Microsoft's long play, however, even if its mobile platform was a success, would likely entail imbuing competing platforms with its products and services.

The controversial positioning of an Android device in a Microsoft Store is harder to defend. But that too could be envisioned as a strategy.

Let's not forget, however, that in 2015 Samsung and Microsoft ended a court dispute over Android royalties the Korean-based company was obligated to pay Microsoft. The full terms of the outcome of that case were never disclosed. Perhaps, this Microsoft version of the S8, with a prime spot in the physical store, is part of what resulted from that case. Then again, the Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus Android phone is being sold through the Chinese Microsoft Store.

Some might deduce that Microsoft's foray into Android with garage apps and Cyanogen, and its prioritization of cross-platform investments above Windows, suggest that the company is using the S8 and Mi 5s Plus to set the stage for an eventual Microsoft branded Android smartphone in the Microsoft Store. But I doubt it.

Few companies have the resources to fork Android, Microsoft is one of them

"Forking Android" is when an OEM uses the free Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code to run devices with a Google-less Android OS. Simply put, when an OEM chooses not to use Google's version of Android, official access to the Google Play Store and the suite of popular Google apps and services are not part of the package.

Without those value-adding products and services, which have become almost synonymous with "Android," the Google-enriched version is not the Android you get. It is more of a no-frills version in need of a range of products, services and an app store.

Companies like China-based Xiaomi and online retailer Amazon used vast resources to succeed with a Google-less version of Android. Microsoft, with its broad range of software and virtual product-for-product alternatives to Google's range of first-party offerings, is arguably well-positioned to fork Android, as well.

Through persistent cross-platform offerings of its products and services, Microsoft has potentially positioned itself to be a "first-party" developer of a homegrown Android platform. Additionally, with Microsoft Garage and other original apps, the company has indisputably proven that it can create compelling new apps specifically geared for Android that also integrate with Microsoft's other services. (Arrow Launcher's Office 365 integration is an example.)

Forking Android can get complicated

One challenge Microsoft would face if it switched from Windows Mobile to Android is another blow to its tenuous relationship with developers. Some developers have suffered through a series of breaks in OS continuity over the years as Windows Mobile evolved toward OneCore.

Developers don't love Windows. Can Microsoft mend the relationship?

The UWP

Microsoft has been promoting OneCore, the UWP and writing code once for all form factors for two years. If Microsoft made an about face and embraced Android, it would likely lose all credibility with developers and many others in the industry who believe in Microsoft's UWP vision.

A Microsoft-branded Android smartphone, though capable of integrating with the Windows ecosystem, would cut the mobile component of UWP out of the picture. This can't be Microsoft's plan.

Maintaining multiple apps

For those developers who may embrace Microsoft's Android, challenges remain. For instance, a developer who buys into Microsoft's platform will have likely also embraced Google's version. Here's the problem: Some apps tie into certain services, like Google Maps, to work. A developer may find that his Google app requires an update but that the same app on Microsoft's platform does not (or vice versa), because of an update to Google Maps (or another service).

Thus, in some situations, a developer may feel like he is maintaining an app on two different platforms.

What's in Store?

A switch to Android would severely impact the already poorly supported Windows Store. Some angry developers would undoubtedly abandon the platform (and Store) outright. Furthermore, Microsoft would have to build an Android Store to serve mobile, while the current Store continues to serve full Windows. After all of the work that has and is going into unifying the Store, I don't envision Microsoft making a move that would damage the infrastructure, logistics and goodwill those efforts established.

Obligated OEMs

Finally, OEMs that currently build Google-powered Android phones can't embrace building a non-Google Android phone without Google cutting that OEM's access to the Play Store and Google services. Most OEMs would likely stick with the Android services they and their customers know, rather than risking a loss by gambling on Microsoft's version of Android.

So should Microsoft fork Android?

Despite what some may interpret as indications that Microsoft is moving to Android, I contend that it is not, nor should it.

Clearly, a devastated UWP, further damaged developer relations, a chaotic Windows-Android Store duality, and poor OEM support strongly suggest that Microsoft forking Android is a bad idea. I see Microsoft pursuing full Windows-on-mobile on an ARM-based ultimate mobile device.

But that's just my opinion. What's yours?

I also wrote:

Why Android is a serious problem for Microsoft

No, Windows phone isn't dead and it may never die

What Android and iPhone users need to know about Windows phone

Developers don't love Windows. Can Microsoft mend the relationship?

It's easy to get swept up in all the doom and gloom around Microsoft's mobile platform these days. We're knee deep in it every single day on the Windows Central editorial team. It's hard to ignore.

But this post isn't about any of that. For now, we want to put all of the negativity to one side and think about the good things Windows 10 Mobile has to offer. Luckily, there's already a thread in our forums based on this very idea.

Whatever the actual future of Windows on phones, we never forget where we came from, nor the community that helped us grow into the site we are today. And we're proud of our community, as well, including user Windowsmoose, who started the thread cited here.

So head on over and join the discussion with other like-minded enthusiasts. Forget the negativity, let's spread some good!

In the forums: The positive Windows phone news thread

A few days ago, one of our forum members, BenGutt, created a thread asking other forum members who've moved on from Microsoft's mobile OS what it would take to bring them back to Windows Mobile.

BenGutt explained that there is some bitterness when it comes to Microsoft's missed opportunities but reconciles with the fact that it's now releasing more apps for other platforms. For BenGutt, the Samsung Galaxy S8 has taken the place of the Lumia 950 XL, which is ready to be sent away for recycling.

Have you ditched Window Mobile for another platform? If so, what does Microsoft have to do to bring you back? Is it all about the apps? Would a not new device do the trick? Is there any chance at all you'll come back?

Share your opinion and answer BenGutt's question in the forum thread, where there's a lively discussion going on.

Join the discussion on the Windows Central forum!

In 2017, the commercial status of Windows Mobile is sealed and arguably has been ever since the Nokia "McLaren" was canceled in mid-2014. With Microsoft undoing the Nokia mobile acquisition and ending phone hardware with the Lumia 650 there has been little uptake by other manufacturers to fill that gap.

Nadella needs to say at Build next month exactly what Microsoft's plans (if any) are for its mobile ambitions. And to get around any cutesy wordplay with the term "mobile," I don't mean tablets and laptops, but phones.

Give users closure or hope, not mixed messages

The current situation is particularly troublesome. Were Microsoft to pull the plug on Windows 10 Mobile and again specifically smartphones, the industry would roll with it. After all, mainstream tech media has been calling for the demise of Windows phone for years, and even dedicated fans are giving up on the platform.

In other words, were Microsoft to quit Windows phones, no one would be shocked nor surprised. At the very least, however, fans of Microsoft and those in tech who wish for a "third way" would have a definitive answer.

Right now, Microsoft is sending mixed messages. With no new Lumias and noble, but limited, attempts from Alcatel and HP, there is just no compelling Windows phone hardware. Normally, that is enough to call a platform dead, yet Microsoft is continually updating and yes, improving Windows 10 Mobile.

In fact, I can easily make a compelling case that the Windows 10 Mobile Creators Update is significantly better, faster, more reliable, and more fun to use than it was just six months ago. It is obvious Microsoft is improving things. But to what end?

Adherents to Windows 10 Mobile accepted this Schrödinger-like duality for the last few years, expecting the proverbial shoe to drop with a "Surface phone." That has not happened, and in October it will be two years since the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL were announced, which were themselves disappointments.

Where is all of this going, Microsoft?

Microsoft did not even see it fit to upgrade Windows Phone 8.1 devices without making the user go out of their way, and now we recently learned that the Creators Update will siphon off even more devices.

Rumors are picking up that after the "Redstone 3" update due in October, Microsoft will discontinue all development on Windows 10 Mobile. While no one would exactly be surprised, the question is why even bother with the dance with consumers? Is it, as some have speculated, to fulfill the two-year support for the last Lumias?

Forget consumers, what about developers?

Developers are the core of Microsoft, stretching back famously to the days of Steve Ballmer, but even they are now left scratching their heads. Developers are abandoning Windows phones more than ever, dropping support for apps and not replacing it with modern Universal Windows Platform (UWP) versions as Microsoft had anticipated.

With less than one percent of the smartphone market share, no one even blames a company like Spotify for dropping Windows phone. That's to say nothing of indie developers who literally cannot afford to make apps for an OS that they see as being dead.

Once these developers are gone, it will be nearly impossible to bring them back. Android and iOS have cemented their positions in the mobile space. Android has the most market, but iOS pays developers the most. Windows 10 Mobile, and even Windows 10? Eh, not so much.

Unless UWP becomes so platform neutral that developers have zero coding to do for Windows 10 Mobile, there is little hope for Microsoft ever to reenter the smartphone space. Even UWP, while virtuous, is hitting some walls with PC users who still prefer to use a web browser.

Mobile is critical for future computing

One of the biggest and yet non-surprising stories of 2017 is Android displacing Windows as the world's most dominant OS. Smartphones are ubiquitous, having plateaued as a consumer category in 2014. Apple and Google's partners are basically in maintenance mode now, releasing new hardware and OS iterations on the clock every year.

Microsoft has completely missed this revolution.

It's not for lack of trying but rather because of misstep after misstep. There is nothing quite like the story of how Microsoft got smartphones wrong starting back in 2007. It's up there with losing web browser share to Google Chrome. The tech world stands in awe of how incompetently Microsoft has handled the smartphone category. All of this despite having an OS that was fascinating, unique, and for a while fun.

Microsoft is betting on a 'paradigm shift' for Windows 10 Mobile to be competitive

Without a card in the smartphone game Microsoft's Windows 10 seems somewhat doomed to business laptops and PCs. Sure, HoloLens and Xbox are very exciting platforms for Windows 10 and UWP to expand to, but both are minuscule and unproven compared to smartphones.

Remember how Microsoft chest thumped about hitting one billion Windows 10 devices two years ago? The company has not even hit 500 million, and that is for one reason: smartphones. With that category completely collapsing, Windows 10 can only go so far.

Don't tell me that smartphones are not essential to the Windows 10 and UWP strategy. They're crucial.

'There is a plan for mobile'

Some recent – and informed – reports lead some of us covering Microsoft to believe its strategy is to fold Windows 10 Mobile completely into Windows 10 proper. Technologies such as OneCore, CSHELL, Win32 emulation, and getting Windows 10 run on ARM processors with e-SIM support make that play somewhat obvious.

In that sense, there is some clever wordplay I'm hearing. "Yeah, Windows 10 Mobile is dead, but Windows 10 on MOBILE is not."

If this is the case, Microsoft needs to spell this out at the Build developer conference next month.

• Does Microsoft want to reboot the concept of a phone?
• Why Microsoft keeps working on Windows 10 Mobile: ARM, cellular, and the next big thing

If Microsoft sees a revolution in mobile computing that is unlike anything on the market today – akin to how HoloLens and holographic computing gave the industry a jolt in January 2015 – then tell us.

At the very least tease it and tell us how you are going to get there.

I keep hearing from people off the record at Microsoft saying, "there is a plan for mobile." I want to believe that is the case, but with the core audience and developers leaving, and the lack of confidence from the media no one thinks Microsoft can do this Herculean task.

Apple caught a ton of flak for its lackluster new MacBook Pros and apparent abandonment of Mac Pro hardware. Recently, the company had an honest mea culpa moment with the media trying to get back on track. Nearly everyone gave them a slow golf clap for at least owning up to past mistakes.

Microsoft needs to do that now for mobile and smartphones. If Microsoft is done with smartphones, then so be it. Tell the world, so everyone can move on and grab the latest Android or iPhone. (They already are anyway.) Just don't string your core audience around with continued OS updates and an unclear goal.

Microsoft has shown signs of greatness during the last few years, but smartphones are not one of them. That needs to change next month.

Windows Central forum user mstabes recently posted a very important question about the state of Windows Mobile: "Is lack of apps the real WP problem?"

It's a subject that hits a sore spot for many Windows Mobile users, so it's no surprise that there are already pages of replies on the thread. The original poster mstabes stated that a switch to Android was personally necessary due to the app selection, not because of the OS.

Do you agree that it's a lack of apps that is the real problem with Windows Mobile? Or do you think there needs to be an OS overhaul? Head on over to the forum thread and be heard. And remember, there's no right or wrong answer, so be sure to tell us how you really feel.

In the forums: Is a lack of apps the real problem with Windows Mobile?

Though Redmond's mobile efforts never met with the widespread consumer success the company would have hoped, what Redmond did achieve is respectable market share in some regions, and that was an admirable accomplishment.

After a late reentry into the mobile space with Windows Phone 7 in 2010, Microsoft began its mobile offensive from a daunting zero-percent market share. By that time, Apple had built up three years of momentum in impassioned consumer and third-party accessory support and two years of third-party developer support for the iPhone. Android had two years of the same by the time Microsoft rejoined the fray. Even a company with Microsoft's resources would find a springboard of zero-percent market share a difficult starting point from which to achieve any affection for its unique approach to mobile. But it still did.

Microsoft and carrier partners began promotional efforts with a slew of marketing that started to advance Windows Phone mindshare ever so slightly in the crowded mobile space. Though global share never exceeded three percent, a combination of early marketing efforts and a push of low-end devices ultimately propelled Windows Phone (the OS) to double-digit market share in some regions.

Fans in these now-abandoned and other areas still bemoan Microsoft's retrenchment strategy that saw a seemingly illogical withdrawal of first-party devices from markets where Windows phones were arguably a success. A fan base that had clearly shown interest in Windows phones now finds it very difficult, or impossible, to find them.

Redmond's current complete reliance on an OEM-partner strategy (as it presumably commits to developing a category-defining ultimate mobile device), with the cessation of first-party Lumias, has left many Lumia-loving fans feeling deserted by Microsoft. This feeling is exasperated by Microsoft's sparse and cryptic communications about its mobile strategy.

Many fans of the platform who have invested time, money and even deliberately-vocal efforts to convert others to the platform feel that Microsoft reaped the benefits of their passion and has now left them hanging. Though most fans want a great first-party device from Microsoft now, others would be content with simply knowing Microsoft's intentions. They might wonder: Does Redmond even care?

Is this a breakup?

Communication is the key to any relationship. It is the bedrock that supports it, as well as the conveyor of intentions when the relationship is coming to an end. Microsoft has been clear that the company is continuing its investments in Windows 10 Mobile. New job postings further confirm that commitment.

Partnerships with HP, Alcatel and other OEMs reflect the company's commitment in that regard as well. The end of the Lumia line was also not surprising to those who have kept an ear to the ground. We knew that was coming. Windows 10 on ARM speculatively points to an evolution of Windows 10 on a mobile device that will push the PC into the smartphone space. Presumably, this pocketable ultramobile Surface PC will retain all of its strengths as a Windows 10 PC while acquiring attributes of a phone.

That all sounds good. But that's the fan side of the relationship trying to read the "body language" and limited dialogue (along with other clues such as industry trends and technology advancements) from a company that has been decidedly mum on the subject.

In a romantic relationship, one party who wants to break up but doesn't want to say it still often "says it" without actually saying anything until the invested party finally leaves. It seems that is the message many fans that have left the platform have received when interpreting Microsoft's reluctance to communicate its full vision for mobile.

Growing together or growing apart?

Microsoft is a multi-billion dollar company with a global footprint and many businesses. Mobile, though a very critical business, is just one area where Microsoft is invested. Many Windows phone fans, particularly those who read Windows Phone Central, ahem, I mean Windows Central, are phone-focused. This site has an enduring legacy. All original Mobile Nations sites, including Windows Central, were founded on a mobile-phone focus. Many of our members (I was one before becoming a writer here) became part of this community because of Windows phones.

Consequently, when it comes to the larger perspective of what Microsoft is, what it may be doing, and where its interests may lie beyond phone (but that effect phone), some folks are simply not interested. And that's OK.

Like high school sweethearts who continue a relationship through college, early adulthood and the beginning of a career, things change. The jovial meetings at a local diner talking about juvenile things, such as a touchdown the football team scored, eventually transition to conversations about 401K investments to ensure adequate funds for retirement. As one matures, ensuring a stable future becomes of much greater importance than what might excite in the present. I think this is where Microsoft is in its "relationship" with Windows phone fans.

Redmond is focused on preparing for a stable future in mobile, which consequently leaves the present experience for fans less exciting and with unmet interests.

Many fans may feel that Microsoft should be better at communicating its intentions to reflect a little appreciation for the fans who embraced Windows phones. Like a stoic partner, Microsoft is a business, however, and is committed to efficiency, not empathy.

Microsoft: It's not you ... it's me

Microsoft's Windows-on-phone goal has always been to put Windows on a pocketable device. The company's utter defeat in the smartphone space has, from Redmond's perspective, necessitated the pursuit of that goal with the absence of a first-party smartphone as it develops a next-generation ultimate mobile device.

Many fans want Microsoft to deliver CEO Satya Nadella's ultimate mobile device now. That's what would excite. If that's too much to ask, some would be content with a comprehensive view of Microsoft's mobile vision. I can't blame them, because not knowing leaves the "relationship" up in the air for many. Is Microsoft simply going to dump its fans or is the company going to deliver a product that satisfies? Fans, like a party in a relationship, want to know the other's intent so that they can decide what they are going to do.

Microsoft's intent is future-focused. Gone are the dreamy "high school" days where Microsoft provided fans with an annual smartphone they could compare to rival phones. Gone are the ritualistic annual incremental improvements to a first-party device that became the talk of the community. Those moments, akin to the conversation spurring new hairdo on the head cheerleader or new jacket on the high school basketball star, are in the past.

Microsoft has moved from the smartphone war (because it lost) and is targeting something that it is uniquely positioned to execute by way of an ultimate mobile device. Many Windows phone fans are, however, nostalgic of the past, and they're still pining for Microsoft to play by the old rules. Sometimes, a third party has to break the news to a love-struck soul. I'll be that third-party.

Microsoft has moved on, folks.

Microsoft isn't playing by the old smartphone rules

Intellectually, I know many fans "understand" Microsoft is not playing by the old smartphone rules, but I'm not confident that everyone really understands what that means.

