Final nail in the Windows Phone coffin: Microsoft to sell customized version of the Galaxy S8

[LAwLz]

16 hours ago, Phate.exe said:

I tried to switch back to android on a galaxy note with novalauncher, and lasted a week before buying my 950.

 

Pretty much realized all the changes I was making were just attempts to replicate the UI and functionality of WP.

Baby duck syndrome.

 

16 hours ago, Okjoek said:

Sweet I didn't know that. I'm still curious if it's a feasible idea with phones having difference CPUs and instruction sets and all that.

It will work just fine thanks to ART. Whenever you install an app it gets complied specifically for the CPU that's in your particular device. That's how Android already works on basically any CPU, including all the different versions of ARM, MIPS and x86.

It's like the only benefit of Android using Java.

Edited March 31, 2017 by wkdpaul
Cleaned up

[WkdPaul]

Thread cleaned

[captain_to_fire]

Finally! Microsoft had a good opportunity to be a viable third mobile platform to break the iOS/Android duopoly during the time of Windows Phone 7.5 and 8 but they messed it up. Too bad Microsoft made their phones AT&T exclusives and they don't have the same APIs in their SDKs that Android and iOS have. 

 

Anyone remembered the glory days of Windows Mobile 6.5? Microsoft failed to grasp the opportunity especially when Android was in its infancy. How many people said that the 41 mp Nokia Lumia 1020 will be WPs savior, a lot but did it saved it? No. This is very much like the basics of investing in stock market. Do not invest on a company that is small because you're more likely to lose. Same goes for mobile operating systems. 

[Doobeedoo]

I actually liked it's UI though. How come they can't polish it make it right along store with more and better supported apps. And make it like the so called Surface Phone then.

 

[Nowak]

2 hours ago, hey_yo_ said:

Finally! Microsoft had a good opportunity to be a viable third mobile platform to break the iOS/Android duopoly during the time of Windows Phone 7.5 and 8 but they messed it up. Too bad Microsoft made their phones AT&T exclusives and they don't have the same APIs in their SDKs that Android and iOS have. 

Microsoft screwed up and rebooted Windows Phone far too many times to truly become a viable third option. Now they're finally admitting defeat.

Side note, pre-orders for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ Microsoft Edition seem to be up, but only in brick and mortar stores in the US. Not online yet.

[Guest Kloaked]

People are forgetting that Microsoft has a lot of software for Android, so this doesn't surprise me.

 

I also don't know how people believe that they can't simultaneously work on different things. This is the same "NVIDIA SHOULD STICK TO VIDEO CARDS" bullcrap.

[Phate.exe]

9 hours ago, LAwLz said:

Baby duck syndrome.

Nah, I use android all the time on my tablets, which I don't mind fiddling around with and have played with a handful of roms on.  Android just feels to "fiddly" and while that's something I love on a tablet, it isn't what I want on my phone.

 

My biggest complaints about my old 1020 that made me consider going back to android were that the phone was slow and multitasking didn't really work well.  I use like 7 apps, so the "App gap" doesn't really bug me too much.

 

I can't stand using iOS, so that rules out iphones.

 

The 950 is fast, has an amazing screen, and has great battery life, and while the camera sensor can't quite match my old 1020 in ideal conditions, and the software running it is way better.  I also have it on fast-ring updates, which means on a week-to-week basis something might be glitchy, but it generally gets fixed in the next build.  MS is absolutely still developing their mobile OS.

[Nowak]

2 minutes ago, Phate.exe said:

MS is absolutely still developing their mobile OS.

The Creators Update brings nothing new to their mobile OS.

[Phate.exe]

Just now, Daring said:

The Creators Update brings nothing new to their mobile OS.

Didn't say it did.

 

The fact I'm still getting updates every week or so with performance improvements seems to suggest that things are still being actively developed.  Sometimes the updates break stuff, but nothing major, and they're generally fixed shortly after that.  As far as I can tell the build I've had for a few days now basically is creator's update.

