Well, if you must hear it from someone, then there’s no one better than Joe Belfiore. The former steward of the Windows Phone platform has finally broken silence.
And he chosen a ding dang time to do so!
Belfiore, the Corporate Vice President in the Operating Systems Group at Redmond has revealed, in a series of tweets, what most fans already knew. That the mobile operating system has been put in maintenance mode, with new Windows 10 Mobile hardware no longer a priority for Microsoft.
He did clarify that the company will continue to push out bug fixes and security updates for the platform, but user should not put their hopes up for new features or hardware.
Of course we'll continue to support the platform.. bug fixes, security updates, etc. But building new features/hw aren't the focus. 😟 https://t.co/0CH9TZdIFu
— Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017
When asked whether it is time to leave the mobile OS, he admitted that he has already made the switch to Android. Basically, he supports Windows Phone users moving to iOS or Android.
(1/2) Depends who you are. Many companies still deploy to their employees and we will support them! … https://t.co/LKQBL3w7gA
— Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017
(2/2) As an individual end-user, I switched platforms for the app/hw diversity. We will support those users too! Choose what's best 4 u. https://t.co/LKQBL3w7gA
— Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017
And in case you are wondering why Microsoft decided to abandon its platform, Belfiore lays the blame squarely on the app gap — the massive difference in the number and quality of applications compared to other mobile platforms, which the developers actually showed no interested in filling.
We have tried VERY HARD to incent app devs. Paid money.. wrote apps 4 them.. but volume of users is too low for most companies to invest. ☹️ https://t.co/ePsySxR3LB
— Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017
All this makes for a rather agonizing read, the comments in particular, but it’s nothing that fans of Microsoft’s mobile platform don’t know already.
This is just about an official a confirmation as we will get right now about the software titan ending focus on its mobile OS, after trying to court users and developers. The company is now more interested in bringing a majority of its services and products to these competing mobile platforms.
If you can’t beat them, join them!
Very sad, poor choice. Windows Phone are very important. Without a Phone is will be much harder for users to stay in the Windows ecosystem