On the surface, it means that Microsoft is not bringing a smartphone to market when it reenters the pocketable device space. Consequently, the expectations many may have for how and when Microsoft communicates its intentions for this space may need to be adjusted. Redmond is positioning a category-defining device to redefine an approach to the mobile space. The pattern of annual device releases, announcements and leaks that we have grown accustomed to, to satisfy our curiosity, have been replaced with virtual silence.

Communication between Microsoft and fans has changed because the relationship has changed. Microsoft is no longer in a smartphone-maker-and-fan relationship with Windows phone fans. Microsoft knows this, but many fans do not.

Like a man that continues to bring his love interest to the local diner they enjoyed in high school, not realizing she now has more refined tastes, many fans continue to frame Microsoft in the smartphone paradigm perspective. Thus, the frustration many endure.

As Microsoft shrouded all of its category-defining devices, HoloLens, the Surface, Surface Book and Surface Studio in secrecy, an ultramobile Surface PC is presumably being treated the same way. Moreover, this ultramobile Surface PC, if my analysis is correct, will fit within Microsoft's broader personal computing strategy that is being propelled by the Surface family, Windows Mixed Reality, digital inking, and the cloud. As such, telephony will be a part of all this but not the focus. Microsoft (I believe) knows this, but many Windows phone fans do not.

Collateral damage

Microsoft's enterprise legacy and entrenched IT infrastructure have led to its decision to focus Windows 10 Mobile on the enterprise as it shifted from the smartphone space. As the company refines and develops the OS, through continued cellular and ARM investments, per Windows Devices Chief Terry Myerson, fans reap the benefits of the company's broader vision.

Don't mistake Microsoft's moves as totally altruistic, however. Like someone who agrees to the requests for a date simply so that they won't be alone, Microsoft's inclusion of fans in the Insider Program is self-serving, though mutually beneficial.

Microsoft receives tremendous feedback from fans who hold to the platform, as it evolves Windows on phone into what it wants it to be. If the next step is full Windows on an ultramobile PC, the portion of the one percent of Windows phone users who will have helped Microsoft get there will likely not be taken along for the ride, because devices with new minimum spec requirements will be the new standard. There is a precedence for this after all.

Still, Redmond is likely counting on a passionate portion of the fan base to eagerly embrace what's next, as those fans cut the losses of earlier investments and Microsoft cuts the losses of those who don't advance with its vision. The full Windows-on-an-ultramobile PC vision will ultimately target a much broader market than the one percent served by the current iteration of the Windows-on-phone vision, after all.

Does Microsoft care about Windows phone fans?

Microsoft is a multi-billion company with many businesses, and mobile is a part of the entire picture. The less than one percent of us who hold on to Windows 10 Mobile represent a minuscule fraction of the market Microsoft is targeting as it evolves Windows on phone.

Does, Microsoft care about Windows phone fans? Maybe not. I don't think the company is evil, but I understand that it is a business. I do believe there are some people within the company who have empathy for long-time Windows phone fans.

Still, as a business, I think Microsoft cares about Windows phone fans to the extent that we are valuable variables that help the company develop and advance its vision.

I can't really complain, though, because like all Windows phone fans if I wanted to move on, I would.

Maybe a better question would be, "Do Windows phone fans care about Microsoft?"

Microsoft observer h0x0d recently noticed two job listings for Windows Mobile careers, and they both highlight Microsoft's continued interest in the mobile space.

More notable than the job listings is the language Microsoft used to describe Windows Mobile's position and value to the company, providing further evidence of its long-term strategy.

The job listings include two program manager positions and a senior program manager role within the Windows Mobile division. In one of the listings, Microsoft describes the importance of mobile in its wider strategy, noting that consumers form part of the agenda.

A new "agile" organization is being created within the Windows and Devices Group (WDG) to build out features such as Continuum and to focus on "cutting-edge long-term investments" in the mobile space.

We talk a lot about "retrenchment" around here, but the situation for Windows 10 Mobile is dire. With almost no marketing, few consumer-facing handsets, and a near-total communication blackout from Redmond, it's no surprise that high-profile services, developers, and OEMs have abandoned the platform.

With the Windows 10 Creators Update ready to ship, all eyes will be on the Build 2017 conference to see if Microsoft shifts gears towards Mobile again. This will likely include features such as CShell, a new design language in Project NEON, and new handsets running full Windows 10, thanks to the upcoming ARM version of the OS. Oh, hey, there's also always the mythical Surface Phone ...

Take a look at the job listings below, and then share your thoughts in the comments.

• Program Manager at Microsoft
• Program Manager at Microsoft
• Senior Program Manager at Microsoft

There is currently a lively discussion going on in our forum, all started with a simple statement by member ak_r7: "I keep coming back to Windows Phone."

ak_r7 brings up some excellent points, namely how iPhone, Android, and Windows Mobile all have pros and cons that might drive users to one or the other. The biggest problem with our beloved Windows Mobile seems to be the "app gap," which ak_r7 argues could be closed in order to bring iOS and Android "to their knees."

The introductory post, which already has a large number of replies, ends with an excellent question:

It has spurred quite a debate over what is holding some users back, and what could potentially be done to bring users back to the "dying" platform.

If you have an opinion on this topic, be sure to head to the forums and give your two (or ten) cents. Don't be afraid to share how you really feel about the current state of Windows Mobile.

Sadly, that wasn't an isolated experience. Several years ago, when Microsoft's mobile platform occupied a larger and consequently more visible (albeit still minuscule) market position, I had a similar encounter.

"Microsoft's making phones now?", was the query I received when I showed a teenager my Windows phone. With a fan's passion, I rose to the defense of Microsoft's mobile efforts, by (pointlessly) educating this whippersnapper on Microsoft's foray into the smartphone arena, long before the iPhone was even a thing. As I said, it was pointless. He had bitten Cupertino's fruit, and like most who partake, he was smitten.

The world of the Android acolyte isn't much different. Like a sailor drawn by a siren's song, consumers have flocked to Samsung's "Next Big Thing," and a galaxy of Android phones provided by a horde of other phone manufacturers.

With 98 percent of smartphone users hooked on Android or smitten by the iPhone, most are and have been blissfully unaware of Microsoft's mobile efforts throughout the years. Consequently, many Windows-phone fans can likely relate to these "What's-a-Windows -phone?" encounters.

Considering the convoluted evolution of Microsoft's "Windows on phone" vision, explaining Windows phone to someone who only knows iPhone or Android can be challenging. For the uninitiated, the term "Windows phone" may conjure images of start menus, cascading program windows and blue screens of death on a five-inch screen.

Most consumers simply have no idea what "Windows on phone" is, where it's been or where it's going.

A smartphone war vs. mobile war

Sadly, Microsoft has virtually no mindshare among smartphone consumers. What little they acquired through the marketing of smartphones such as the Lumia 900, the Lumia 1020, or the market deluge of low-end phones like the Lumia 520, they're quickly losing.

Microsoft is no longer making Lumias, and the marketing of its smartphones has long been nonexistent. Those ads of the past are but a distant footnote in the record of the "Windows-on-phone" journey. So as Microsoft loses more Windows phone fans to the iPhone and Android, a negligible sum is being added to the less than one percent of us who remain. As the old saying goes, out of sight out of mind.

But Microsoft doesn't seem to mind. It seems content to bleed users and developers from its passionate and vocal fan base. The question is, why? The likely answer: collateral damage.

Though Microsoft has conceded the "smartphone war" and has pulled its first-party devices off the battlefield, it has not conceded the "mobile war."

From Microsoft's perspective, the smartphone and mobile wars are two different things. And Redmond is just getting started – again. Make no mistake, mobile computing with the full power of Windows on pocketable telephony-enabled devices has long been Microsoft's goal and strategy. Though various stages of that strategy's execution were not met with success, Microsoft's "Windows-on-phone" journey persists and is closer to that goal than ever. The post-smartphone mobile war will be waged with such a device.

For those asking, "What's a Windows phone?", I submit that it has been many things and borne many names, and its evolving journey isn't over. Let's go back to the beginning so that we can more clearly see where things have been, where they are now and where Microsoft is going from here.

Windows Mobile and Pocket PC beginnings

Microsoft's early forays into pocketable mobile computing go back to Pocket PC 2000 which was based on Windows CE and debuted in the 1990s. It was essentially Microsoft trying to put a scaled-down version of Windows in our pockets. It was a bit clunky and not especially intuitive, but powerful for its day.

The Pocket PC moniker continued with Pocket PC 2002 until Windows Mobile 2003 which was succeeded by Windows Mobile 2003 SE. Windows Mobile 5.0 followed, and like its predecessors, it brought elements of the Windows desktop to a pocketable device.

The Cingular 2125, which was powered by Windows Mobile 5.0, was my first Windows phone in 2006.

What might surprise the young man with whom I spoke who found Microsoft's involvement in the smartphone space odd, and my wife's coworker, is that in 2007, Windows Mobile had 42 percent of the smartphone market.

Of course, the smartphone space was business-focused and the realm of techies at the time. It was a world that coexisted with but was invisible to regular consumers. That's until Apple "redefined" the space that same year with the touch-friendly, consumer-focused iPhone. Things went downhill for Microsoft from there.

Windows Mobile 6, 6.1 and 6.5 followed 5.0 and ended (for a time) the "Windows Mobile" designation, and "Windows Phone" became the moniker for Microsoft's "rebirthed" mobile efforts in 2010.

Windows Phone, a platform reborn

Windows Phone was a touch-friendly reset of Microsoft's mobile OS and UI in response to the iPhone's and Android's dominance of the consumer smartphone space. The heavy PC-like, and stylus-dependent legacy was forsaken.

Moreover, Windows Phone 7 broke ranks with its OS predecessors as previous apps no longer worked with the new platform, many PC-like features such as access to the file system were lost, and the openness of the platform power users loved was replaced with an iPhone-like, you-get-what-we-give-you platform.

Many power users, lured by the openness of Android, gave up on Microsoft's "Windows on phone" vision after Windows Phone's introduction revealed an abandonment of what many fans of Windows Mobile loved. I was almost one of them.

Windows Phone 7.5, with the 500 additional features Microsoft brought to the OS, and the HTC Titan eventually won me over to Microsoft's latest OS. I chose it over the Samsung Galaxy Note and was quite pleased with my choice.

Microsoft's pocket PC dreams and its path to a unified Windows platform across form factors, OneCore, led to another disruption to users and developers, however. Millions of users (including me) were left with Windows Phone 7.5 devices that could not transition to the latest and greatest "Windows-on-phone" OS that was whetting our appetites: Windows Phone 8.

I understood that minimum hardware requirements wouldn't allow an upgrade, so I wasn't too bothered. At least not until I found that my HTC Titan couldn't get the stop-gap upgrade, "Windows Phone 7.8", that Microsoft released to pacify users. I was not pleased.

I eventually got the Windows Phone 8-powered Lumias 1020 and 1520. I was delighted again. That is until Microsoft's OneCore journey robbed my 1520 of some of my favorite features when I upgraded to Windows Phone 8.1. Though we got Cortana and a host of other goodies, many fans shared my pain as we lost some of Windows Phone's most endearing features. (I told you the "Windows-on-phone" journey was convoluted.)

But these were sacrifices made in the name of progress, and OneCore was coming, so we marched on to Redmond's beat. Well, not completely ... my 1020 still runs Windows Phone 8.

Perfect 10, Windows on "phone" within ARM's reach

Eventually, Windows 10 Mobile arrived for those of us who are part of the Insiders Program and those who bought the Lumias 950 and 950 XL. Having achieved OneCore, Windows 10 Mobile shares the same core as the Windows 10 desktops hundreds of millions of iPhone and Android phone consumers use today.

Most of these consumers have little to no knowledge of the universal platform binding their PCs with the "Windows-on-phone" mobile strategy Microsoft has been working toward for years. Microsoft's early iteration of that vision, Pocket PC 2000, brought certain elements of desktop Windows to a pocketable mobile device, but the platforms were still separate.

Today, the Universal Windows Platform's (UWP) shared core and Microsoft's recently announced full Windows on ARM bring Redmond within arm's reach of the full realization of the company's "Windows-on-phone" vision.

Just as Microsoft's "Windows-on-phone" journey has been invisible to many smartphone consumers to this point, the shift from a lost smartphone war to the waging of a post-smartphone mobile war, is invisible to many, as well. Given Microsoft's failures in the smartphone space, many Microsoft watchers doubt their future success in mobile.

The Continuum-powered ultra-mobile PC with telephony – the device beyond the smartphone – will not be measured by the old iteration-focused smartphone rules that governed the past ten years, however. Will it matter?

Microsoft's changing the game right under our noses

The iPhone-and-Android world is focused on yearly iterative improvements to hardware specs and minor software enhancements. What if their expectations were shifted away from such things as what type of glass the next iPhone's display will have toward something more comprehensive and encompassing?

The mobility of a user's experience facilitated by an intelligent cloud and accessed through pocketable, context-conforming hardware and software, or a pocket PC that shares the same OS as a family of devices, that could be a full PC, a tablet and a smartphone, would likely draw their attention.

If Apple or Google announced such a device, iPhone and Android fans would probably proclaim that these companies changed the game. In the shadows of obscurity, invisible to the masses, it is Microsoft that is doing just that.

Through its UWP and Continuum, Redmond has created a platform for 3-in-1s like the HP Elite x3 that is a tablet, PC and smartphone, that runs mobile apps and through virtualization, Win32 apps. Based upon this foundation, Microsoft is poised to launch an ultimate mobile (Windows on phone) device.

So what is a Windows phone?

In truth, it is a concept in flux as Microsoft works toward the full Windows-on-phone goal. Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, and even Windows 10 Mobile on devices such as the Elite x3 are iterative steps toward the true "Windows-on-phone" vision.

In the spirit of the category-defining Surface, a Windows "phone" will define a category and be more than just a phone, PC or tablet. It will be all these things. Ultimately a Windows phone will be a pocketable, context-conforming, telephony-enabled ultramobile PC running full Windows 10 on ARM.

Through the power of Continuum, users will be able to use it as a desktop PC.

It will run both UWP and Win32 apps. Furthermore, Microsoft's adaptive shells will ensure that though the OS will be full Windows 10, the user interface on the small screen will be touch and mobile-friendly.

Dear iPhone and Android phone users ...

iPhone and Android fans, Windows phone fans are so enamored with the Windows-on-phone vision because we know Microsoft's coming device will be much more than a phone. As Windows PC users you too may find the realization of Microsoft's vision equally appealing.

Later this year Microsoft's partners will introduce ARM-based, always-connected cellular PCs running full Windows 10 to the public. Consequently, Redmond will begin gaining mindshare for cellular-connected Windows 10 PCs among the iPhone and Android phone using public. These Windows 10 devices will have APIs for Windows Holographic, inking capabilities and more features common to the platform.

This strike in the mobile war, I believe – (along with much-needed ecosystem investments) – will be Microsoft's segue to the ultramobile Surface, or the realization of the "Windows-on-phone" vision. Will Redmond incorporate inking, mixed-reality and other Microsoft innovations on this ultramobile Surface? We'll see.

I am confident that once Microsoft launches what fans call a Surface phone, I call an ultramobile PC, and CEO Satya Nadella calls an ultimate mobile device, Redmond will have crafted a name and message that conveys the positioning of this "device that is beyond a smartphone."

In the meantime, Windows-phone fans should take heart and pin this link as a Live Tile to their Start screens. (Yeah, you can do cool stuff like that on a Windows phone ... but not an iPhone).

And the next time someone asks you, "What's a Windows phone?", you can tap that Live Tile and share the link as you say with a smile, "I'm glad you asked."

Following the story

Windows phone isn't dead

• If Microsoft doesn't kill at BUILD 2017, the Surface phone may be dead on arrival
• Is early 2018 too early for a Surface phone?
• Will Samsung beat Microsoft to market with an ultimate Mobile device?
• Did Microsoft give us a glimpse of its Surface phone vision

Smartphones are dead

The untold app gap story

Windows Mobile and the enterprise

I'm a Windows phone fan in an iPhone/Android world. Why? Microsoft has it going on!

The Surface Phone

There was a time in modern history when our wallets were the most personal objects that most people carried with them. Its highly personal nature as the vessel that contains access to our identities and finances has earned it that position. Losing a wallet provokes an all too familiar feeling of dread that is rivaled only by the loss of what is arguably an even more personal object – our smartphones.

Smartphones have been exalted to a position in our lives as more than things that we carry to extensions of who we are. They are our portal to connecting with friends and loved ones, our address books, banking tools and the gateway to our personal photo albums.

Our phones meticulously chronicle all of our interactions in text and photos and videos. They track our locations and ease our anxiety by helping us find our way in the most unfamiliar of environments.

Smartphones are our go-to distraction in uncomfortable situations when we prefer not to interact with others or when we don't know what else do. They are our gaming system, our portal to the internet and every now and then, they are our phone.

These and many other highly personal aspects of these "extra appendages" make Microsoft's decision to focus its mobile OS, Windows 10 Mobile, entirely on the enterprise problematic.

All business Microsoft? Really?

President of Microsoft France Vahe Torossian, reiterated the enterprise-focused strategy Redmond articulated during Ignite 2016 this way :

Microsoft is seeking protection for its mobile platform solely within the boundaries of the impersonal environment of the enterprise. This strategy, which removes the OS from the consumer space and potentially a priority focus of development of more personal attributes, may see it wither under the shadow of the professional environment.

The inherently personal nature of mobile computing beckons for [duo-user](http:// /microsoft-and-duo-user-hey-consumers-microsoft-designing-phone-you) integration within a person's life. Microsoft must have a consumer play at some point, and for that to succeed visibility of the platform, I assert, is critical even now. Microsoft, it's personal.

Microsoft, it's not business as usual

Microsoft achieved 90% PC market share among consumers and businesses by employing a strategy where the firm targeted the enterprise with Windows and other Microsoft products and services. Employees loved it. Like warm air flowing out of an open door, this resulted in the dissemination of Windows PCs "from the office" to hundreds of millions of homes with the help of manufacturing partners. Unfortunately, this strategy cannot be replicated with an enterprise-focused Windows Mobile. Here's why:

The consumer-facing personal computing void that Windows PCs filled as they trickled from businesses into homes has no parallel in the current personal computing paradigm. There is no void. The smartphone consumer space is filled – literally saturated - with iPhones and Android phones.