 

I am a bit annoyed the baked-in blue-reduction feature didn't make it into the mobile OS yet, but on an AMOLED with dark theme it isn't hugely necessary.

[captain_to_fire]

7 hours ago, Daring said:

Microsoft screwed up and rebooted Windows Phone far too many times to truly become a viable third option. Now they're finally admitting defeat.

Side note, pre-orders for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ Microsoft Edition seem to be up, but only in brick and mortar stores in the US. Not online yet.

I wonder what if they just made Android phones instead with their Arrow launcher sitting on top of Android. Kinda like how TouchWiz or HTC Sense sits on top of Android. 

[Nowak]

1 minute ago, hey_yo_ said:

I wonder what if they just made Android phones instead with their Arrow launcher sitting on top of Android. Kinda like how TouchWiz or HTC Sense sits on top of Android. 

I honestly wouldn't rule that out at this point.

[captain_to_fire]

40 minutes ago, Daring said:

I honestly wouldn't rule that out at this point.

I hope if Microsoft did this, they'll make software updates timely updates unlike Samsung and LG. 

[Nowak]

Just now, hey_yo_ said:

I hope if Microsoft did this, they'll make software updates timely updates unlike Samsung and LG. 

Maybe like their old friends at Nokia  

[Phate.exe]

3 hours ago, hey_yo_ said:

I wonder what if they just made Android phones instead with their Arrow launcher sitting on top of Android. Kinda like how TouchWiz or HTC Sense sits on top of Android. 

Give me a tile-based homescreen, dark theme, and a searchable vertical list for all menus and app lists, and we'll talk.

 

Bonus points for a vertical-scrollable home screen and an app list that can by access just by swiping from the side of the screen.

[SansVarnic]

On 3/30/2017 at 1:00 PM, Daring said:

Need definitive proof that Windows Phone is dead? Here you go.

<snip>

Windows Phone fanboys are not gonna like this LOL

There are plenty of Phone manufacturers supporting the Windows Mobile Platform. So no the platform is not dead, not even close.   I see no "definitive" proof here of your claims. Windows Mobile is more of a niche at this point. Say what you will but development of the platform has not waned so please just stop making such statements.

HP's Windows Phone constantly is sold out and hard to get so if the platform is dead or dying them explain that one ... I am waiting ...

 

I am not necessarily a fanboy but I do enjoy the platform a lot more than the iPhone or the clunky Android. Now I have not used iPhone much so I cannot hate on it so I wont, but I can say in comparison that having used Android I find it quite clunky for an OS, each iteration is worse than the previous, settings are a mess to navigate and many other dislikes. I actually liked Android at first before being purchased by Google and since then it has lost its luster that its creator had for it and the possibilities that made it good. The thing about Android is the ecosystem is inconsistent and has no fluidity to it, I cannot simply go from my Andoid to my PC and continue working with a Windows Mobile Phone I can do this even back in the 6.5, 7, 7.3, 7.5 days the Windows Phone experience though a tad clunky was fluid.

 

*edit - to finish my comment, had to stop to attend to something important.

 

The thing is here the OP is making an empty claim, just like many others, yes MS has lost several opportunities to grow the platform but it has also been shown (many times in fact) that Microsoft is not focusing on the Hardware aspect of the phone at this time and is focusing on what it does best - Software. We all know the previous CEO made some large costly mistakes and MS is till reeling from those mistakes. Producing software for both Android and iOS is Microsoft's [small] way to show users of other OS's of the potential of a Windows platform by making available applications such as the Office suite and other apps to slowly convert that user to liken to a Windows platform. Microsoft has done this before way back in the day when competing against IBM's own OS. Granted MS has done stupid things in regards to the phone arena but as mentioned elsewhere iOS and Android are due a short fall and when this happens Microsoft will have a chance to get their "foot back in the door" again, hopefully sooner than later but bear in mind MS has made it known that it will continue to develop the Windows Mobile for the Enterprise/Corporate environment and not for the consumer market as it is more than aware of its failings in the past.

