The last Lumia ever, but not the last windows phone from Microsoft.

[AlTech]

Since time immemorial, people have been marking the death of Windows Phones as a whole and/or the death of the Lumia brand.

 

 

And it looks like the latter will actually be true.  What does this mean for Windows Phones owners? It means that after this, there can only be Surface Phones. A consolidation of Microsoft's vision.

To make windows on all hardware/devices about productivity and entertainment. To redefine what is Windows Phone. To make the ultimate smartphone.

 

 

And it appears the last Lumia is probably the Lumia 650. The most unremarkable Windows PHone ever.

 

 

And the great shame is that the Lumia name goes down without even a hint of a good run. It goes down in a phone with such forgettable specs. It's rumored to come with:

 

• Windows 10 Mobile
• Colors: Matte White or Matte Black
• 5-inch 720p display
• Snapdragon 210 or 212 processor
• 1GB of RAM
• 8GB of storage with micro SD expansion
• 5MP front-facing camera; 8MP rear with LED flash
• No wireless charging (could change)
•  

This is a damn shame. A great pity for Microsoft.

 

 

And it gets worse. The Lumia 750 and 850 have been reportedly cancelled. The Nokia transition is over. The first fresh ideas out of Microsoft's phone department will come with the Surface Phone. All phones leading up the 650 were already decided before the Nokia Phone division acquisition. Everything since then has been Microsoft finishing what Nokia started.

 

 

 

there have been reports of a 'Lumia 750' or 'Lumia 850' also being announced at that event. We are still sticking to our claim that both of those phones were cancelled back in July of 2015 and we have seen no concrete evidence of that having changed. In fact, if those phones were coming it would seem to make more sense to hold off on the Lumia 650 announcement for a few weeks and announce all the devices at once at Mobile World Congress. That, however, is not what is happening.

 

Leave a comment below!

 

@GoodBytes @Kherm You'll probably find this interesting.

 

 

http://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-will-announce-lumia-650-february-1

 

http://www.windowscentral.com/lumia-650-announcement-delayed-until-mid-february

 

http://gadgetshow.channel5.com/news/lumia-650-could-be-microsofts-last-lumia-paving-way-surface-phone

[Ops]

Good good now the Androids and Iphones can take over. BWA HAHAHAHAHAHA

[AlTech]

Good good now the Androids and Iphones can take over. BWA HAHAHAHAHAHA

Did you read anything? This isn't the death of Windows PHone. This is the re-birth of it.

 

A real competitor to IOS and Android. With Surface Phone.

[LokiFire]

Nokia N series Master Race.

[AlTech]

Nokia N series Master Race.

Really?

 

It's funny. Just last week Microsoft was running an AD campaign targeted at Nokia brick feature phones. It was called "Switch to Lumia".

[VAkena]

Did you read anything? This isn't the death of Windows PHone. This is the re-birth of it.

 

A real competitor to IOS and Android. With Surface Phone.

 

I'm waiting it out for the possible 'Surface Phone' before I 'jump a sinking ship'..

[AlTech]

I'm waiting it out for the possible 'Surface Phone' before I 'jump a sinking ship'..

You're gonna wait 9-10 months then. Cos it ain't coming out anytime soon.

 

And FYI, it's not a sinking ship. It's a floating ship (barely staying afloat).

[LokiFire]

Really?

 

It's funny. Just last week Microsoft was running an AD campaign targeted at Nokia brick feature phones. It was called "Switch to Lumia".

I have a Lumia 530, but i miss my N series N86 & N95 8GB.

[Tech Enthusiast]

I absolutly WANT a well working windows phone. 

Just the idea of having the same OS on all devices (something not even apple managed) is great. 

 

Sadly the latest "try" from microsoft, the Lumia 950xl, is a desaster.

Not only does it NOT use windows 10, but simply a mobile OS that has windows 10 in it's name. It also crashes left and right, needs 100% resetting about twice a week to fix bugs that come bundled with updates. That is if you actually get to the point updates actually do start AND finish.

 

Waiting for the Surface Phone. If that team can do what they did to tablets, well microsoft may have a chance then. Right now i really hate the windows 10 experience on the phone.

[Ops]

I did read the post. I was just being a dick.

[RedRound2]

The only scenario where windows phone would be successful is if Microsoft continuously come up with something new and truly innovative every other generation both in software and hardware which they haven't managed to yet.