Moreover, Google/Samsung and Apple are aggressively pushing their platforms, which have overrun the consumer space, into the enterprise. Ironically, Microsoft's broad platform approach welcomes these devices into its enterprise-entrenched IT infrastructure with device management systems like Intune. Furthermore, this migration of consumer-friendly devices into the enterprise has resulted in over 90% of Fortune 500 companies adopting the iPhone.

Moreover, Apple's bold ambitions to be a dominant force in the enterprise has even resulted in the Cupertino company forging a partnership with enterprise giant IBM. This union sees Big Blue and Cupertino building custom enterprise solutions for iOS.

Furthermore, in conjunction with nearly 100% of the consumer space being dominated by iOS and Android, "81 percent of businesses have or are planning on implementing a BYOD policy". Needless to say, that means hordes of iPhone and Android phone toting consumers are also iPhone and Android phone toting professionals once they bring their phones to work.

Ironically, their iPhones and Android phones have usurped Microsoft's mantra and they are serving the duo user. (Though for some IT managers this iPhone and Android colonization of a Microsoft environment can be a headache.) Sadly, this leaves Microsoft's mobile offering, which has conceded the consumer space, barely serving any type of user.

Microsoft, it's about consumers, and it's personal

Given that Microsoft dominates the enterprise IT infrastructure one would assume that Windows Mobile would be the ideal fit for most companies and their employees. And for some it is. But as a rule, the rapid evolution of the smartphone has left little room for Windows Mobile even in the enterprise. This might not be the case if the current mobile computing paradigm had its beginning in the enterprise.

The advent of the iPhone in 2007, however, as a consumer product introduced a unique paradigm, set the tone for user's experiences and established a direction for mobile personal computing as a platform upon which both iOS and Android have capitalized. It's personal.

Personal computing as part of the current smartphone paradigm began as a distinct consumer experience. As it grew in adoption and dominance, it became more integrated into users lives. The smartphone eventually became the most personal device individuals carry and ultimately evolved into an indispensable extension of most users. It became essential as it helped and continues to help people get things done in their personal lives.

Microsoft, our smartphones are making business personal

This "extra appendage" eventually accompanied users to their professional environments and became a tool that helps them get things done there as well. The smartphone, as "part of the person", is helping them do things as professionals (often with Microsoft apps). These professionals are people or consumers first. They are duo users.

Furthermore, Apple and Google are actively working to make these highly personal devices that are already integrated into users lives more capable enterprise tools.

Microsoft must recognize that the personal computing paradigm is now reversed. Redmond's objective is not to appeal to consumers who want the tools they use at work in their homes like in the PC days of old. As they focus on enterprise users, Microsoft needs to figure out how to appeal to the consumer within the professional rather than the professional as a professional.

They must unravel, at least to some degree, a user's entanglement with their personal device and appeal to their "personal side" with their own mobile offering. This is a difficult feat for sure, but a necessary objective nonetheless.

This challenge is yet another reason why silence in the consumer space is not an option.

Should Microsoft begin marketing Windows Mobile to the masses?

Microsoft, did you ask?

During Microsoft's Ignite 2016 conference the company identified Office 365 and OneDrive for business, Continuum, Cortana for work and apps built for the Universal Windows Platform as key to a more personal mobile experience.

These tools indeed have merit and build a foundation for a holistic personal computing experience. One is left wondering, however, if Microsoft solicited feedback from developers and consumers (in line with thier customer obsession ethos) as to what they consider to be a more personal experience. The success of Microsoft's mobile strategy rests upon them after all.

Microsoft, you can't shoehorn a personal experience

Consider this: If an employee is mandated to use a company issued Windows phone, he will likely accept it begrudgingly as he compares it to his personal phone that holds the keys to his digital life. Many users want their phones to act as a central hub to the things they do in life.

So as more things are added to their "digital turf," more often than not, they want their personal phones to incorporate those new territories. Thus, if a job requires the use of a smartphone, many users (though certainly not all) prefer to carry one device – their device.

In the scenarios where Microsoft succeeds in getting a Windows phone into the hands of professionals, there will certainly be a curiosity as to the merits of this "strange" device with dynamic Live Tiles. There may even be an appreciation of the unique UI and experience.

However, after that curiosity is satisfied, the ego-centric part of a user's human nature will kick in in defense of the "superior" (as they perceive it to be) and personal device that is central to that person's digital life. This will invariably lead to more pragmatic comparisons where the quality and quantity app gap will inevitably surface. With the current state of Windows Mobile and the shortage of some popular, business and transportation apps this company-issued phone will be found incapable of doing all of what the user wants it to do; which is likely virtually everything his personal phone can do.

The position of the user's personal phone will be reinforced as pride in the victory it — this extension of himself — will have won over this "other" device that dared threaten its position – even if just in the mind of the user. Without the supporting ecosystem, even the high-end HP Elite x3 3-in-1 can suffer this fate. Take note, the collaborative research that HP and Microsoft conducted to bring the Elite x3 to market was focused on the needs of businesses. It wasn't personal.

Thus, developers are essential to the ecosystem to help bring the app, and future AI and bots, experiences to a platform that make a smartphone personal. With Windows Mobile's definitive "enterprise-only" play, however, consumer-focused developers are less likely to see value in developing for the platform. The enterprise is not a personal environment. Sadly, this may inevitably impact Microsoft's future mobile ambitions.

Microsoft, even a benched player wears a jersey

In basketball, there are times when individual players "ride the pine." While benched these players are still as much a part of the team as those who are actively running the ball. Though they are not participating at the time, they still wear their uniform and are visible to the audience as players. When the coach calls them to enter or re-enter the game, onlookers see a familiar player who never left the court, rejoin the competition.

By focusing Windows Mobile on the enterprise Microsoft has effectively removed Windows Mobile from the court and sent it to the locker room where consumers can't see it. As a result, many won't even know that Microsoft has a player in the game. A more effective strategy as they await and facilitate the anticipated paradigm shift may be to keep the platform visible to consumers, but "benched." By including Windows mobile subtly in the current Windows 10 ad campaign (as strategic "product placements") Microsoft can communicate to consumers that Windows Mobile is benched but still a player. This strategy keeps Windows Mobile in the consumer consciousness and thereby maintains mindshare.

When the paradigm shift occurs and Microsoft's supporting ecosystem is in place, Redmond can then present rather than introduce Windows Mobile on a category-defining device. A Surface phone perhaps. This strategy allows Redmond to forego the challenge of reintroducing itself in a space that would otherwise see it as a new platform in several years.

Rather than having to reach to consumers with a "look we have a mobile platform too" appeal in the face of a more deeply entrenched iOS and Android user base, Redmond would have the benefit of presenting a "look at our mobile platform on this form factor" appeal instead. Maintaining visibility in the consumer space allows this approach and is strategically important as the ecosystem evolves to support a potential category defining device.

What are your thoughts? Sound off in comments, forums and on Twitter! Also, if you agree that smartphones are inherently personal share this piece on Twitter @JLTechWord (and anyone else you'd like to tag) and Facebook with the hashtag #SmartPhonesArePersonal!

• Part I: Out of sight, out of mind
• Part II: The key to ecosystem success
• Part III: A phone in the hand or a phone that is planned?

Related reading:

• Windows phone isn't dead
• Smartphones are dead
• The untold app gap story
• AIs, Bots and Canvases
• Microsoft and the duo user
• The Surface Phone
• Help my wife wants to switch from Windows phone to Android

Of course, we knew the Lumia 650 would be Redmond's last Lumia. That, however, is little consolation for Windows phone fans. Since Lumia comprised over 90% of the Windows phone market, Microsoft's clearing of its inventory will make finding an affordable Windows phone even more difficult as time goes on. The pickings are indeed very thin. In truth, buying a Windows Phone has never been as easy as picking up an iPhone or Android phone. The combination of limited carrier support and biased and unknowledgeable sales associates can be credited in part for this dilemma.

iPhone and Android phone users who want a new phone have tangible and accessible options on all carriers that can satisfy their desire. It's just a matter of walking into a carrier store and walking out with what you want. In contrast, the whims of a Windows phone fan are often pinned on the hope of what will or may be available at some point in the future. And that's ok for many enthusiasts since the love of the platform and user experience often trumps the need for whatever may be missing.

That said, as indecipherable as some have deemed Microsoft's mobile strategy users could always count on some first-party device and a commitment to the OS that included consumers. Neither of these is true at present. President of Microsoft France Vahe Torossian, recently put it this way:

Redmond's decision to forgo a first-party phone presumably until the anticipated Surface phone in late 2017 or early 2018, though strategically sound, leaves Microsoft without a first-party presence for a year or more. Combined with the focusing of Windows Mobile solely on the enterprise Microsoft's future relevance in mobile is at risk. The consumer market is the voice that dictate's mobile relevance. Sadly, Microsoft isn't giving them anything to talk about.

Silence is not golden

Microsoft's relegating Windows Mobile to the "enterprise product" pile invariably reduces the Windows Mobile conversation and content on popular consumer-focused tech sites. As the conversation around this underdog platform peters to a negligible drip across the internet and social media, developer's already low confidence in the future of the platform further wanes.

As a result, developers may begin to question the validity of forward-looking aspects of Microsoft's ecosystem that surround, support and are strategically positioned to benefit Microsoft's future mobile play.

The value of the app Bridges, solutions such as bots and other aspects of Microsoft's grand plan including a possible category defining Surface phone may be seen as ephemeral dreams lacking the support of a relevant mobile play.

These are some of the possible negative results of Microsoft's focusing of Windows Mobile squarely on the enterprise. Of course, while all of this is happening, Apple and Google will be moving full steam ahead vociferously making their progress known to the masses. Amidst the noise of the competition Microsoft's return to its enterprise roots may find unfamiliar resistance.

Waiting for the category-defining Surface "phone" to surface

Android phones and iPhones, which saturate the smartphone market, are spilling over the boundaries of the consumer space and are becoming a dominant mobile presence in the enterprise. Consequently, a future Surface ultra-mobile PC or 3-in-1 without the benefit of a paradigm shift and developer support would do little to convert users of other platforms. Here's why.

Users will already be well accustomed with a useful device that fits in their pockets and acclimated to an ecosystem that helps them get things done. Regardless of how revolutionary the Microsoft solution would be hardware-wise, in the eyes of the user, it will be a "new" player trying to do what a device and ecosystem are already doing for them - helping them get things done.

To restate this in an overly simplistic manner, a Surface phone without developer support and a paradigm shift will simply do stuff and fit in a user's pocket, not unlike a user's iPhone or Android phone does today. Thus, the likely similarities in size (pocketable nature) and function (mobile computing), will in the mind of the user place even a category-defining Surface (without ecosystem support and paradigm shift) in the same category as his existing smartphone. Therefore, "the next big thing" beyond the bend in the curve requires more than high-end hardware. A mobile friendly consumer-facing ecosystem is key.

Sadly, while Microsoft views the majority of the UWP as consumer and enterprise focused, it sees the most personal portion of the Universal Windows Platform, Windows Mobile, as distinctly enterprise-focused. This distinction potentially undercuts the future of Microsoft's mobile vision as it ultimately discourages much-needed ecosystem support from developers who value consumers.

One platform two messages

Love them or hate them, Microsoft is the first company to achieve a universal platform. To build a foundation for developer and consumer support for the UWP, Redmond has aggressively promoted its most popular and visible component - Windows on PC.

Indeed, Microsoft's aggressive OS upgrade push and current ad campaign places Windows 10 on PC squarely in front of the masses. As a result, both consumer and enterprise customers are growing to understand the professional and personal strengths Microsoft is promoting are part of Windows 10 on PC. Redmond's communication around mobile has been far less persistent, however. Thus, Windows 10 Mobile is a far less familiar component of the UWP.

In 2010 Microsoft's mobile strategy was hyper-focused on consumers with Windows Phone 7. Today, with Windows 10 Mobile Microsoft, missing the inherently personal nature of mobile computing, has swung in the polar opposite direction with a strict focus on enterprise. A more measured and less extreme approach may be a more profitable strategy.

The targeting of Windows 10 on PC at both the enterprise and consumers and focusing Windows Mobile strictly at the enterprise is a strategy that undercuts the Universal Windows Platform message. How can a component of what is being positioned as a single OS be limited to one audience while the whole of the UWP (of which it is a part) is be pushed to both the enterprise and consumers?

One Windows requires one message

Satya Nadella put it this way in April of this year when asked about Windows Mobile:

Microsoft's message to developers is that Windows is Windows regardless of the device or screen size it's on. Since the introduction of the UWP, Microsoft has assured developers that developing a Universal Windows app could essentially allow them to code once for all device types (to put it simply).

Simultaneous messaging to consumer-focused developers that Windows 10 Mobile is strictly enterprise-focused rips the rug from under the UWP strategy of leveraging the weight of the PC install base to support Microsoft's mobile strategy. Why develop Universal Windows apps for consumer- and enterprise-focused Windows 10 PCs, 2-in-1s, and the consumer-focused Xbox with a major goal being the mobile platform if Windows Mobile isn't also targeting consumers?

Windows Mobile's enterprise focus creates a conflicting distinction between Windows 10 on PC and Windows 10 Mobile which is counterintuitive. This distinction sends a confusing message to consumers, developers and OEM partners. It declares that Windows 10 is for everyone while Windows 10 Mobile, which they're emphasizing is Windows 10, is for the enterprise. The Universal Windows Platform is thereby inherently divided.

A bird in the hand

There's an old saying that says "A bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush." — what a person has is more valuable than what they hope to attain.

Microsoft is in a precarious position where users have tangible options in the consumer smartphone space with the iPhone and a range of Android phones. A complete absence of Windows Mobile from that consumer space emphasizes that reality. It also erodes the hope some have for something better to come from Redmond on the mobile front. Lenovo, for instance, is wary of Microsoft's commitment to mobile. Coship has expressed their concerns as well. Many hardcore Window phone fans are also losing hope in Microsoft's mobile strategy.

Microsoft, however, has reiterated its commitment to Windows Mobile. The frequent release of new builds of the OS are consistent evidence of this. Microsoft recognizes the importance of a mobile platform and the critical position of a "phone" or whatever the pocketable personal device it is aiming toward will be called. Nadella put it this way:

Will Microsoft's rumored Surface Phone be a reimagined Surface Mini?

Nadella's vision is a positive, strategically sound and forward-looking goal. I believe that with Microsoft's resources and position with the UWP and Continuum, it is even attainable.

For developers, manufacturing partners and consumers, seeing is believing

The problem I see is that if Microsoft completely obscures itself in the enterprise, then consumers, developers and potential partners won't know to hope for "the bird or mobile platform in the bush." Microsoft risks losing the little mobile mindshare it has. Without a visible third option to consider, the platforms in hand will become immovable fixtures in the industry's mind as the only options.

Consequently, Redmond's complete removal of Windows Mobile from the consumer space can result in developers, partners and consumers losing hope in Microsoft's grand universal platform vision. Mobile is key to the UWP.

If these industry players have little confidence in the vitality of Microsoft's mobile platform in the future they won't support it now nor invest in it later. If the UWP fails to garner the support these consumer- and mobile-focused players may refrain from giving, it will inevitably falter.

So what are your thoughts? Should Microsoft include Windows Mobile with the current Windows 10 PC ad campaign as a strategic "product placement" to maintain mindshare and to support current OEM partners? Should Microsoft subtly market the merits of Windows 10 Mobile to inform the masses, while not actively attempting to "sell" to consumers at this point? Sound off in comments and on Twitter!

• Part I: Out of sight, out of mind
• Part II: The key to ecosystem success

Related reading:

• Windows phone isn't dead
• Smartphones are dead
• The untold app gap story
• AIs, Bots and Canvases
• Microsoft and the duo user

The immediate and most salient reward is the survival of Windows 10 Mobile. This, of course, is fundamentally essential. The Universal Windows Platform combined with Microsoft's entrenched IT presence in the enterprise makes this possible.

We have taken a long view and understand that Microsoft's relevance in mobile rests precariously on the aligning of a number of anticipated shifts and developments in personal computing. I am both optimistic and excited about Microsoft's "next big thing." I am also cautiously aware that nothing is guaranteed. Microsoft shares this perception and is not sitting ideally by hoping that the necessary variables that comprise its personal computing vision simply come to pass. They are active participants in the development and promotion of the technologies and platforms it sees as beneficial to its comprehensive vision to support the mobility of experiences.

Keeping Windows Mobile "alive," even as an enterprise hermit, while the industry continues evolving (with Microsoft's support) toward that shift is, therefore, critical. President of Microsoft France Vahe Torossian, recently put it this way:

I contend that this decision has derivative effects that may inevitably jeopardize Microsoft's long-term plans. An absolute negligence of Windows Mobile in the consumer space, around which the broader ecosystem revolves, may undercut the future success of that ecosystem. Conversely, Google's and Apple's mobile platforms and supporting ecosystems exist in a state of near optimal synergy. Their ecosystems will continue to evolve around consumer's mobile experiences while Windows Mobile's enterprise focus dilutes the overall impact of Microsoft's.

The long play

Before we address how Redmond's choice to focus Windows Mobile on the enterprise impacts the role of its ecosystem among its competitor's ecosystems let's review Microsoft's long play. To be clear, Redmond's mobile strategy does not rest entirely on Windows Mobile. An investment in a broader ecosystem that places precedence on the mobility of experiences is core to Microsoft's mobile play. Microsoft is, therefore, looking to the coalescing of multiple factors to ensure its mobile success.

I've argued that Microsoft's hardware and OS are an industry-wide technological evolution rather than an iterative progression. Daniel Rubino aptly articulated that point: "The idea that in five years we'll still have the same smartphone design and functionality despite the rapid progress being achieved is woefully misguided in my opinion." The iterative smartphone advancements the competition promotes are leading to a dead end.

That is not to say Windows phone has not had had its challenges. To provide broad context to the ups and downs we have seen and will continue to see in Window phone over the years I presented an overview of Microsoft's long-term mobile strategy in the "Windows phone isn't dead series".