 

Microsoft is continuing to develop its Mobile platform with weekly releases for the fast ring, monthly releases for slow ring and release previews about every 3-4 months for insiders the platform appears to be in continued strong development and with rumors that they plan to [or not] develop and release a "Surface Phone". Whether or not the Surface phone is produced Microsoft has still made head way recently with phone manufacturers to make Windows Mobile Phones. By the way this shows growth not the death OP hints to as before only Nokia/MS Mobile was the only producer of Windows Phones / Windows Mobile now there is HP, Alcatel, Celkon, Gionee, HTC, Huawei, JSR, Karbonn, LG, Lenovo, Longcheer, Micromax, Samsung, Xolo, and ZTE among others.

 

So yeah I don't think what the OP is spouting is happening and since I just debunked the claims, so well *cough* bite me.

I look forward to seeing what will come of the platform in the future, albeit I admit this is going slow but promising none the less. People are too impatient and short sighted when it come to tech and tend to forget that what makes a great product great is the time it takes to develop it and not how quickly it makes into the hands of consumers. There is to much gimme gimme, now now.

[Nowak]

2 hours ago, SansVarnic said:

There are plenty of Phone manufacturers supporting the Windows Mobile Platform. So no the platform is not dead, not even close.   I see no "definitive" proof here of your claims. Windows Mobile is more of a niche at this point. Say what you will but development of the platform has not waned so please just stop making such statements.

HP's Windows Phone constantly is sold out and hard to get so if the platform is dead or dying them explain that one ... I am waiting ...

 

I am not necessarily a fanboy but I do enjoy the platform a lot more than the iPhone or the clunky Android.

If Windows Phone wasn't dead, or at the very least dying a very slow death, Microsoft wouldn't be selling an Android phone.

 

Also, ever hear of the concept of "artificial shortages"? It's when a manufacturer makes small numbers of an item at a time, to create the illusion of greater demand than there actually is.

[SansVarnic]

13 minutes ago, Daring said:

If Windows Phone wasn't dead, or at the very least dying a very slow death, Microsoft wouldn't be selling an Android phone.

 

Also, ever hear of the concept of "artificial shortages"? It's when a manufacturer makes small numbers of an item at a time, to create the illusion of greater demand than there actually is.

Just updated my comment, I had to walk away before I was finished.

I explain the Android phone bit as well. I am aware of artificial shortages and though I dont directly comment on that my updated comment should suffice in that regard as well.

 

[Nowak]

4 minutes ago, SansVarnic said:

Just updated my comment, I had to walk away before I was finished.

I explain the Android phone bit as well. I am aware of artificial shortages and though I dont directly comment on that my updated comment should suffice in that regard as well.

 

Y'know, if people already have Groove, OneDrive, Cortana and the rest of Microsoft's mobile software suite on the phone platform of their choice, then I don't really see why they'd have a reason to leave behind what they're comfortable with and switch to an OS with a largely uncertain future... especially since Microsoft's apps are better on Android and iOS than they are on their own platform. Something that I, frankly, have to agree with.

 

Also, question... what was the last Android version you used? Because Android N feels pretty fluid and uncluttered. Although, that might be because my phone is a Google Pixel, which is running pure Android.

[SansVarnic]

2 minutes ago, Daring said:

Y'know, if people already have Groove, OneDrive, Cortana and the rest of Microsoft's mobile software suite on the phone platform of their choice, then I don't really see why they'd have a reason to leave behind what they're comfortable with and switch to an OS with a largely uncertain future... especially since Microsoft's apps are better on Android and iOS than they are on their own platform. Something that I, frankly, have to agree with.

 

Also, question... what was the last Android version you used? Because Android N feels pretty fluid and uncluttered. Although, that might be because my phone is a Google Pixel, which is running pure Android.