 

I thought Continuum was a pretty interesting feature but I was disappointed (not surprising considering it was Microsoft) by its disastrous performance and misleading claim about "how it can be your PC". Also add to the fact that MS apps are literally the only significant apps supported by it and its not even that great and powerful

 

This is pretty much a chance for someone like Apple who will come out and do it right giving them the title for being the first one to have properly executed the feature

[Trixanity]

So people want to run a desktop OS on phones? Why would you do that?

The only remotely plausible reason is expanded Continuum support but if you need anything more than Office productivity or web browsing, your phone will be too slow anyway.

A cut down Windows 10, which Windows 10 Mobile is, is the only sane thing to do for performance and battery life on a phone.

I do wonder where Windows Mobile will be by next year. Will the Surface team revive it or will it stagnate and be shutdown entirely?

I must say it seems like it was a huge mistake buying Nokia's hardware division. They've fired so many employees and are firing still more as well as shutting down almost everything worthwhile from Nokia. They could easily have gone forward and designed a Surface Phone on their own and had it manufacturered in the same place other Surface products get made.

[thexzenon]

WP is so behind at this point, I'd like to see it become popular, but it's kind of hard with Android being available on most phones and iOS being...well, iOS. I wish the Lumia 920 had been released faster in Romania, I really wanted to try it then, but my phone was dying so I had to buy something available at the time. I guess I'll never know how the OS really feels.

 

I have a Lumia 530, but i miss my N series N86 & N95 8GB.

Those two were great. The N73 as well, it looked badass. Those were the days 

[AlTech]

So people want to run a desktop OS on phones? Why would you do that?

The only remotely plausible reason is expanded Continuum support but if you need anything more than Office productivity or web browsing, your phone will be too slow anyway.

A cut down Windows 10, which Windows 10 Mobile is, is the only sane thing to do for performance and battery life on a phone.

I do wonder where Windows Mobile will be by next year. Will the Surface team revive it or will it stagnate and be shutdown entirely?

I must say it seems like it was a huge mistake buying Nokia's hardware division. They've fired so many employees and are firing still more as well as shutting down almost everything worthwhile from Nokia. They could easily have gone forward and designed a Surface Phone on their own and had it manufacturered in the same place other Surface products get made.

I don't think you realize how similar the desktop and mobile versions of windows 10 are.

 

Both use the same kernel. But the mobile version uses the metro shell (which is less demanding than the Windows desktop shell). And the mobile version uses apps built to run on arm devices. Not Win32 programs.

[AlTech]

The only scenario where windows phone would be successful is if Microsoft continuously come up with something new and truly innovative every other generation both in software and hardware which they haven't managed to yet.

 

I thought Continuum was a pretty interesting feature but I was disappointed (not surprising considering it was Microsoft) by its disastrous performance and misleading claim about "how it can be your PC". Also add to the fact that MS apps are literally the only significant apps supported by it and its not even that great and powerful

 

This is pretty much a chance for someone like Apple who will come out and do it right giving them the title for being the first one to have properly executed the feature

Only universal apps can be used in contiuum and manyd evs are too lazy to make Windows Phone apps into Universal Windows Apps.

[Kherm]

While it's sad that the Lumia 850 will never be released, I can't wait for what Microsoft's designers think of in house instead of using old Nokia designs, 

[Doobeedoo]

Well Surface Phone sure sounds appealing, would be great if they focus on it. Would like to have a flagship phone like that.

[QueenDemetria]

I really wish that Microsoft could learn how to fix and improve things rather than killing them off and re-releasing them later.

 

Well, RIP Lumia, you will be kinda missed.

[suicidalfranco]

why buy Nokia to begin with?

[Trixanity]

I don't think you realize how similar the desktop and mobile versions of windows 10 are.

Both use the same kernel. But the mobile version uses the metro shell (which is less demanding than the Windows desktop shell). And the mobile version uses apps built to run on arm devices. Not Win32 programs.

They share a lot but they're clearly not the same. Using the same kernel is not unheard of. The Linux kernel is quite famously used on mobile devices.

It is very possible to have operating systems with a common shared platform but with vastly different characteristics.

I don't think it would be a smart idea to run a full blown desktop OS, which it seems some want to be the case.

Although it doesn't seem like you disagree but the correction or clarification of my comment was unfounded.

[Vivilacqua1]

I have the Lumia Icon, and it's great, but I honestly can't be bothered with the os anymore. Too many bugs and shit.