Like Microsoft, we are fully cognizant of the current quantity and quality app gap part of this equation. In a direct address to the elephant in the room I presented two series "The untold app gap story" and "AIs, bot's and canvases." In these series, I highlighted the evolution of an intelligent app experience which is occurring parallel to that of cloud computing, the Universal Windows Platform, and context sensitive computing hardware and software.

All of this is leading to the "next bend in the curve" Nadella envisions as the personal computing device that succeeds the smartphone. For those looking closely, a trail of "bread crumbs" seems to be outlining a path to that bend. Of course, it takes time to reach any goal. Like construction in progress, things often appear to be in disarray and sometimes there are undeniable setbacks. But there is an image, a paradigm shift, a north star if you will, that helps us keep the goal in view. If we were to ask Microsoft, "How much farther?" They'd likely respond, "not far now."

That's the good news. The bad news is that an absolute negligence of Windows Mobile in the consumer space, around which the broader ecosystem revolves, may undercut the future as Redmond envisions it. Google and Apple don't have that problem.

The beat goes on

While Redmond works tirelessly and silently to hone its ecosystem and Universal Windows Platform and the place of Windows Mobile within them, rivals ecosystems will continue their growth unabated. Apple's Continuity will likely become more apt at connecting a user's iPhone and macOS activity. Thus, making the ecosystem even more indispensable and virtually inescapable to its faithful users.

Though Continuity is, in my opinion, not as complete nor as impressive as the potential inherent in the UWP, it will be the real and relevant experience of millions of iPhone and Mac users. These are users who in the coming years will be hearing nothing about Windows 10 Mobile while Microsoft focuses on the enterprise.

Moreover, Google is certain to continue its march to rule personal computing. Its dominance of mobile, the most used personal computing platform, is a daunting and real threat to Microsoft. It is also the portal to an even greater threat to the Redmond company.

Mountain View's ambitious goal is to assimilate Redmond's forte, the desktop. Android apps on Chromebooks is a tease to what may ultimately result in a shift in a decades-long hegemony of Windows on desktop PCs.

How Microsoft, Apple and Google are preparing for the shift

A galaxy of possibilities

Google's Andromeda, which further blurs the lines between Android on different form factors was an expected topic at Google's October 4th event. Its absence from the events agenda I am certain is not an indication that it is not on the company's roadmap. Google wants the desktop and rest assured, they're coming for it.

Perhaps it will be introduced during Microsoft's years of silence in the smartphone consumer space. Millions of PC and Android phone users, as well as developers, will undoubtedly see the potential of this evolving and broad platform solution. Of course, it will not be mature upon introduction, but there is great inherent potential .

The familiarity and ubiquity of Android will likely spur tremendous press coverage, passionate conversation and widespread support. All of this will likely be occurring while Microsoft's mobile solution remains an unknown entity safely evolving in the enterprise toward an anticipated paradigm shift. If or when that shift occurs, however, Microsoft may no longer be the only company positioned to take advantage of the new paradigm.

If Andromeda is successful, Google's aggressive and visible presence may position the company to begin grabbing precious mindshare around the potential of a Universal Platform-like and possibly Continuum-like solution. Android on multiple form factors from phone to desktop would effectively change the game. Microsoft may be beat to the punch with something it brought to the table first. This, of course, would not be the first time.

Bothering with bots

Google's purchase of start-up API.ai is further evidence of the company's pursuit to rule personal computing. This strategic acquisition undercuts Microsoft's platform-play advantage in the area of bots. Prior to this purchase, Microsoft's Bot Framework offered Redmond the advantage of winning developers to its ecosystem to build bots for a range of canvases, including its first-party messenger, Skype. Redmond currently boasts 45,000 developers who have embraced its Bot Framework since its introduction earlier this year. That's an admirable number; but when considering the 60,000 that have used Google's API.ai a sobering perspective is introduced. Still, that 60,000 represents support over a two-year period in contrast to Redmond's mere six months. What type of growth Google will bring to the table going forward is yet to be seen.

Furthermore, API.ai is a more established platform in the industry for bot development and provides developers the tools to develop for multiple canvases just like Microsoft's Bot Framework does. Google, like Microsoft, is making a platform play to bring developers to its set of tools for the next generation of "intelligent mobile apps."

Google's dominance in mobile may make its solution a more appealing platform to potential developers. This is particularly probable since Google's dominance will be further emphasized by Microsoft's absence from the consumer smartphone space in the coming years. This development makes success for Microsoft in this are even more challenging. Nadella stated the following at this years Ignite Conference:

Microsoft's ecosystem strategy, which includes bots, is part of Microsoft's mobile play. If they lose in this area they're chances for success in mobile are further diminished. It is important, therefore, that Microsoft maintains some degree of consumer presence.

Microsoft, if you don't tell them they won't know

Microsoft has an impressive vision for mobile and their Universal Windows Platform. The problem is no one outside of the tech world knows about it. The shame in that is that it is often ok for Joe Consumer not to know what we enthusiasts know when we know it. Eventually, the products and services get into their hands, and the respective company's heavily market them until what we know becomes common knowledge, after all. This is not always Microsoft's practice, however.

Consider this: Continuum for phone was introduced over a year ago and has been on the market on actual devices for nearly a year. Sadly, this key feature of Windows 10 Mobile is something that Joe Consumer knows nothing about.

Of course, we understand the logic behind this general lack of awareness. The teams responsible for the phones were in flux. The Lumia's 950 and 950XL had less than ideal aesthetic appeal to many. Moreover, those phones were made for the Windows fans and had a buggy OS that fans could barely endure. Ultimately and understandably, these Continuum-capable phones were not advertised. Understood, but the reality remains. In a highly competitive space profoundly affected by consumers, the general public is still unaware of Microsoft's key differentiator and strategic offering through the UWP and Continuum.

Sadly, during the coming years of absence of Windows Mobile from the consumer space, users may have absolutely no awareness of Microsoft's Universal Platform, its single OS across all form factors, universal apps or Continuum for phone. That is unless Microsoft tells them.

If they fail to bring their offerings to light during Windows Mobile's "hiatus", consumers who will be becoming further entrenched with rival's evolving ecosystems and device offerings will not be aware of the existence of a third player. (Microsoft's platform though retreated will still exist of course).

Over the coming years, this will result in a deeper perception that the way mobile personal computing is done is either via iOS or Android. This will make a later re-entry of Microsoft back into the space very difficult. They will be perceived as a new player competing against "the way things are done."

More than a phone

Consumers are well aware that when they buy a smartphone they are investing in an ecosystem that revolves around the device. The phone is a portal to a range of products, services and features that bind experiences and other hardware within that ecosystem together. The phone and mobile OS are essential components that introduce users to the broader ecosystems company's offer.

Without a mobile presence in the consumer space, Microsoft's broader ecosystem is in jeopardy of not being a visible alternative to what Apple and Google offer. Thus, even while sheltered in the enterprise, I contend that Microsoft can use the Windows 10 ad campaign to educate the masses about Windows Mobile, the UWP and Continuum.

Should Microsoft begin marketing to the masses

Creative "product placement" of Windows phones in Windows 10 ads would allow Microsoft to highlight the Universal Windows Platform while focusing on Windows 10 for PC. This strategy may help maintain mindshare of Microsoft's broader ecosystem while Windows Mobile remains focused on the enterprise awaiting the paradigm shift and "next bend in the curve."

What are your thoughts? How can Microsoft's ecosystem remain visible while Windows Mobile is essentially invisible in the consumer space? Sound off in commerts and on Twitter!

Part I: Out of sight, out of mind

Related reading:

• Windows phone isn't dead
• Smartphones are dead
• The untold app gap story
• AIs, Bots and Canvases
• Microsoft and the duo user

How Microsoft waits for the imminent industry shift in mobile computing, however, is just as important that they wait. In a recent interview with Le Point, president of Microsoft France Vahe Torossian, stated:

Microsoft knows that the paradigm shift on the horizon affects both the enterprise and consumers. The question is what is the best strategy for Microsoft to execute as it awaits (and pushes) this shift in order to most effectively introduce an OS and hardware solution that leads in the new paradigm? Silence in the consumer space to which they seem to have committed, I contend, is not an option.

Don't take it personal, it's just business

Microsoft's focus on the next big thing has been part of our analysis here at Windows Central for quite a while. Our assertion has consistently been that Microsoft is playing a long game where its strengths and assets in a pioneering universal platform and context sensitive OS and hardware would position the company for an inevitable shift in personal computing. It is Torossian's statement that Microsoft is focusing the developing mobile OS, on the enterprise and only the enterprise for the coming years that is troubling.

This notion goes beyond the retrenchment focus of first-party hardware on the enterprise and fans. With the cessation of the Lumia line Microsoft is also stating that the the mobile platform, the software, itself is being aligned strictly with the enterprise. This point was stressed at the enterprise-focused Microsoft Ignite 2016 Conference:

Windows 10 mobile powers manufacturing partner phones (not just first-party Lumias) and is part of the consumer and enterpris—focused Universal Windows Platform, however. As Microsoft's strategy shields its developing mobile vision from the claws of competition it is also hiding it from the view of a consumer space Redmond hopes to re-enter with its "next big thing." How will this strict enterprise focus effect Redmond's long-term consumer and enterprise strategy?

Break up that fallow ground

In agriculture, the term fallow means plowed and left unseeded for a season or more. This uncultivated land is left in this state so that at a later time it might become more fruitful. While in this plowed state, however, the area becomes overgrown with weeds and thorns. Before the farmer sows his seed in this field, he must break up the fallow ground, or clear away the undesirable growth to make way for his fruit.

Microsoft has moved Windows 10 Mobile from the consumer field for a season, while its development and that of the UWP evolve toward a more cohesive union. This union will ideally yield a manifestation of a mature OS supported by a broader intelligent cloud-powered ecosystem. That ecosystem even further down the road is strategically expected to benefit from a less app-focused system of AIs and bots that support the user based on conversation as the canvas and human language as the UI. The integration of technology from Wand Labs and Xamarin may further diminish the dependence on the current app warehouse model.

Though no official timeline is given Torossian's reference to "years" denotes that Windows 10 Mobile will be an enterprise hermit for a minimum of at least two years. It could very well be longer.

Microsoft seems intent on re-entering the consumer space, however, with a category-defining "next big thing" device true to the spirit of the Surface line. Imbued with the software and ecosystem attributes of the aforementioned platform support, this Surface device seems, at least for now, destined to be introduced into a space that will have been long void of any representation of Microsoft's Mobile OS.

Redmond seems unconcerned that when finally ready, they will be attempting to sow the seed of their mobile play among the weeds and thorns of the competition that will have overgrown their previous mindshare. This situation is not good for Microsoft.

During this retreat into the enterprise Microsoft, I contend, needs to break up its fallow ground in the consumer space if its long game is to be fruitful. Or put another way, they need to maintain some degree of mindshare during their years of absence from the consumer field.

Pros and cons

There are pros and cons to everything. I would be disingenuous if I did not acknowledge the positive aspects of Microsoft's retreat from the consumer space though I don't like the fact that they have retreated.

Microsoft has less than 1% of the market. Android dominates with over 80% share and iPhone locks in the rest. The supporting ecosystem of developers, companies and the all-important consumers see the smartphone landscape as a two horse race. For instance, most companies confidently advertise their apps for "your" iPhone or Android phone. The default presumption that those are the only two options consumers use speaks volumes. Window's phone? What's a Windows phone? Exactly.

So hunkering the mobile portion of its universal platform under the protection of the enterprise where development can continue unabated is a good thing. If Microsoft did not have a universal platform or a strong IT enterprise presence, Windows Mobile would have no hope. Still, with a complete retreat from the consumer space, the Microsoft-Mobile-shaped hole leaves a vacuum that will be swiftly filled by rivals and may not be successfully hollowed out when Microsoft is ready for another go at the consumer market.

The profound effects of the diminishing presence of Windows phone in the consumer space can be clearly seen in the changes among the primary sources of Windows phone news: Blogs.

Out of sight out of mind(share)

Most faithful tech readers have likely noticed the name changes to many of their favorite Windows phone-focused sites. These changes are in large part in line with Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform strategy that brings a continuity across the ecosystem and demands our focus on this shift as Microsoft-focused sites. It also reflects the diminishing role of the "phone" as the primary personal computing platform as the ecosystem and mobility of experiences takes precedence.

Candidly speaking the changes also fit the current state of phone (whether this was the intent or not in the name changes) as a factor diminishing in relevance particularly in the consumer space where most of the popular tech sites thrive.

With a mere 1% share and a definitive move of Window 10 Mobile to the enterprise, whether explicitly stated or not, many sites will or have already begun to focus their content elsewhere, (i.e. more game news, a blitz of enterprise content, etc.) other than phone. The phone audience is shrinking and consumer relevant phone news is diminishing. This is not good for Microsoft's mobile strategy.

Fallow ground (or Arrested development)

Most of what the public learns about the latest tech comes from tech sites where passionate writers write about the latest developments. Hungry fans, primarily in the consumer space, yearn for, comment on and share this information with friends and on social media. Moreover, enthusiast readers often become the tech influencers within their personal circles.

With a diminishing Windows phone audience on one end and Microsoft's severing Windows 10 Mobile from the life-giving zeal of the passionate consumer space, Redmond is essentially choking the primary portal through which Windows Mobile news would be breathed into the consumer conversation: tech sites.

By declaring Windows 10 Mobile an enterprise product for the coming years many consumer-facing sites have yet another reason, beyond a shrinking phone audience, to refrain from talking about Windows Mobile as much as in years past. Most of the audience doesn't like that "enterprise stuff."

This decision, of course, will affect the Windows Mobile conversation readers engage in in the commentary of articles across the web, forums and journalistic-focused social media platforms like Twitter. This growing silence will undoubtedly affect the already precarious potential investments of developers in the platform.

If no one's talking about the platform that's a bad thing. If developers see no potential in Microsoft's "absent" representation of an all-important mobile platform they may see little reason to invest in the app Bridges, bots and other aspects of the Windows ecosystem which ultimately lead to mobile. Which of course is where developers see personal computing's focus. If developers see little Microsoft mobile presence in the consumer space today (when there is/was a consumer presence) and none in the coming years (when Microsoft is focusing on enterprise) they may have little confidence in the grand consumer and enterprise vision toward which Microsoft is working.

Can Microsoft endure the impact of years without a consumer-focused mobile play?

Keep in mind; most developers are consumer- and mobile phone focused. So though the message of the UWP has a legitimate foundation, relatively few developers (for now) are looking beyond the current "warehouse of apps" paradigm toward the benefits of creating one app for all form factors. Thus, the message of building Store apps motivated by the 400 million and growing Windows devices (primarily PCs) is likely to be even less effective now that the end game for developers – consumer facing mobile phones – are not Microsoft's focus.

We see developers embracing Windows 10 with universal apps while watching others leave. Alan Mendelvich of Ad Duplex's findings that the majority of his universal Ad Duplex app users are on smartphones, lends further evidence to the concern that a reliance on "selling" the UWP to developers, particularly without a consumer facing mobile play, will be tough.

Is it possible that we will see an increased rate of app departures and greater lack of confidence in Microsoft's investments in mobile from potential partners like we've seen with Lenovo? Certainly, Microsoft considered these potential repercussions when they made this enterprise-focused decision. Can they endure the inevitable fallout in the coming years as they build their next generation ecosystem?

Rest assured that while Microsoft is silent in the consumer space, Apple and Google will continue their forward march with exciting consumer facing news. As a matter of fact, while Microsoft is building that impressive next generation ecosystem in relative silence, Apple and Google will be honing their own ecosystems in the light of the public eye. Continuity is sure to become a more comprehensive experience for those in the Apple ecosystem. And Googles Andromeda may very well come to light in the near future.

For information purposes only

I recently posed this question: should Microsoft begin marketing Windows Mobile to the masses? I believe they should. But not in an attempt to convert iPhone and Android users at this point. But rather as a means to maintain mindshare of its mobile offering and to gain mindshare for the Universal Windows Platform. Microsoft's investment in the "next big thing," which will presumably run on Windows Mobile, is paramount to their future success. Maintaining mindshare in the competitive consumer smartphone space while focused on the enterprise is, therefore, critical. And presenting an "image" of Windows 10 Mobile within the context of the larger ecosystem in which it will exist when reintroduced to the consumer space is important.

Consider this: Microsoft is currently pushing Windows 10, which is part of the UWP, to the masses and promoting its benefits on 2-in-1s and tablets via aggressive television ads. The number of ads that Microsoft has released may surprise the most astute Microsoft fans. Continuing this push while steadily introducing the currently unknown element of the Universal Windows Platform would position Microsoft to begin educating the masses to the broader and cohesive ecosystem to which all Windows products belong.

Such ads would be the perfect context in which to introduce Windows Mobile. Not as a focus, mind you, but as a creative "product placement" within a Windows 10 commercial. For instance, while maintaining focus on Windows 10 on PC a person using Continuum on a Windows phone could be clearly highlighted in the background. Maybe a subtle, fleeting, reference could be made to how the phone is also a "PC" with Continuum.

The ad can end with a logo showing the different form factors Windows runs on. Such references can remain part of the Windows 10 campaign throughout Microsoft's years of enterprise focus for mobile. While not attempting to sell Windows phones, it keeps the platform in the public eye within the context of the UWP and supports Windows phone manufacturing partners.

When Microsoft is ready to return to the consumer space in full force the mental inertia that they will have had to contend with had they remained silent will be more pliable due to their persistent presence. The mindshare will not have been totally lost.

If they don't do this they must do something. Silence in the consumer space, I contend, is not an option.

What are your thoughts? Should Microsoft use the platform of their Windows 10 campaign to educate the masses on the UWP and Windows 10 Mobile? Sound off in comments and on Twitter!

So what is it about this Connecticut-based smartphone manufacturer that has garnered both the praise and the ire of some in the industry? First and foremost its CEO Greg Murphy has invested in what a small but passionate group of enthusiasts hail as the best mobile platform, critics describe as a dead platform, and others barely acknowledge as they enjoy their iPhones and Android phones. Yes, WhartonBrooks is making Windows phones – and only Windows phones. So help them God; is the prayer of the fans.

Social media and comment sections of articles have been the battleground where supporters of this fledgling company, armed with tidbits of information and hope, have dueled with critics garnishing just as little data and cynicism. The mystery surrounding this firm combined with the bold confidence that saturated its initial press release are enticing characteristics that are hard for both the hopeful and critics to ignore.