I am not saying that a lot of people will switch, I am saying that there is plausible chance that some people will switch as there are those that do, I still run into people that love my phone and have switched because they tried my phone out and before that only knew of the misinformation spread about WIndows phones but also because (as mention before) the baby duckling syndrome people will stick with iOS or Android regardless. Windows Mobile has been fairly consistent with the same base for what, 12 years now? so what uncertainty is there? The base has not waned so I don't follow your logic. As for farse of an app gap that argument has been beaten down so many times, I find very little to no gap with my experience, well maybe 2 or 3 apps not available but I make due with a pretty decent 3rd party or or I don't use it any how.

 

The last version of Android I have used is Marshmallow. Frankly I am tired of trying to use it, not to mention my great distaste of Google so I wont be moving up to the next version.

Just to be fair here I dont do social media so my comparison of the mobile platform is based on my ability to be productive not to be social or game savvy.

Also I am not making the argument that people will switch, all I am saying is that the platform is not dead, dying or anything else, it is growing albeit slowly and the future is not necessarily uncertain, the base it has will stay the same just as for the mobile platforms and WP will maintain its niche unless something drastic happens and changes that. I expect to stay in the minority of a windows mobile phone user for some time.

[Nowak]

1 minute ago, SansVarnic said:

am not saying that a lot of people will switch, I am saying that there is plausible chance that some people will switch as there are those that do, I still run into people that love my phone and have switched because they tried my phone out and before that only knew of the misinformation spread about WIndows phones but also because (as mention before) the baby duckling syndrome people will stick with iOS or Android regardless. Windows Mobile has been fairly consistent with the same base for what, 12 years now? so what uncertainty is there? The base has not waned so I don't follow your logic. As for farse of an app gap that argument has been beaten down so many times, I find very little to no gap with my experience, well maybe 2 or 3 apps not available but I make due with a pretty decent 3rd party or or I don't use it any how.

Look dude. I used to use Windows Phone. My first two smartphones were Windows phones. My last one, the Nokia Lumia Icon, was a beautiful piece of hardware. BUT, I feel like it was being held back by the software. I was getting tired of a flagship-tier phone that performs the same as a $50 phone, many apps that I wanted to use downright not existing or having shitty, third-party replacements that barely worked as well and being treated like a third-class citizen in the smartphone world by everyone, Microsoft included. Sure, it has its charm, like the UI is clean (except for the settings menu, which was fucking cluttered in WP8.x), but... compared to the competition, it's just so... lacking.

 

9 minutes ago, SansVarnic said:

The last version of Android I have used is Marshmallow. Frankly I am tired of trying to use it, not to mention my great distaste of Google so I wont be moving up to the next version.

Really, Marshmallow? But that's generally considered a solid release...

[scottyseng]

5 minutes ago, SansVarnic said:

 I still run into people that love my phone and have switched because they tried my phone out and before that only knew of the misinformation spread about WIndows phones but also because (as mention before) the baby duckling syndrome people will stick with iOS or Android regardless.

If I had a dollar for how many people call my Lumia 950 a Nexus 5X...despite the Microsoft logo on the top...

 

Curious, which Windows Phone do you have? So far I like my Lumia 950, but I'm pretty sad at the battery lifespan...it died after nine months of owning the phone. I also bought two "genuine OEM batteries" from ebay, but those died after three months. Now waiting for a hopefully OEM battery to arrive (I found a different higher rated site).

 

I think they should work out the battery issues with their phones because apparently I'm not the only one dealing with battery swelling issues. I've also plan to switch to a different phone if this keeps up ($90 in batteries so far...$300 phone when I bought it)...this is the first phone I've had that wouldn't make it past a year. I'm back to using my near three year old Nokia N9 again...

