What you need to know
- The Windows Phone Store shuts down today
- After the shutdown, you will no longer be able to download apps through the store.
- Windows 10 Mobile recently received an extension of its support.
The Windows Phone Store officially shuts down today (via Neowin). Following the shutdown, you will no longer be able to download apps from the store. Windows Phone 8.1 has been out of official support for well over a year, but the shut down of the Windows Phone Store kills the operating system off even more. Devices running Windows Phone 8.1 will still run after today, as will apps currently installed on them, but you won't be able to add any new apps to the devices.
It's important to note that the Windows Phone Store is shutting down, not the Windows 10 Mobile Store, which is on a different schedule. There is a bit of news regarding Windows 10 Mobile, though. Instead of Windows 10 Mobile reaching end of support last week, Microsoft extended its support until January 14, 2020 (via Windows Latest). That change makes January a busy month for Windows users, as it officially marks the end of Windows 10 Mobile and Windows 7.
If you're still using Windows Phone 8.1, you'll need to upgrade your device to Windows 10 Mobile to download more apps, but with Windows 10 Mobile out of support next month, you'll likely have to move away from the device in the future.