In the absence of a phone, a canceled Meet & Greet, a name people don't understand and an apparent arrival out of the blue some have questioned the legitimacy of the company. Does it actually exist? It does. Are they really going to release a Windows phone? They are. When? Soon. Who exactly are WhartonBrooks? - is a question this series and particularly this piece seeks to answer through the voice of its CEO.

On with the show (or Two Huskies and a phone)

I reached out to Greg Murphy a fellow University of Connecticut graduate (Go Huskies!) to see if he'd be willing to answer a few questions. He graciously complied. Through the following piece, we learn a lot more about Greg Murphy, WhartonBrooks and his plans for Cerulean Windows phones. Buckle up and sit back you don't want to miss this!

Who is the man behind the plan?

Greg describes himself as a husband first, then a father and added with quite a bit of confidence that he is the world's biggest Windows phone fan. I'm sure many fans might contend with Murphy for that title (I'm looking at you Sean Johnson aka @TheWinPhan) but this is Greg's story.

Titles aside, he is indeed quite the fan. He has owned one of every Lumia model ever sold and says he's always been a Windows phone fan. He's also owned and loved the HTC Surround, which he bought on launch day, the Samsung Epix and the LG Incite before that. Though he did use Android for a while, he hated the experience and returned to Windows phone. Apple products, he shares, "don't excite me."

His daily drivers today include a Lumia 950 XL (though he prefers the 950), and the prototype of his first Cerulean Windows phone. He also carries a Lumia 1020 in his bag which he describes as "the most important Windows Phone ever. It is truly our aspiration." It will be interesting to see what WhartonBrooks will focus on or zoom into as key attributes for Cerulean phones.

Given Murphy's Windows phone history it is certain that many fans can relate to him and the passion he has for the platform. What we might not have, however, is the combination of experience, drive, discipline, courage and will to embark on what is undoubtedly a challenging endeavor: making Windows phones. Of course, being a fan alone wouldn't equip a man to become a Microsoft Windows phone manufacturing partner.

Murphy's professional credentials include an undergrad in Economics with a focus in Health Policy and a Masters in Public Health. He adds:

This combination of passion, experience and personal character may or may not be sufficient to help this self-proclaimed introvert succeed. But if an OEM founded by a Window phone fan for Windows phone users is as natural a fit as Murphy's affinity for talking with individuals (versus large groups) and working with tech, it just may succeed.

Why are you making Windows phones?

I'm sure that many Windows phone fans have had more than a passing thought about what type of phone they would love to see represented on the platform. Murphy, however, has put his thoughts into action. When I asked him why he is making Windows phones he replied:

It is admirable to hear of such a commitment to enhancing the entire Windows platform. I'm sure many fans are hopeful that Microsoft, the other half of this partnership, will provide WhartonBrooks with all of the support available to a multibillion-dollar firm.

WhartonBrooks is a very small company comprised of just six individuals representing varied backgrounds after all. The firm relies on a network of support including manufacturers, software developers, suppliers, and others. When I asked Murphy if his entire team uses Windows phones in their daily lives he responded:

Derek Egerman the company's Chief Strategy and Planning Officer, pictured above, can be seen sporting an iPhone as evidence of that statement.

Though some of the more passionate fans out there will pitch a fit at somebody who makes Windows phones using a rival platforms, it's an important thing to do. From a business perspective it's always smart to be familiar with the pros and cons of other platforms. That knowledge informs the work done on the company's devices, in WhartonBrook's case supplementing the user experience on Windows phones.

Of course, there isn't much an OEM partner can do to modify Windows 10 Mobile, aside from including exclusive apps, but Murphy alluded to a "product" that he is bringing to his Cerulean phones which will enhance the experience. He also stated that we have additional technologies that we will, over time, put into place for the consumer market. It is a small and shrinking market, however.

Murphy, though, seems unconcerned about the small 1% market share Windows phone currently holds:

Of course, we know that Microsoft is committed to the continued evolution of the Window Mobile OS albeit with an apparent focus on the enterprise for the immediate future. This fact brings us to another point.

Tell us about the phone!

WhartonBrooks is making Windows 10 Mobile smartphones for consumers. Murphy sees a market there that he can serve.

This focus is likely good news for the fans that feel Microsoft's vacillation between the consumer and enterprise space is disconcerting.

Murphy puts it this way:

Windows 10 Mobile and its capabilities, such as Continuum, are a known entity among enthusiasts. Many fans have wondered what "disruptive technologies" Murphy was referring to in his press release. It's worth noting that the Windows phone fan's knowledge about Windows 10 Mobile is not common knowledge. When I asked Murphy about these "disruptive technologies" he waxed philosophical; literally:

Much of what Murphy states here echoes the analysis that both myself and Daniel have presented as "tomorrows" personal computing experience. There is a paradigm shift on the horizon that will affect both the consumer and enterprise environments. If Microsoft has their way according to the latest information, however, the evolution of Windows Mobile toward that shift will occur under the stoic shadow of the enterprise.

Evolve or die: This is the age of the ultra-mobile PC

The matter of marketing

One of the primary complaints fans have hurled at Microsoft is that Microsoft has not adequately advertised Windows phone. We do acknowledge several ads for the Lumia 1020, 928 and the hard to forget "The beta test is over" campaign.

These and a few other ads have been far and in between and lack, at least in my opinion, the sensory and emotional connection often found in Samsung and Apple ads.

I asked Murphy how he planned to make Cerulean phones "noticeable" through all of the "noise" Joe Consumer is consistently hit with by Samsung and Apple. Murphy replied:

Naturally, any OEM must have a plan on how they hope to market their product. As a partner to Microsoft, however, support from Redmond would be expected. Murphy shared that Microsoft provided the relationship and partner connections to begin the process.

I wondered if Microsoft would support WhartonBrook's marketing efforts going forward, however. Murphy assured me that Microsoft is holding the company's hand through this process. He also stated that Microsoft is their most important partner and he is grateful for their help and support.

What market segment are you targeting?

Windows phone fans have been itching for high-end flagships ever since Microsoft's low-end assault a couple of years ago. The 950 and 950 XL are spec-wise, undeniably high-end devices. The not-so-exquisite build, however, has left some fans asking for more. The all-business HP Elite x3 has turned some heads, but the steep price tag and troubled roll out have caused many to turn away.

Murphy promises a beautiful device that won't break the bank. As a matter of he is targeting a high growth market, with a phone that has all of the rich features of Windows 10 Mobile including Continuum. As he puts it:

It sounds like WhartonBrooks wants the best of Windows 10 Mobile and device quality for the most affordable price. Moreover, "starting small" is likely an initial order of 10,000 phones based on information Murphy shared in his podcast. Murphy knows that the entire market is tens of millions, but doesn't yet know what his initial sales will be. This small initial order may help Murphy get the phones on carrier shelves — but he also acknowledges the importance building their unlocked phones to be as compatible with as many carriers as possible. This isn't just for networks in America — he has global ambitions:

Going forward

WhartonBrooks is planning a series of Meet & Greets leading up to the release of their smartphone. Of course, the question on most of our minds is, will we see the phone at these events? The response:

In case you missed it, the answer is no phone, but you get to meet the folks behind the phone. Murphy feels that it is important to connect with consumers and to listen to what people want from future smartphones.

Wrap up

We are very appreciative of the time Greg provided us. WhartonBrooks is in its very early stages, and we have yet to see the phone, though Greg assures me that it will be here before Christmas.

The strengths WhartonBrooks brings to the table are a laser focus on Window phone fans which no other OEM is doing. Murphy had strong language for critics who claim Windows phone is dead:

Sure, the quality of the phone, support and other factors will affect success, but the model is a unique and solid one. If WhartonBrooks can deliver on an attractive, and accessible phone on which the unique features of Windows 10 Mobile, like Continuum, can shine Lumia fans may embrace Cerulean phones. This, of course, is Murphy's goal.

If WhartonBrooks is able to deliver are you willing to embrace Cerulean phones as the next "Lumias?"

So what are your thoughts? There's a lot to talk about, from their launch strategy to price range to the target of existing Windows fans! Sound off in comments, forums and on Twitter!

• WhartonBrooks Part I: How a Windows phone fan started making Window phones
• WhartonBrooks: Read the raw Q & A between Jason Ward and Greg Murphy and join the forum discussion!

Since the introduction of Window Phone 7, fans have vicariously struggled with Microsoft to reach 5% global market share. A tiny number indeed, but a threshold that somehow declares a level of relevance our long-standing 3% and even more dismal current sub-1% simply does not achieve.

Recent "news" that Microsoft would be ending the Lumia line, while continuing development of Windows Mobile, sent many writers and fans into a tailspin. Of course, we knew that Microsoft's first-party Lumia's would be ending, but when over 90% of Windows phones are Lumias there is an undeniable market and emotional impact.

In the wake of these events we are expecting the anticipated Surface Phone to fill the first-party void sometime in 2017. If the latest reports hold true, however, that can take nearly a year to occur. That's a lifetime in tech as competing devices routinely receive an annual refresh. As such, iOS and Android will continue their evolution on fresh devices in the hands of users throughout this year and into the next.

During that same period and going forward Microsoft needs a mobile presence. Many would say we have the answer to that: Microsoft is all business in the enterprise. That conclusion, however, does not adequately address Microsoft's partnership with Windows phone manufacturers whose devices are not enterprise focused.

So what exactly is Microsoft's focus for Window 10 Mobile? It is, after all, the platform that will be running manufacturing partner Windows phones which will be the primary representatives of the platform going forward?

Does Microsoft's duo user philosophy apply to Windows Mobile?

Windows phone partners, though not joining the ranks in droves as Redmond (and fans) desire, are slowly picking up the Windows phone banner according to plan.

Joining the ranks of the manufacturing partners we've previously identified is Connecticut-based WhartonBrooks. Like Alcatel, this Window phone fan-founded Microsoft OEM partner and possibly future and some current partners are representative of an interesting quandary in which Microsoft may have placed themselves.

Consider this: Microsoft has temporarily retrenched from the consumer smartphone space but manufacturing partners are in no way restricted to the enterprise Microsoft is (or was) targeting with their own hardware. The problem?

Despite Microsoft's duo user — professional and personal — ideology for its range of products and services, many assert that the mobile iteration of the Universal Windows Platform is strictly enterprise-focused. If this is true how do we, or more importantly, how does Microsoft, reconcile the fact that Windows Mobile is a part of the enterprise- and consumer-focused Universal Windows Platform?

Furthermore, how does Microsoft reconcile that notion, with partners like WhartonBrooks and Alcatel that are planning consumer-focused Windows 10 Mobile devices?

What we know

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of this topic lets revisit Microsoft's philosophy as a company and who they envision their customers to be.

In Satya Nadella's Bold Ambition and Our Core memo he identified every user as a duo – personal and professional- user:

It is telling that that Nadella identifies developers and partners as entities that would help facilitate their duo user vision. This is an important point that clearly foreshadows Microsoft's appeal to developers and manufacturing partners to embrace the UWP which serves both consumers and enterprise.

Nadella reiterated Microsoft's duo consumer and enterprise focus two years after that initial address in an interview with Business Insider in April of this year:

Looking forward

[In a specific appeal to partners](http:// /microsoft-memo-reveals-shifting-mobile-strategy) Microsoft shared the following in May of this year:

Of note is the company's continued reference to consumers in this appeal to manufacturing partners. Moreover, though productivity for consumers is mentioned Nadella has clarified that, "Productivity for us goes well beyond documents, spreadsheets and slides. "

In a nutshell, it speaks of getting things done with technology. The memo continues with Microsoft's commitment to the universal platform, developers, support of Lumias, partners and development of future phones.

This commitment was reiterated during Microsoft's 2016 Ignite conference where a diversified first-party device portfolio was also confirmed. Microsoft directs its products and services on a broad scale to the professional and personal user in most of us. What is specifically seen is that Windows on mobile devices is seen as part of that duo user strategy.

Windows phone partners have consumers in view

If Windows Mobile were indeed strictly enterprise-focused Windows phone partners with a heavy consumer focus, like WhartonBrooks, have a dilemma. Derek Egerman, WhartonBrooks Chief Strategy and Planning Officer said the following of the company's mission to CEO Greg Murphy:

Moreover the company's press release further supports this duo-user focus: "We have the one device that takes care of all your needs. It changes with you throughout the day to meet your office and personal needs in every moment." Consumers are clearly a focus for this Windows phone partner. Alcatel who is targeting Millennials is another.

Of the twelve other partners identified there may be others who are targeting their Windows Mobile phones at consumers. This fact is important for Microsoft, fans and industry watchers to recognize. Would Redmond push for and enter into partnerships with manufacturers who are targeting consumers while strategically positioning the platform strictly for the enterprise? That would be illogical.

Microsoft needs to push Windows Mobile out of the shadows

After Microsoft retrenched from the consumer space last year, it was logical for them not to advertise Lumias to the masses. Windows Mobile was also a far less mature platform at the time. But here's the question. Since manufacturing partners have embraced Windows 10 Mobile and some are targeting consumers, would it benefit the platform and the ecosystem for Microsoft to advertise the existence and benefits of the now much more mature Windows Mobile to the masses?

Now might be an ideal time to market the mobile iteration of the platform; highlighting features like Continuum and Live Tiles, particularly as part of the current Windows 10 push. Doing so during Windows 10's early stages shows the uniformity of the platform. To make efforts to proactively "introduce" Windows Mobile at some point in the future would make this integral part of the UWP appear tacked on.

Window phones are vanishing from the collective consciousness of consumers. Sporadic promotions and limited marketing by local Window phones partners won't put the Windows Mobile component of the UWP in the minds of the masses. If manufacturing partners and the anticipated Surface Phone are to succeed Windows Mobile needs to be as much a part of public awareness as Windows on PC.

Microsoft is aggressively pushing Windows 10 features on PC through television ads. Since Windows Mobile is a part of this universal platform and is being continually developed it would make since to promote the entirety of the platform that partners have embraced and consumers use. Both PC and phone partners need Microsoft's marketing and promotion support.

Simply put, since Redmond has partners like Alcatel and WhartonBrooks with current and coming consumer-facing smartphones they have to publicly push their mobile platform if they expect their partners to succeed. If Windows Mobile has no mindshare, then the promise of the UWP falters.

Of course, aggressive ads showing the benefits of Windows Mobile and Continuum may generate some consumer demand for difficult to acquire high-end devices like the Elite x3. Given the scarcity of Windows phones in the market, the pickings are admittedly thin. Microsoft's marketing team could create an "elite" air around the devices — could that begin to lead to a beneficial luxury elitist branding akin to what our own Daniel Rubino has mused for the platform?

Microsoft can't leave manufacturing partners hanging

It is imperative that Microsoft put their full marketing weight and support behind the partners that have embraced and will champion their platform, particularly since they're ending their own Lumia line. If a manufacturing partner is targeting consumers, in line with Microsoft's duo user philosophy, Redmond cannot leave them "hanging" as it were. There needs to be a consumer-facing emphasis, from Microsoft, on the consumer benefits of Windows Mobile.

It is important that Microsoft aligns its messaging around its mobile strategy and duo user ideology. There needs to be strong, unambiguous language expressing support for the enterprise and consumers for the mobile personal computing platform just as we see with the desktop. If Windows is a duo user platform, Windows Mobile as Windows is both consumer and enterprise focused. If this is not the case the Universal Windows Platform is inherently divided.

If Microsoft is reluctant to promote Windows 10 Mobile alongside Window 10 for PC, manufacturing partners like Whartonbrooks, Alcatel and others, will be left unsupported trying to sell a platform that will be growing increasingly obscure.

The majority of the current 1% of Windows phone users own low-end devices. Most users in that segment of the population are statistically unlikely to upgrade to a higher end Windows phone even if one were available. Thus, though the enthusiast market is a worthy target winning users to the platform is important.

Working together

Ideally, the phasing out of Lumia has positioned Redmond to phase in a marketing strategy that promotes Windows 10 Mobile in a way that makes it as visible to the masses as Windows on PC. If not, small manufacturing partners may find that their resources may be woefully insufficient to push both the platform and their devices out of the shadows where consumers can see them.

An ideal synergy would be Microsoft bearing the weight of promoting the mobile platform to the masses (alongside Windows on PC), while partners promote their devices to their target audiences. This would allow partners to focus on marketing the merits of their devices without the burden of fully "educating" the masses about the platform.

What are your thoughts? Should Microsoft begin actively marketing Windows 10 Mobile along with Windows 10 on PC in support of both PC and phone manufacturing partners?

Sound off in comments, in forums and on Twitter!

That conundrum is often used to portray the problem of the relatively weak developer support that has plagued Microsoft's mobile platform and now the broader Universal Windows Platform of which it is a part.

We know that developers will make apps for a platform that has a reasonable number of users. Users will also use a platform that has the popular apps they enjoy. Windows phone has historically had a poor representation of both users and app developers, and therein lies the problem. Users won't come (in part) due to missing apps. Developers won't bring apps to a platform without users. And around and round we go.

Admittedly, there are many Windows phone users that greatly enjoy the platform and find that the "app gap" presents a minor impact to their smartphone activity.

The Windows phone user base numbers in the millions, but it accounts for just 1% of global smartphone users — a lot of users, but a small target compared to iPhone and Android. The experiences, compromises, and expectations of Windows phone users are not completely reflective of the rest of the billions of other smartphone users out there.

When you use iOS or Android, you expect that any advertised app will be available on your phone, whether you're inclined to use it or not. A Windows phone user is often better served not getting his hopes up, given the lackluster level of developer support. Currently, Windows phone is indeed alive and kicking, but many developers consider Windows only as an afterthought, if at all. Even worse, there are those who have supported the platform, and seemingly as a second thought decided the platform was not worth continued investment.

Alas, these departing developers and businesses have joined what is seemingly, on some level, a Windows phone app exodus.

Three's a crowd

The industry of developers, users and the platforms, iOS and Android, have seemingly forged a symbiosis that benefits that trio of entities. Users demand apps that developers eagerly provide. Apple and Google reap millions of dedicated users to their respective platforms. The dreaded "other" category of platforms to which Windows phone has been recently relegated struggles on the outside, reaching in, in an attempt to be a part of that dynamic, popular and relevant "clique."