 

Software wise though, I agree, Windows Phone is sleek. I do think they screwed up by removing native skype support and moving to the skype preview app. There's also something about the list view for apps that I like vs the app thumbnail grid on android / iOS. Yeah, everyone else in the family is android (Dad - Nexus 5X, Mom - Nexus 6, Brother - LeeCo Le Max 2). Sadly some major companies have abandoned Windows Phone (paypal, ebay, etc) for apps. It does make it easy to think the platform is being because of that, at least in the eyes of the public.

[Nowak]

1 minute ago, scottyseng said:

It does make it easy to think the platform is being because of that, at least in the eyes of the public.

And the 0.38% market share 

[scottyseng]

Just now, Daring said:

And the 0.38% market share 

Dang, it's that bad now? I thought it was 3% at least...

[Nowak]

Just now, scottyseng said:

Dang, it's that bad now? I thought it was 3% at least...

Yup, Windows Phone currently represents just under 0.4% of the phone market, and it's predicted to fall even lower by 2020.

[SansVarnic]

1 minute ago, Daring said:

Look dude. I used to use Windows Phone. My first two smartphones were Windows phones. My last one, the Nokia Lumia Icon, was a beautiful piece of hardware. BUT, I feel like it was being held back by the software. I was getting tired of a flagship-tier phone that performs the same as a $50 phone, many apps that I wanted to use downright not existing or having shitty, third-party replacements that barely worked as well and being treated like a third-class citizen in the smartphone world by everyone, Microsoft included. Sure, it has its charm, like the UI is clean (except for the settings menu, which was fucking cluttered in WP8.x), but... compared to the competition, it's just so... lacking.

 

Really, Marshmallow? But that's generally considered a solid release...

OK, I will not disagree with you and your experiences and I am not looking to start an argument here I am just stating the facts.

WP 8 was ... flawed and I did not much care for it myself, WP 7 was much better. I like and enjoy Windows Mobile 10 it is better than WP8 and is continuing to be more than its sum and I see the potential it has, I participate in the previewers program because I genuinely would like to see it become more than it is. If I chose to be the niche than is my choice but your original post is making the same claim that haas been spouted for several years now and there is no final nail in the coffin. The previewers program proves that Windows Mobile is alive and strong.

 

2 minutes ago, scottyseng said:

If I had a dollar for how many people call my Lumia 950 a Nexus 5X...despite the Microsoft logo on the top...

 

Curious, which Windows Phone do you have? So far I like my Lumia 950, but I'm pretty sad at the battery lifespan...it died after nine months of owning the phone. I also bought two "genuine OEM batteries" from ebay, but those died after three months. Now waiting for a hopefully OEM battery to arrive (I found a different higher rated site).

 

I think they should work out the battery issues with their phones because apparently I'm not the only one dealing with battery swelling issues. I've also plan to switch to a different phone if this keeps up ($90 in batteries so far...$300 phone when I bought it)...this is the first phone I've had that wouldn't make it past a year. I'm back to using my near three year old Nokia N9 again...

My phones are in my sig but just to answer I have both a L925 and L950XL. I still have my HTC7 ... memories.

I have personally have had no battery issues. I do remember one build about a year ago that killed my battery life but that was fixed in about 2 weeks 2 builds later. Sad to see you have had a bad string of luck with those.  

9 minutes ago, scottyseng said:

Software wise though, I agree, Windows Phone is sleek. I do think they screwed up by removing native skype support and moving to the skype preview app. There's also something about the list view for apps that I like vs the app thumbnail grid on android / iOS. Yeah, everyone else in the family is android (Dad - Nexus 5X, Mom - Nexus 6, Brother - LeeCo Le Max 2). Sadly some major companies have abandoned Windows Phone (paypal, ebay, etc) for apps. It does make it easy to think the platform is being because of that, at least in the eyes of the public.

Agreed. Some things are unclear with those choices but I an willing to see were it goes. As mentioned in my earlier comment;

3 hours ago, SansVarnic said:

People are too impatient and short sighted when it come to tech and tend to forget that what makes a great product great is the time it takes to develop it and not how quickly it makes into the hands of consumers.