[GoodBytes]

The Lumia 950 XL, is a fine phone. It works great, it is solid. I know, I have it.

This is my first Windows Phone ever. I got it because worked was willing to purchase any phone of my liking 100%, and that is a personal phone not company. So I took this opportunity to try this eco-system. Honestly, beside some bugs here and there, which are mostly minor, and battery life improvement which I expect Microsoft to resolve shortly, I find it a great phone, it even surpassed my expectations.

Windows Maps is actually good, and the turn by turn voice navigation is the only one I used personally that doesn't fail miserably saying French street names. It sounds like an English person that knows French and tries to pronounce it. Very cool. And before I switch to the platform, thanks to Universal Apps, I tried Windows Maps, amongst many other under Windows 10 on my desktop, and all Google Maps search I did to get direction, where also done on Windows Maps, and both ended up with the same or very very similar results. It only failed once. On a new building that was build recently, Google Maps had the unofficial access road build, while Windows Maps didn't, so the destination was placed next to the place. I'll talk way more about teh software in my review, but it is only good. Which personally I didn't not expect that from many readings.

Why the Surface Phone?

Here is the problem. Windows 10 Mobile is a mature OS, finally at least. It is joy to use, especially if you look for a unique experience, and don't care about games and apps (although it has more and more apps)

The problem with Windows Phone is the branding. Where Windows Phone works: U.K, some areas in Europe here and there, and India, where those location where Nokia strong points. People know the Lumia brand. People associate it with quality, great experience, ease of use, and amazing camera on the high-end models that pushes the industry forwards. You have TV ads for the Lumia phone there!

Sadly, Lumia anywhere else, is just unknown. People see it, and goes "Oh Lumia... ok.. I guess it is like ZTE or some shit company, let me put the phone back". It doesn't help that in many regions especially in North America, people have a distaste for plastic. Even though a plastic phone is great. It is light, plastic can be done right and not feel cheap, allows wireless charging, don't have to worry about scratches, and more grippy. Also, you can have the back removed for removable battery, and allows dual sim.

So the Surface team is taking the lead in developing a Windows Phone. While people pushed aside and laugh at the Surface branding at first. The sheer popularity of the device and great presenter, and great marketing, push Microsoft to make multi-billion dollars revenue out of it, and now all the OEM that complains, including Samsung, are now releasing their own 2-in-1 system competing against the Surface line, and people taking the device seriously.

People associated the Surface brand as: expensive, but solid product, best Windows experience, innovative, best digitize pen technology for note taking and sketches, a proper tablet experience that is also a laptop. People know the Surface, my mother knows Surface, and she knows nothing about computers.

A Surface branded Windows Phone, you'll see, will push things for Windows 10 Mobile ecosystem. It won't sale millions and what not like Apple. Of course not, It will still be third place for a while. But at least, it should make it have a larger market share than now, as people would at last give the device a chance.

Say what you want about Windows 10 Mobile and the Lumia 950 / 950 XL, but those device has catch developers interest. Despite having such a small market share, devs are like "We don't have to make a universal app, and that universal app doesn't need to be on mobile.. but what the heck...". While the movement is relatively small in reality than what I make it perhaps sound like, but at least there is something, unlike before.

Do I recommend the Lumia 950 (XL)?

NO! Not as we speak. I know I just contradict myself. But the phone experience isn't there yet for the best experience possible (not up to my standards), and the OS requires further optimization to reduce power consumption, and it would be nice to have a coat of polish. It is almost there, but not 100% there. In any case, the biggest problem are apps. If you don't care about apps, like me, than knowing what you are getting, it can be a device to consider, especially if you seek for a different experience than Android and iOS. If you care about apps, then you have to be careful. You have to not only make sure your app are there, but that they are not a quick port and called a day, and newer apps where there is interest by developers like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on, while I don't use these apps/services, they are chances that it lack some features, as they have not been added yet, so you need to check for that.

In a year from now, or maybe 6-8 months, I might start recommending the Windows Phone, if the developer interest continues to grow and not just a blip, and if Microsoft can polish the OS and optimize it more.

[RagnarokDel]

Lumias dont sell, Surfaces sell like hot cakes. Makes sense.

[Fgtfv567]

Really?

 

It's funny. Just last week Microsoft was running an AD campaign targeted at Nokia brick feature phones. It was called "Switch to Lumia".

Wow, they have a good sense of humor

[Bhav]

I like my lumia 925.