Despite a perpetual struggle, and general consumer rejection, Microsoft's mobile platform has remained afloat (despite declarations of its demise). Windows Mobile is strategically buoyed by its position as part of the broader Universal Windows Platform. Moreover, Microsoft's "one core" strategy offers developers an incentive of hundreds of millions of Windows users as a potential target of a developers Store apps. Some developers have continued their embrace of the platform while others, despite this incentive, have opted out.

Still, Microsoft envisions' a future for its phones. In a memo to OEM partners in May of this year Microsoft stated:

The consistent builds that are released for not only Windows 10 desktop but also Mobile are a testimony to this commitment. Moreover, the attention that is expected to be received by the mobile portion of the UWP in the RedStone 2 update is encouraging. Despite wavering developer support and vociferous complaints from the fan base, Microsoft is intent on having a piece of the mobile pie beyond an app presence on iOS and Android.

Going, going, GONE!

Microsoft's commitment has not gone unchallenged. 2016 has not been an easy year for Microsoft's mobile efforts or the platforms dedicated fans. We've seen a continuing drop in market share. This loss of share though expected under the firm's retrenchment efforts is still not easy to see.

The release of data that reveals the plunge of Microsoft's mobile share from its minuscule 3% to 1% would be discouraging to anyone. It has evidently discouraged the developers of My Fitness Pal, Kayak and several others as they have removed their apps from the platform. In the face of quarterly data that we know reflects an expected, retrenchment-affected, market share decrease, app developers seem to receive this data as a signal to depart the platform. It is a distressing trend.

Though data that reflects Microsoft's current position is a relevant measure for developers to determine their investment or lack thereof in Microsoft's ecosystem, it is not the only measure. Indeed, this app exodus is occurring during a critical time of flux in the entire smartphone industry.

Riding the wave or wiping out?

Like a surfer riding a wave, Microsoft is following this shift. The company is no longer looking to compete in the traditional/modern smartphone space. After nearly ten years since its inception, the modern smartphone market is at the beginning of a tectonic shift. Smartphone hardware specs have nearly plateaued in the phones evolution toward the form and function of pocketable PCs. Even the recently announced iPhone 7, "the best iPhone yet", remains (in my opinion) on a dead-end course of incremental advancements rather than meeting the transformative needs of the current paradigm shift.

Microsoft's strength is designing software and hardware that easily transitions according to context with Windows 10, universal apps and Continuum. This positions them for the next bend in the curve with a potential ultra-mobile PC or 3-in-1.

Furthermore, personal computing is moving toward a focus on messaging as a platform. Under this paradigm users will be able to "do" things via bots or apps directly from the messenger on their smartphones. Microsoft's purchase of messenger developer Wand Labs positions Redmond to potentially standardize, via its Conversations as a Canvas strategy the use of app functions without the need for the app on one's device.

Moreover, there are inherent shortcomings to the current "warehouse of apps" app model. The move toward AI and bots, supported by giants such as Facebook, Apple, Google and Microsoft along with start-up Viv looks to rectify those problems.

Furthermore, Microsoft's Universal Windows Platform, which encompasses all form factors presents a much broader opportunity for developers than the small Windows phone market alone.

Consequently, developers who have removed their apps from Windows after focusing on Redmond's current state and the data reflecting the company's dropping mobile share may be missing an opportunity inherent in the industry's current shift and Microsoft's position as a leader therein.

Still, the apps are gone, more may leave, and that's not a good thing.

This doesn't look good

Though never a good time, developers pulling apps from Windows probably couldn't come at a worse time than right now.

Microsoft is in the nascent stages of trying to sell the industry on its Universal Windows Platform. Their messaging deliberately takes the focus off of the phone and directs it toward the breadth of the entire universal platform which includes PCs, Xbox, 2-in-1s, HoloLens, phone and more. Those who resist this perspective have likely not fully embraced the implications of a universal platform. Terry Myerson expressed it this way in his notoriously misinterpreted words earlier this year:

Myerson was indicating that the UWP, which incorporates a multitude of form factors, had a better chance of being supported if Microsoft appealed to developers with the more popular and more widely used form factors. If developers came to Windows for Xbox, PC or HoloLens, OneCore ensured that phone could also benefit from a developer's investment in Windows.

Thus, whenever a developer pulls an app from Windows phone, that removal ripples across the ecosystem and affects current users, other developers and how the platform is perceived.

Microsoft needs every developer vote of confidence it can get; each is a public validation of its strategy. Developers retreating from the platform is a condemning indictment that they no longer share Microsoft's vision. To invest in Windows only to later leave, signals to other developers that the experience of investing time and money in Windows was ultimately not worth that developer's effort. This effect is compounded when high-profile developers leave. In essence, whether valid or not, it is a silent advisement to other developers not to waste their time.

Fans of the platform are impacted by these departures as well. Microsoft, developers, and users are all members of an ecosystem to which each member adds value and by their participation acknowledges the value of the others. Microsoft builds the platform. Developers contribute their apps. Users invest time, money and energy supporting and championing the platform. It is perceived as a virtual slap in the face when developers who helped build the ecosystem reject it and by proxy the users that remain who valued that developers app.

The emotions evoked by this elimination of support can be heard in the anger and frustration of some fans. Of course, a respectfully articulated argument is more compelling than the profanity laced tirades or name calling we sometimes encounter. The point here is that when developers pull their apps, many users are affected on an intensely emotional level; other developers are inclined not to invest in the platform and the UWP is perceived as a failure.

It's not over

Despite the challenges Microsoft is encountering, they're continuing unabated toward a goal to make the UWP a success. In truth, though several apps have been pulled from the platform many others have come to the platform.

Furthermore, Microsoft's UWP is only a year old. Though they've been working toward this dream for two decades. Given the many years invested in bringing the UWP to fruition I doubt that a year of negative press, some departing apps, and negative commentary will dissuade the company from doing all it can to ensure the UWP succeeds.

That said, there is a real impact to how the platform is perceived and how users are affected when developer after developer leaves the platform. How will Microsoft manage that fallout? More to the point what can they do to keep developers from leaving?

Sound off in comments and Twitter!

This week we learned the official launch date of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update for Windows 10 Mobile, picked up some new Fast Ring builds, lost a few services, gained some others, and much more.

Welcome to our weekly roundup of Windows Mobile news.

Windows 10 Mobile

The biggest news of the week is the official announcement of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, which arrives on August 2nd. Windows Insider program leader Dona Sarkar confirmed the news on twitter, stating that the update for PCs and Windows 10 Mobile will hit simultaneously.

Windows 10 Mobile has been steadily improving as part of the Insider Fast Ring, which began launching release candidate builds this week with the arrival of build 14383. Our own Zac Bowden reported earlier this week that the Anniversary Update is pretty much completed as far as features and improvements go, with further improvements set to hit Fast Ring Windows Insiders over the next few weeks to help finalize the launch build.

As far as phones are concerned, the Lumia 550 picked up a price cut in the UK and Ireland, dropping to £80 and €100 respectively. NuAns NEO's Kickstarter campaign crossed $100,000 pledged and still has 31 days to hit its $725,000 goal to bring its unique customizable Windows 10 Mobile device to markets beyond Japan.

HP are producing a range of accessories for its upcoming super-charged Windows 10 Mobile HP Elite x3, including a passive stylus. Passive styluses differ from active styluses in the sense they don't interact with the screen electronically, they just grant more control in drawing applications than finger-based touch inputs might. The HP Elite x3 will also be available with a range of screen protectors, cases, and a wireless charging base. Oh, it'll come in a gold variant too, for some extra bling.

Further Reading on W10M News

• Windows 10 Anniversary Update will also hit mobile on August 2
• Microsoft begins sign-off process for the Windows 10 Anniversary Update
• The HP Elite x3 will support a passive stylus and other optional accessories

Apps

CNN began the process to shutter its own app, which will go dark on July 18th. The app hasn't been updated for quite a while, but to lose a prominent service is a significant blow. Hopefully, CNN will reconsider the platform with UWP, given that the Windows 10 device family now boasts an install base in the hundreds of millions.

It's not all doom and gloom, though, as third party Sonos app Zonos picked up a solid update, bringing Cortana voice control to the party. Additionally, Video 360 picked up support for 360 photographs, in addition to general bug fixes.

We also featured a cool app for keeping tabs on your battery usage called Battery X, which has a gorgeous UI, an impressive array of features and notifications for those moments your battery life might be slipping. Check out George Ponder's detailed look over here.

The official Microsoft Photos app picked up a couple of tweaks, adding a transitional animation and a dedicated slideshow button. Finally, our own Windows Central app received a couple of bug fixes.

Further Reading on W10M Apps

• Keep tabs on your Windows 10 Mobile power status with Battery X
• CNN is retiring its Windows Phone app on July 18
• PayPal may be working on a Windows 10 Mobile app
• Third-party Sonos app Zonos for Windows 10 adds Cortana support and more
• Microsoft Photos grabs new Slideshow button and fancy animation for Insiders
• New Windows Central App update delivers more reliable Live Tiles, stability

Games

This week in Windows 10 Mobile games we put the spotlight on an interesting MyAppFree deal with Tales of the Orient, a match-3 game with the twist of building an ancient Japanese village. We also featured Spellspire, an intriguing word puzzle game with RPG elements from the creators of Crimsonland, 10Tons.

Asphalt 8: Airborne received a hefty update, picking up various new features:

• NEW CARS: The Mercedes-AMG GT3, Jaguar F-TYPE Project 7, nanoFlowcell QUANT FE and other sports cars will progressively make their appearance on the starting line. Follow us at www.facebook.com/AsphaltGame to be the first to know about their release and more!
• ENDURO DOUBLE DOWN: Prove you can withstand till the very end in an ever-changing, tough, daring challenge. Double or nothing is the way to go! Risk your progress in order to win BIG!
• DAILY TASKS: Missing some credits or tokens to buy your dream car?! Complete the daily tasks to stack up rewards!
• R&D Series: Push the Mercedes-AMG C-Coupe Touring Car 2014 to its limits & get a chance to make it yours!

Finally, Hitman GO, the popular puzzle game based on the Hitman universe is currently on sale for $0.99 until July 11th, check it out!

Further Reading on W10M Games

• Solve the puzzle and build a village with Tales of the Orient
• Spellspire, a Windows 10 Mobile mashup of word games and role-playing adventures
• Hitman GO dips to just $0.99 on the Windows Store
• Asphalt 8: Airborne offers new cars, daily tasks, and more
• Flip + Pirate Factory for Windows 10 Mobile, solve crazy puzzles and build robots

The future's looking bright

We might've lost PayPal and CNN recently, but with Windows 10 Mobile gaining more and more polish every week in the Fast Ring, Microsoft seems to be preparing the OS for a big push in 2017. The Universal Windows Platform already has a few success stories under its belt, with decent apps from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter making their way to the platform. Hopefully, there'll be more positive news moving forward!

Windows 10 Mobile's launch date for the Anniversary Update is announced, the Lumia 640's days of cheap availability is behind it, and double-tap to wake is finally making its way to the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL.

This is all the week's news dealing with Windows 10 Mobile!

Windows

The Lumia 640's shelf life may be close to expiring, as the phone is in short supply in the U.S. Currently, the only carrier you can get it from is Cricket Wireless, at the rock-bottom price of $29.99.

But a couple of older phones seem to have had a resurgence of sorts since they were added to the Windows 10 upgrade list. The Lumia 1520 is on sale again at AT&T for $584.99 outright, while Groupon was listing Verizon's Lumia Icon for an astoundingly low $99.

Microsoft officially announced that the Windows 10 Anniversary Update would also hit mobile devices August 2, the same day it rolls out for PCs and tablets.

We also learned that the Anniversary update will arrive without the previously-announced Messaging Everywhere feature. Microsoft has decided to rethink their approach and will now include it as part of a revamped Skype app to come sometime later.

While we wait for August 2 to come, Fast Ring Insiders got one step closer to the big update with Windows 10 preview build 14379 with improvements to the Store, Windows Hello, and more.

Insiders in the Release Preview ring received build 10586.456, which delivered a whole lot of fixes.

And users around the globe are reporting seeing "Double-tap to Wake" appearing in their Windows Device Recovery for Lumias. It looks like Microsoft may be preparing to roll the feature out soon, so the only thing we can do is just be patient.

Other notable items:

• NexDock shipments delayed by fire in manufacturing facility
• PSA: Free Office 365 offer with Lumia 950 or 950 XL purchase ends June 30
• Help, my wife wants to switch from Windows phone to Android!
• How to join the Windows Insider Program
• NuAns NEO is now on Kickstarter to let you fully customize your Windows phone

Apps

Wells Fargo launched its new Windows 10 Mobile app, giving you access to your bank, credit card, and brokerage accounts.

The beta version of Microsoft's Authenticator app expanded its capabilities with support for Facebook and Google accounts.

An official Steam app for Windows mobile devices made a surprise appearance in the Windows Store. The story of the Valve app is a happy tale of a fan's efforts paying off. Seeing what a great job he had done on his own, Valve recruited Thomas Cheyney, the developer of the Unofficial Steam Authenticator, to build their own app.

Facebook Messenger got a major update, giving it a makeover and turning it into a native Windows 10 Mobile app. Meanwhile, Microsoft's Facebook Beta for Windows 10 Mobile was throwing errors telling users that they need to uninstall it. Perhaps this was Microsoft passing the torch to the app developed by Facebook themselves.

Amazon informed Windows Phone users that their app will be retired on July 25. The company has not shared any plans to create one for Windows 10, despite their continued support for their Audible audio books app.

PayPal, who also discontinued Windows Phone app, may be working on a Windows 10 Mobile app, though the company has not confirmed anything.

And the saga of the Starbucks Windows 10 app continues. After missing the previous release dates set by the company itself, Starbucks' digital head Adam Brotman said that the app is in "final testing" and could launch "in the next few weeks." Only time will tell.

Other notable items:

• Write to your heart's delight with Nextpad for Windows 10 PC and Mobile
• Tweet It! adds way to send long text as chained tweets with latest update
• Chill out with Zen: Coloring Book for Adults on Windows 10
• Outlook Groups adds calendar events support with latest update
• Quotey, an abundance of memorable citations delivered to your Windows 10 device
• Fanband and Cortanium for Windows 10 Mobile get new updates
• MSN News now lets everyone customize their media sources
• Microsoft shows how developers can add HDR image features in Windows 10 camera apps
• WhatsApp for Windows Phone gains quoted message support, tweaked UI in new update
• Star Walk 2 brings virtual stargazing to Windows 10 PC and Mobile
• Groove Music update for Fast ring Insiders makes 'Your Groove' more colorful
• ProShot creators offer a peek at what's in store for the Windows 10 camera app

Games

Games

It was a slow week in mobile gaming news, but we did take a look at To The Castle for Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 10 Mobile.

It's a retro-styled arcade game that offers a couple of different play modes, along with the ability to create your own levels and share them with other players.

Other notable items:

• Fight the Shadows with today's myAppFree Deal, League of Stickmen for Windows 10

Be sure to weigh in on this week's news in the comments section. See you next week!

This was another important week for Windows 10 Mobile with a new Insider build, the introduction of Microsoft Wallet, the return of an old favorite game, and a few official upgrades for some aging Lumias.

In case you missed it, we have the weeks' wrap for all things Windows phone.

Windows Mobile

HP's Elite X3 superphone got one step closer to an official release, passing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth certification. It shouldn't be long before we start seeing it on sale.

Microsoft Research released a video showing off one of its latest projects called uLink. The tool offers smartphone users a way to save and bookmark URLs from within other apps, whether it is for immediate use or to reference at a later time.

Insiders in the Slow ring received Windows 10 Mobile build 14367 this week, while the Fast ring folks picked up preview build 14371.

The day after build 14372 replaced it, adding a few fixes to the mix.

Verizon's Lumia Icon and AT&T's Lumia 1520 both got the official Windows 10 Mobile update, breathing new life into the two former heavyweights.

Other notable items:

• BOGO Reminder: Get a Lumia 950 XL and get a Lumia 950 for free in Canada and the U.S.
• Windows 10 Mobile stalls at 11 percent of entire Windows phone market
• Hands on with the new Black Walnut and Light Oak shells from Mozo for the Lumia 950 and 950 XL

Apps

Crunchyroll, the anime video service, is now available for Windows 10 on PC and Mobile.

Microsoft rolled out their new Windows Maps experience to all Windows 10 hardware this week, so now everyone can enjoy it. For fans of the old HERE Maps, fear not, the transition is painless.

Fast Ring Insiders picked up the new Wallet 2.0 app, complete with the new NFC Tap-to-pay feature. Be sure to check out the list of banks that currently support it, along with some others who plan to.

Some references to "WinRT" in the latest Steam update suggest that Valve's Steam Authenticator app [might be coming to Windows Phone. The app helps increase account security by generating a random code that can be used to log into your Steam account.

And Microsoft is testing a newly-designed Health app that sports a new user interface that more closely resembles its iOS and Android counterparts. The future version also includes a new "Insights" feature, which offers Microsoft Band users personalized tips on how they can improve their health based on their device and Cortana data.

Other notable items:

• Facebook Messenger Beta for Windows 10 picks up an update
• SafetyCulture's iAuditor app and platform now available for Windows 10
• 8 Zip gets a huge discount to just $0.99
• Microsoft's Wallet app update helps make a surprise party happen in new video
• Why I dropped LastPass for Enpass on Windows 10 — and why you should too
• Dropbox is adding several new and improved productivity tools
• MSN News for Windows 10 now lets you add select media sources (Fast Ring)
• Vivino ceases all app development on Windows platform
• Add a little pop to your messaging with Stickers for Telegram, today's AdDuplex HERO App
• Audible adds podcasts and more short-form shows with latest Windows 10 update
• edjing Scratch arrives on Windows 10 PC and Mobile to let you DJ anywhere
• DailyDiary is a Windows 10 app for documenting life's highs and lows
• Aeries Twitter client for Windows 10 adds Tweetstorm features
• Roku will keep supporting its older Windows Phone and Windows 8.1 apps
• Gadgets app update fixes issues for Fast ring Insiders
• American Express app not currently searchable in Windows Store
• A universal version of Glympse is in the works for Windows 10 PC and Mobile
• Enpass gains 'full-time' Windows Hello support and more in latest update
• Realarm app for Windows 10 UWP officially released
• Free movie streaming service Popcornflix launches universal Windows 10 app

Games

Spellspire, the spelling/RPG hybrid game expanded from iOS and Android to Windows 10 Mobile.

Kiloo announced that it would be ending support for its game Subway Surfers for Windows Phone. The good news is that the endless runner made its Windows 10 Mobile debut a couple of days later.

And Crimsonland, the long-running top-down shooter for Windows, will be updated with Xbox Live support, including leaderboards and achievements.

Other notable items:

• Drive yourself crazy with the Windows 10 puzzle game CargoBot
• AdDuplex welcomes the Windows 10 puzzle game Poly and the Marble Maze to the HERO App lineup
• The Splashtop Classroom Assist Windows 10 app will help teachers connect to students
• Dominate the skies in Battle of Helicopters for Windows 10
• Solve the puzzle and build a village with Tales of the Orient, this week's myAppFree Deal

Be sure to weigh in on this week's news in the comments section. See you next week!

A lot is going on in the world of Windows phone. So much, in fact, that it is sometimes tough to catch every important story.

Device rumors come and go. New apps join the Windows Store, and your favorite app can get a big update with a new look or new features.

Therefore, every week we will compile a list of the Windows phone and Windows 10 Mobile news that you just shouldn't miss. Welcome to the "Windows Mobile Weekly Digest."

Windows Mobile

This week, the Windows 10 10586.420 cumulative update was released for PC and Mobile, leaving squashed numerous bugs in its wake. The update is available for all non-Insiders and those on Insider Production Release.

Fast Ring Insiders picked up Windows 10 Mobile Build 14364, only to have it supplanted a couple days later by build 14367, with even more fixes.

Insiders running Redstone builds of the OS saw the Windows Store get updated with the return of screenshots, as well as a new Share button. However, many are still having issues with Check for Updates, which hopefully will be addressed this week.

Microsoft announced that it will be removing the Kids Corner from Windows 10 Mobile as part of the Anniversary Update in July. The decision comes after an analysis of the feature showed that customer usage is just too low to justify the time and money to continue developing it.

And after last week's news that the Wallet 2.0 app will bring NFC Tap to Pay to Windows 10 Mobile, new information suggests that only newer phones will get the feature.

NFC Tap to Pay relies on a technology called Host Card Emulation (HCE), which helps keep credit card information secure. However, devices must be certified by credit card companies like MasterCard to use the technology, and only certain models of Windows smartphones currently appear on that list.

At the moment, this is mostly speculative, as nothing has been officially announced, but the evidence certainly leans toward that conclusion.

Other notable items:

• Windows Device Recovery Tool updated to support Acer smartphones
• Mozo Lumia covers are on sale via MobileFun, and we have an exclusive offer to go with it!
• Groove Music update brings performance boost to all Windows Insider rings
• Groove Music update for Fast ring Insiders gets personal with 'Your Groove' feature
• Microsoft introduces 'Your Groove' curated playlists for Windows 10 and Groove
• Feedback Hub gets performance boost for Fast ring Insiders on Windows 10

Apps

Xbox Live members on iOS and Android joined their Windows-using counterparts in accessing all things Xbox on their devices thanks to the new official apps for those platforms. The Xbox app for iOS and Android are mostly retooled versions of the already existing SmartGlass apps, complete with all of the old features and a bunch of new ones.

The official Windows Central App was updated with a snazzy new layout, quiet hours, and podcasts, amongst other things. The Weather Channel app for Windows 10 Mobile got a makeover, bringing the UI in line with that of its iOS and Android siblings.

Some well-known names joined the Windows 10 family this week. Expedia's new Windows 10 UWP app for PC and Mobile took flight with Cortana voice commands and interactive notifications on board.

The United States Postal Service delivered a new package tracking app for Windows 10 computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Facebook's official app for Windows 10 hit the Store as a beta. The previous app was developed for the social media giant by Microsoft, but this new one comes from Facebook themselves.

Wells Fargo announced that they will be discontinuing their Windows Phone 8.1 app later this month, but you can bank on a Windows 10 app coming soon.

Yet another Skype preview version for Windows 10 Mobile leaked. This build needs to be side-loaded, just like the ones before it.

And we got our hands on an early copy of the new Office Lens app, ported from Windows 8.1 and headed to Windows 10 and Mobile.

Other notable items:

• Token2Shell/MD shows just how powerful UWP apps can be
• Afterlight brings its feature-rich image editing to Windows 10
• Office 365 Admin for Windows Phone gets a new design with latest update
• Afrikaans language support added to Microsoft Translator apps
• Spoticast for Spotify adds Last.fm scrobbler support with latest update
• Realarm beta update for Windows 10 supports backups from older app and more
• Garmin Connect Mobile gets social in latest update for Windows 10
• Opera brings its ad blocking feature to Windows 10 Mobile
• Many Windows 10 Mobile users can currently no longer install Instagram [Update: It's working again]
• Unleash your goofy side with Instant Photo for Windows 10
• Soundcloud third-party app Audiocloud gets updated to Windows 10
• SellPro's Windows 10 UWP retail training app goes into beta testing
• Refresh your Windows 10 wallpaper with today's AdDuplex HERO App, My Daily Wallpaper

Games

One of the big game-specific announcements to come out of E3 2016 was an expansion of the Minecraft Realms program called "The Friendly Update" that will unite players across Windows 10, iOS, Android, and Gear VR.

The update went live for Windows 10 shortly after the big reveal. Support for game consoles is expected to roll out sometime next year.

Other notable items:

• Suumtiply, a zippy Windows 10 math challenge, is today's AdDuplex HERO App
• Arcane Soul puts side-scrolling fantasy combat on Windows 10

Be sure to weigh in on this week's news in the comments section. See you next week!

There's a lot going on in the world of Windows phone and Windows 10 Mobile. So much, in fact, that it is sometimes tough to catch every important story.

Device rumors come and go. New apps join the Windows Store, and your favorite app can get a big update with a new look or new features.

Therefore, every week we will compile a list of the Windows phone news that you just shouldn't miss. Welcome to the "Windows Mobile Weekly Digest."

Windows Mobile

Windows PC and Mobile users in the Fast ring were updated to preview build 14361, bringing with it Hyper-V container, Windows Ink improvements, new icons, and the run-of-the-mill bug fixes.

Dona Sarkar, the newly-appointed head of the Windows Insider Program, said via Twitter that the team has "some really interesting things" in store for the next Insider build. Word has it that whatever they have planned could be related to Microsoft's revelations at E3 2016 tomorrow.

NuAns announced that they are taking their NEO smartphone running Windows 10 Mobile to Kickstarter to fund a worldwide launch:

The NuAns NEO, which is currently only available in Japan, is best known for its swappable "TWOTONE" covers that can be mixed and match on the top and bottom of the phone. It sports a 5-inch 1280x720 display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable storage, and is Continuum-ready with its USB Type-C port.

And a video from CHI '16: ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in May surfaced showcasing Microsoft's pre-touch technology from the canceled Nokia McLaren.

Other notable items:

• Win a Lumia 950 in our Do More Gems day five sweepstakes!

Apps

This week we saw Microsoft's GroupMe messaging app expand from a smartphone app to Windows 10 PC as well.

Amazon removed their Windows Phone app from Store search results, with no apparent plans to develop a Windows 10 version. The app is still available via direct store link and will continue to work, although the company is directing users to use their mobile browsers instead.

Bank of America returned to Windows as a universal app for Windows 10 PC and Mobile, and as one of our latest Windows 10 Gems. The newly-redesigned app lets you find ATMs and branches, pay bills, deposit checks, and much more.

Microsoft's Authenticator two-factor verification app is now available for Insiders running "Redstone" builds. The app currently lets you authenticate by generating a code or sending a push notification that you can use to accept or deny the request. In the future, it will also be able to unlock nearby devices using Bluetooth.

After missing their initially planned timeframe, Starbucks' digital head, Adam Brotman, said that their highly-anticipated Windows 10 app will arrive sometime in June.

And Microsoft has big plans for version 2.0 of their Wallet app for Windows 10 Mobile. Windows Central obtained an internal build and found that it not only features the ability to store loyalty and customer cards, but it also supports NFC-based tap-to-pay.

Other notable items:

• Disqus Windows 10 UWP app open beta is 'coming soon'
• AppRaisin offers Windows 10 PC and Mobile developers paid Sponsored slots
• Hope Calendar for Windows 10 PC and Mobile adds transparent Live Tile
• HP working on new apps for Windows 10, possibly for the Elite X3
• Afterlight image editor is now a UWP app for Windows 10 PC and Mobile
• Leaked Skype UWP app for Windows 10 Mobile bumped to version 11.6.36
• The gorgeous Realarm enters open beta for Windows 10 UWP version
• Twitter for Windows 10 PC and Mobile adds polls and Personalization section
• Instagram snaps itself an update for Windows 10 Mobile
• Hike Messenger adds support for captions in shared images in latest update
• Spoticast for Spotify now lets you bounce between different audio and video formats

Games

Electronic Arts released Mirror's Edge Companion app for Windows 10 Mobile to help players on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation track their progress through the City of Glass. There is a fully rendered 3D map and an information database packed with data and lore about places in the game. You can also set your own challenges, bookmark content, and track friends' and other players' adventures through the city.

And a new developer profile of the German company Flare Games demonstrates how lucrative developing for the Windows platform can be. Their game Royal Revolt II, which is also available on iOS and Android, gets a third of its revenue from Windows devices.

Other notable items:

• Math Match makes a game out of challenging arithmetic on Windows 10 Mobile
• PigBoy, a Windows 10 endless runner game full of pork bellies

Be sure to weigh in on this week's news in the comments section. See you next week!

In parts one and two of this series I posited that human behavior in relation to apps effectively precludes the existence of an app gap on the Windows Mobile platform.

That is an experience with Windows Phone that makes it virtually unusable as a modern smartphone or severely degraded as such in relation to rivals, Apple and Google, due to their comparatively larger app stores of quality apps. I do acknowledge that there is indeed an immense quantity gap between the Windows Store's nearly 500,000 apps versus competitors above 1.5 million apps. I also acknowledge that there is a clear quality gap between some Windows Mobile apps and their more polished iPhone and Android counterparts. These facts are both observable and undeniable.

What is challenged by the data from the 2015 Comscore Mobile App Report is the conclusion reached by many that Windows Mobile is not a viable platform for the average US smartphone user due to the acknowledged quantity and quality gaps.

In this piece, we will look a little closer at the data from Comscore's 2015 Mobile App Report. We will incorporate into our analysis of human behavior in relation to mobile apps the average smartphone user's use of mobile web content as well. By the end of this piece, we will see how this data supports the industry' move in personal computing from the current user initiated app model to the proactive AI supported and intent aware bot model.

As I've shared in the past two articles, the data from Comscore's Mobile App Report focuses on US smartphone users. Thus, it cannot be definitively asserted that the data is reflective of all smartphone users worldwide. That said, it may be possible to presume that human behavior across other demographics, would yield a similar concentration of user activity on a small assortment of apps and a high engagement of mobile web content.

What we know

In parts I and II we analyzed data that revealed that a whopping 50% of the average US smartphone users time is spent in his top used app. We further saw in the data that 91% of an average users time is spent in his top six apps.

Furthermore, the data revealed that social media dominates smartphone app usage and that the leading social media platforms, such as Facebook, which garners the majority of user's time, are indeed on Windows Mobile.

Part I: Human behavior, the overlooked variable

Additionally, we shared how most of the top 25 most used apps of 2015 are indeed on Windows Mobile or are effectively replicated on the platform.

Part II: App gap? What app gap?

We surmised by this data that for the average US smartphone user, Windows Mobile offers a platform that accommodates what that data reveals to be the behavior of the average US smartphone user.

Getting the lowdown on downloads

With the much-touted size of the App Store and Google Play, and the ongoing dialogue surrounding the importance of apps, one would presume that the average smartphone user is busy downloading as much app content as their devices could hold.

However, even without any additional data to the contrary, the previously presented data would likely lead the astute reader to the conclusion that that simply is not the case. Smartphone users, despite the availability of over a million apps on the dominant platforms, are simply, relatively speaking, not downloading much app content.

This information coincides with what we saw in the last piece of this series where we shared app discovery activity is quite low. As noted, the highest level of app discovery activity occurs among a meager 27% of the smartphone using population. Moreover, that number is representative of the most engaged smartphone user demographic of 18-34-year-olds or millennials, using the app stores.

Needless to say, less engaged representatives of older demographics app discovery activity is even lower than that high of 27%. Furthermore, as we shared in the previous piece app discovery activity decreases across engagement methods as well as with age as seen in the chart below.

These are critical points because they reveal important trends in human behavior in relation to apps. This information suggests that the current app focused model which is reliant upon robust and highly acclaimed app stores is simply not an efficient model that complements human behavior.

In fact, the data clearly reveals that the app stores are the most used app discovery methods but are engaged most by an uninspiring 27% (18 -34 year olds) of users, second by a mere 18% (35-54 year olds) of users and at its lowest point used by a lackluster 12% (55+) of users. As the chart reveals, these are the "high" numbers representing app discoverability activity across demographics using the most used app discovery method: the app stores. As we move across discovery methods shown in the above chart, such as recommendations from friends, reviews, ads, etc., the numbers continue to decline until less than 10% of users discover apps via the lowest used method.

Don't seek and you won't find

This information enlightens us to the reality that the average smartphone user (not enthusiasts like you folks reading this) are just not actively seeking out new apps nor engaging different methods that introduce new apps in high numbers. This low app discoverability information suggests the logical conclusion that if seeking out new apps is low among the average smartphone user, app downloads in effect must also be low.

As a matter of fact, the data from Comscore's 2014 Mobile App Report reveals just that. The report reflects that a mere 7% of smartphone users accounted for 50% of all download activity. This activity averaged out to be about one download by the average user each month. Said another way, of the 1.5 million available apps in the App and the Play Stores, the average user was downloading a mere one app per month. One. You can literally count that on one hand.

This data fits well within the picture painted for us by the information we presented in the previous parts of this series. We saw then that 91% of a user's app usage time is spent in their top six apps and most of that time is spent with social media and entertainment apps.

This human behavior focused around a small assortment of smartphone apps would indeed suggest low app seeking and low downloading activity among the average user as we see reflected here.

Oh what a tangled Web we've weaved

Despite, numbers which indicate less than anticipated app discoverability activity, lower than expected app downloads and a surprisingly limited focus of smartphone app activity of the average smartphone user; we cannot argue with the reality that mobile apps have transformed personal computing. Their very existence has been instrumental in moving the personal computing platform from a predominantly desktop PC environment to a mobile environment.

That said, app usage is just one method by which users engage content and information on mobile devices. The other very popular method, of course, is the web. In fact, the data reveals that web properties receive far more unique visitors per month than apps do.

This is an important point. When considering human behavior in response to apps, we have established that a user's top six apps occupy 91% of their time. We have also noted that the average user spends very little time downloading new apps to their devices. This behavior is a very telling indictment of the current app model. It is also a very powerful indictment of the oft-touted or implied claim that the vast amount of available apps on iOS and Android in itself equals a superior smartphone experience than Windows Mobile can provide.

Consider this: 91% of the average smartphone user's app usage is within his top six apps. Added to that there is low app discovery activity across all age groups and discovery methods. This situation is further compounded by the fact that engagement of mobile web properties significantly outpaces app engagement. This data paints a very compelling picture that, based on human behavior, the average smartphone user is not greatly benefitted by vast app quantities within the current app store model.

The Web is the "app" for that

I do concede that though building an audience via web properties is easier and more effective than doing so with apps, once an audience is created with apps there is a much deeper level of commitment. "As audiences increase, average time in mobile web declines…suggesting increase in drive-by traffic."

This information helps to paint the picture of how we as smartphone users handle the "not so popular or not highly frequented apps" that may not be among our "top six." As I've shared in part one of this series my banking app is no longer supported by Windows Mobile. As such I am, like many users, forced to endure the inconvenience of using the services web page when I do engage the service via my smartphone. That said, my experience of seeking a businesses' service via a web page rather than an app is not unique to me nor to just Windows Mobile users.

The data presented above reflecting a high engagement of the mobile web is most certainly bearing out the reality that millions of iOS, Android and Windows Mobile users are engaging the "not so often used services" via the web rather than an app which may or may not exist on a platform.

The path to a new paradigm

There are many situations where a user only desires or needs to engage a particular service "in the moment." Employing a website in such cases is much simpler than engaging an app store in search of an app to download, install, find on the device and then engage to meet that momentary need, for which that app may or may not be needed again. And if it is ever needed again the need would more than likely be infrequent. This is where the data of high mobile web engagement activity and the smartphone user's experience with infrequently used, but valuable apps that add convenience (like my missing banking app) meet.

Some services according to the web engagement data may not earn an "app presence" on a user's smartphone. This decision may be a result of a user's lack of awareness of an existing app, or it may just reflect the "infrequency" with which that app would be engaged. At any rate mobile web properties are still engaging mobile users at higher rates than mobile apps.

Google's recently announced Instant Apps, I believe, is in recognition of this reality. Instant Apps is a solution that meets many users where they are: on the web.

With Instant Apps, a user engaging a link to a web page on his smartphone for a particular service is able to seamlessly download just the necessary portions of an app to facilitate the desired function. This partial "install of the app" helps the user carry out the desired function in a more efficient "app-like" manner than a strict web environment would provide, yet without the burden of fully installing the app (though a user is presented with an option to do so).

Google's solution provides a more efficient model that meets users on a landscape, the web, where a user's intent is recognized and accommodated via Instant Apps. As we will see, a systems ability to understand intent is essential to the shifting paradigm of personal computing and app engagement.

What are our intentions?

Based on the data we're analyzing, the average smartphone user is simply not engaging a vast repository of apps, or needing certain services, frequently enough to justify searching for and downloading many apps. As a result, we see the low download rates of approximately one download per month, from the average user.

Consequently, as stated, when a particular need arises for some form of engagement with a business's digital services, many users engage those services in the moment from a website rather than searching for an app which may or may not exist in the respective app stores.

Finding a website, of course, since the commercialization of, and widespread access to, the internet via mobile devices is something most users across all demographics are familiar with and apt at doing.

The older and more familiar "human-web-relationship" is more ingrained within our digital behavior than the younger "human-app store-relationship". Thus, it is almost second nature when engaging a digital environment and seeking to meet a particular need, to defer to the web for a service for which an app is not presented or already installed. For most users, deferring to an app store, (as borne out in the low app discoverability and high web engagement data) is simply not a recourse.

Based on human behavior in relation to apps, the current app store model is more reflective of a warehouse (rarely engaged, cluttered, challenging to navigate, and daunting to some) than a model that works in concert with a user's intent. When an individual ventures beyond the familiar confines of their dominant smartphone activity (top six apps) it is with intent. The current app model, however, does not recognize intent.

Thus, a user is confronted, sometimes at the moment of need, with an "unintelligent" app model that demands a user to fulfill his intent by searching for, installing, locating on the device, launching and finally engaging an app in an independent and unsupported manner. Company's efforts to make app discoverability in app stores more efficient, though commendable, is a mere fraction of the answer. It doesn't help with recognizing intent, nor does it work in concert with human behavior that is not deferring to the app store.

Google's Instant apps solution meets the user at the point of highest engagement: the web. That solution works more in line with typical human behavior that begins with intent and proceeds to action. It avoids the cumbersome steps of searching for, downloading, then engaging an app that the current app model requires. Though it provides a user with just the bits needed to fulfill a user's intent, it also presents the option of downloading the full app which, of course, the data shows garners deeper commitment than web properties over time.

Of course, Microsoft has their own solution to this same problem. Artificial intelligence and the Bot Framework is an ambitious endeavor that has been years in the making.

To be continued...

The data clearly reveals that the current app model is wholly inefficient in relation to human behavior. Low app discovery activity, relatively minimal app download activity, minimal app engagement in relation to the breadth of available apps and very high mobile web engagement paint a picture of human-smartphone-and-app-behavior we rarely see. Despite the prominence and "success" of the app model and app stores the data reveals its shortcomings and more importantly, its position as a transitory phase in the evolution of mobile personal computing.

Google's Instant Apps is a profoundly significant response to human behavior's deferment to the mobile web rather than apps. Combined with a resource of 1.5 million apps and those same apps recently announced availability on Chromebooks, the potential appearance of Instant Apps on Chrome can be disruptive.

That said, this same data of high web engagement for a vast range of mobile activity highlights Microsoft's (and rivals Google, Facebook and Viv) path to an artificial intelligence and bots model. An intelligent web-connected assistant capable of understanding a user's intent and proactively connect to service bots across the internet to fulfil a user's needs is a natural fit for human behavior that defers to the mobile web.

Part I: Human behavior, the overlooked variable

Part II: App gap? What app gap?

Meet us back here in part four as we conclude this series with a deeper look into the app gap and the path to bots.

Also jump into comments and meet me on Twitter at @JLTechWord to continue the discussion!

There's a lot going on in the world of Windows Phone. So much, in fact, that it is sometimes tough to catch every important story.

Device rumors come and go. New apps join the Windows Store, and your favorite app can get a big update with a new look or new features.

Therefore, every week we will compile a list of the Windows phone news that you just shouldn't miss. Welcome to the "Windows Mobile Weekly Digest."

Windows Mobile

T-Mobile's Alcatel Idol Pro 4 passed the Wi-Fi certification process, possibly bringing the Windows 10 Mobile phone one step closer to release. The Alcatel Idol Pro 4 has yet to get an official release date so far.

Funker, maker of the W5.5 Pro, looks to be set to follow up with the W6.0 Pro 2, reportedly sporting a 6-inch display, Snapdragon 617 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB storage, and running Continuum.

HP hyped its Elite X3 Windows 10 phone in a couple of videos to show why the incredible superphone is the future of computing. They also showed it off in person at Computex 2016.

AT&T's Lumia 640 received Windows 10 Mobilethis week, as did the Lumia 735 on Verizon.

Windows 10 Mobile build 10586.338 rolled out to the Insider Release Preview Ring, while Slow Ring Insiders were treated to preview build 14342.1004.

Meanwhile, Fast Ring Insiders received Windows 10 Mobile build 14356.1000, adding new listening animations, shared notifications between phone and PC, and the usual laundry list of fixes. Many Insiders also reported now seeing apps' download size in the Windows Store.

Other notable items:

• Transcend JetFlash 890S is a neat flash drive with Type-C connector for your Lumia 950/950 XL
• Windows Phones proving valuable for NYPD officers
• Quick take: These $4 colorful aluminum cases for the Lumia 950, 950 XL
• Fans in Brazil stage Twitter campaign to bring Windows 10 Mobile phones to country

Apps

Password management app OneLocker got a Windows 10 makeover for PC and phone that packs more features than you can shake a stick at. The new version has a sharp UI with Windows Hello support, 256-bit AES encryption, and tons of ways to organize and secure your personal information.

CCPlayer Pro went universal as well, bringing the ability to play several types of video files to Windows 10 PC and Mobile.

Facebook unexpectedly released Messenger Beta for Windows 10 Mobile, although not everyone was able to install it. Those who are get to experience a revamped user interface, GIF support, changeable themes, and more.

Messaging powerhouse Viber also rolled out their beta app built especially for Windows 10. In addition to all of the features you are familiar with, this newly-designed version also offers access to public chats, end-to-end encryption, and People app integration.

We also got a look at the new Skype Preview for Windows 10 Mobile, which can be side-loaded onto devices running Redstone preview builds. The preview isn't fully functional, but you can get it over at XDA. The official universal app for PCs and smartphones is expected this summer.

And SiriusXM sent out invites to beta test a Windows 10 PC app that is in the works. The invitations went out to some current subscribers in an email:

Other notable items:

• Uber update makes it easier to book a cab
• Want to see BitTorrent client Torrex on the Xbox One? You can now pledge your support
• AirAsia gets on board Windows 10 with its new universal app
• Lumia Help+Tips becomes Lumia Highlights with latest app update
• Zonos gives you control over your Sonos system on Windows 10 PC and Mobile
• Tweet It! adds several small tweaks and features in latest update
• AppRaisin adds way for users to select their favorite Windows 10 apps
• Say 'Cheese' with PhotoSmile, today's myAppFree Deal
• Hacked? app for Windows 10 lets you know if your email has been breached
• The Windows Central App grabs fixes, improvements and more with build 33 today
• Meme Generator Suite rebuilt for Windows 10 Mobile, pro version discounted
• Photos app in Windows 10 Mobile gains album creation for Release Preview users
• Get AccuWeather Premium for half price until June 6
• Facebook Messenger adds more diverse selection of emoji
• Best affordable graphics and photo-editing apps for Windows
• PicsArt for Windows 10 gets a big design revamp, all clipart packages are free until June 30
• Vine for Windows 10 PC nets small update
• Bandsider now lets you quickly access tasks and tools through jump lists
• Outlook Mail and Calendar apps now support Microsoft HoloLens
• Searching for a doctor made easy with GoodDoc for Windows 10
• Yummly adds Live Tile updates, Cortana commands and more to its Windows 10 app

Games

Minecraft reached an incredible milestone, becoming only the second game to exceed 100 million copies sold across all platforms. Mojang, the maker of Micecraft, put a statement thanking their faithful fans.

In an article about how Telltale games brought Minecraft Story Mode to Windows 10, Microsoft says that Telltale is also working on bringing the game's engine to Windows Mobile.

Konami dropped four games of their own into the Windows Store. Bomberman '94, Animal CUEBRICK, Frogger's Crackout, and Power Golf all landed this week for PC and tablet users running Windows 10.

The makers of the popular role-playing game Terraria announced that they will be putting out an update to fix a crash bug that has been plaguing Windows Phone users. If all goes well, players can expect to see a patch in the next week or two.

And finally, we took a look at Game Troopers' Ludo Blitz, an online board game that may just be the perfect play for those times when you're looking to kill a few minutes.

Other notable items:

• Game of Clowns, a circus act of a game for Windows 10
• Squareboy vs. Bullies brings retro fighting game style to Windows 10
• Sheltered for Windows 10: A rewarding game of survival in the wasteland
• Disney's Finding Dory: Just Keep Swimming for Windows 10 gets us ready for the movie
• Windows 10 and Pocket Minecraft players will soon be able to use pistons, ride pigs and more

Be sure to weigh in on this week's news in the comments section. See you next week!

There's a lot going on in the world of Windows Phone. So much, in fact, that it is sometimes tough to catch every important story.

Device rumors come and go. New apps join the Windows Phone Store, and your favorite app can get a big update with a new look or new features.

Therefore, every week we will compile a list of the Windows Phone news that you just shouldn't miss. Welcome to the "Windows Mobile Weekly Digest."

Windows Mobile

Just days after announcing that they would be selling off their feature phone division, images of a supposed Microsoft feature phone prototype were leaked online. Microsoft's feature phone business was sold this week to HMD, a partner of Foxconn, for $350 million.

Chinese electronics manufacturer Coship is taking a novel approach to pricing their upcoming 6-inch Moly PcPhone W6 by asking the public how much they would be willing to pay for the Windows 10 Mobile device. The phone was originally announced back in April with a $399 price tag, but it remains to be seen if that number holds when the phone officially launches in July.

Windows 10 Mobile build 14342.1004 rolled out to Fast ring Insiders this week, but it was only a marginal bump, adding some fixes to the previous version.

However, some Insiders did report seeing system requirements in app listings in the Store.

There was also a server-side bug identified that caused users trying to change their Insider ring selection to receive a "Disabled" error. Microsoft is aware of the issue and working on a fix.

Perhaps the most interesting news came from an email that was sent out to Microsoft's partners explaining the company's shifting mobile strategy.

The email said that Microsoft's focus will be on "businesses for which security, manageability, and Continuum are important, and consumers who value the same."

The company will be moving away from manufacturing budget smartphones in favor of high-end devices. Similarly, they will concentrate on "core markets" and move away from emerging markets like India and Brazil. The expectation is that Microsoft's OEM partners will fill the gaps that the new strategy leaves in the market.

The shift indicates that they are more interested in innovating and redefining device categories than trying to play catch-up in a market dominated by their competitors.

Other notable items:

• Get a free Display Dock with Lumia 950 or 950 XL purchase starting May 24
• Save $150 on the Lumia 950 XL through May 30 at the Microsoft Store
• Microsoft Office Online extension for Edge browser available for Windows 10 Insiders [Update: Maybe not]
• New video shows off Microsoft's Lumia 650 on Cricket Wireless
• Red, white and blue sale: Save 20% on Windows Phone accessories!

Apps

The Windows Central universal app got some new bells and whistles in build 32, including haptic feedback, some snazzy new animation fades, and more.

Flipboard's Windows 10 app picked up Live Tile support in its latest update.

Microsoft's Remote Desktop app for Windows 10 graduated out of Preview status, though the production version is still lacking some features. Both versions are available and can be installed on the same device, which may offer the most flexibility for the time being.

PayPal has announced that it will be discontinuing its Windows Phone app on June 30. This news comes just as PayPal updated its apps on iOS and Android, which hopefully means a new Windows 10 version is on the way.

And during a Build event in Barcelona, Spain, Microsoft unveiled a mysterious new initiative called "Project Europe". Little is known about the project, other than it involves their Universal Windows Platform.

Whatever "Project Europe" turns out to be, you can be sure we'll cover it.

Other notable items:

• Outlook Groups app update adds connectors card support and more
• Perfect Tools, a Swiss-army knife collection of utilities for Windows 10 Mobile
• Hope Calendar adds week view, new Live Tiles and more in latest update
• GroupMe for Windows 10 Mobile adds video search in latest update
• Movies & TV update makes it easier to buy your favorite content
• Luis von Ahn, the Duolingo founder, on next goals and newfound love for India
• Facebook Beta updates its status with a new release
• Windows Insider app nabs Redstone update on Windows 10 Mobile
• Photo Editor Suite, a simple photo effects app for Windows 10 PC
• AccuWeather for Windows 10 adds future radar for predicting what's coming soon
• Fhotoroom fixes Windows Phone 8.1 bugs and gets Windows 10 improvements
• Groove Music update brings easier sharing and more to Windows Insiders
• Bandsider adds a way to compare your Microsoft Band activity with others
• Get Steam Guard on your Windows Phone with this simple app
• The untold "app gap" story, Part I: Human behavior, the overlooked variable
• Readit app adds user tagging, cloud sync and more in latest update
• Windows 10 UWP developer says 75% of his app's usage is on smartphones

Games

Candy Crush Soda Saga gained a new episode this week. Piñata Party adds 20 new levels, bringing the total to 865 bubbly boards.

Game Troopers released Ludo Blitz for Windows 10 PC and Mobile. It's an animated board game designed for casual play, with each match lasting only a short time.

Game Troopers also shared some information about their experience with publishing games on the Windows platform, including quite a bit of success with Windows 10. They also offered insight into what qualities make some games more popular and financially lucrative than others.

Other notable items:

• Roll your way to victory with Super Bounce Ball Maze for Windows 10 PC and Mobile
• Legend of Theia for Windows 10 Mobile scores as today's myAppFree Deal
• Shoot some hoops with Streetball Game for Windows 10 Mobile
• Avoid the deadly Zamboni in Blocky Hockey for Windows 10
• Battle the shadows with League of Stickmen for Windows 10

Be sure to weigh in on this week's news in the comments section. See you next week!

There's a lot going on in the world of Windows Phone. So much, in fact, that it is sometimes tough to catch every important story.

Device rumors come and go. New apps join the Windows Phone Store, and your favorite app can get a big update with a new look or new features.

Therefore, every week we will compile a list of the Windows Phone news that you just shouldn't miss. Welcome to the "Windows Mobile Weekly Digest."

Windows Mobile

Windows 10 Mobile preview build 14342 rolled out to Fast ring Insiders.

This is the first Insider build available for the Lumia Icon, BLU Win HD LTE 150e, and BLU Win JR 130e. Some users reported getting hung up during the install, but being patient seems to be the best remedy.

Build 14342 delivers swipe navigation for Microsoft Edge , the ability to open websites with apps, as well as the usual fixes.

Microsoft also rolled out a new Store UI for those running "Redstone" builds of Windows 10.

In other news, a video surfaced this week of a LG Nexus 5X running Windows 10 Mobile. There isn't too much to take away from the video, but it's certainly a cool novelty that took a lot of technical savvy.

Other notable items:

• New Windows Store updated to fix early woes, now can manually check for updates
• Feedback Hub now available for anyone running Windows 10 PC or Mobile
• Cricket Wireless has the Lumia 640 for $30 and Lumia 650 for $120
• Latest data claims over 75% of active Windows 10 Mobile devices are OS upgrades

Apps

The official Instagram app for Windows 10 Mobile was updated with a new user interface. The update also dons the new logo that the company debuted two weeks ago.

Hulu pushed out a patch for Windows 10 PCs and phones, but the 2.3.16 update contains a bug that prevents the app from loading, luckily Hulu fixed the release with two more patch updates soon after.

Windows Central picked up a couple of updates this week. The first added a new comment sorting feature, while the second changed icons and article layouts.

Microsoft was incredibly busy on the apps front. They dropped a new OneDrive UWP app for Windows 10 PC, as well as the first PC version of Microsoft Health.

Those on Insider Preview Release builds of Windows 10 Mobile got to check out the new Maps experience with a new look and a plethora of added features.

We got a leaked look at the revamped Wallet app for Windows 10 Mobile, which may be coming as part of the Anniversary Update. The UI has been colorfully redesigned and now you can add loyalty cards, scan barcodes, and download apps.

There also appears to be plans to add a Panorama option to the Windows 10 Mobile Camera app, letting you stitch together a series of photos into one large image. Online pictures show the app sporting a panorama button alongside the existing camera and video camera icons.

We expect Insiders to get the first crack at this new feature, with the rest of the world seeing it as part of the Anniversary Update.

Other notable items:

• Microsoft's Ringtone Maker app officially launches for Windows 10 Mobile
• Misfit Link and Misfit Home released for Windows 10 PC and Mobile
• Ring app adds support for Ring Video Doorbell Pro in Windows 10
• Microsoft Remote Desktop Preview updated for Windows 10 with bug fixes
• Telegram Messenger for Windows Phone and desktop adds text editing features and more
• GroupMe beta adds video search in update for Windows 10 Mobile Insiders
• FOX Sports Go update fixes download error issues
• Flat Notes, Post-It style notes made easy for Windows 10 Mobile and PC
• Slack for PC gets new swipe gestures as Windows Phone beta squashes bugs
• Fitbit for Windows 10 updated with Alta support
• Tweet It! 2.8 hits with improvements for search, conversation view and more
• Tiles for Outlook lets you get creative with custom Calendar Live Tiles
• Microsoft working on new call and SMS blocker for Windows 10 Mobile
• Lumia Offers app throws in two free audiobooks for Audible with 30-day trial
• Twitter snags a small update for Windows 10 on PC and Mobile
• 6tin update brings an improved chat experience
• WhatsApp snags rich link previews on Windows Phone
• GoodDoc for Windows 10 PC and Mobile helps you find the best doctor
• Dropbox for Windows 10 adds video casting, notification comments and more

Games

Candy Crush Jelly Saga was updated with a new episode entitled Marzipan Meadow. The new story in the saga adds twenty levels, bringing the total to 280.

Age of Empires: Castle Siege got a tiny patch on all Windows devices, adding a "Reconnecting" icon to the screen, so players know when the game is communicating with servers.

The popular music game SongArc was rereleased as a universal app on Windows 10 PC and Mobile.

And finally, we reviewed Valiant Hearts: The Great War, which recently dropped into the Store as a universal Windows 10 app.

Other notable items:

• Volt, an electrifying puzzle game for Windows 10 Mobile
• Poly and the Marble Maze, a Windows 10 game of balance and patience
• Jelly Connect, a sweet puzzle game for Windows 10, is today's AdDuplex HERO app

Be sure to weigh in on this week's news in the comments section. See you next week!