4 ms·

Windows 10 Mobile was better than Android. They just couldn't get users to switch because of a lack of apps. Their decision to abandon the platform and the user

by kd3 7y ago

Windows 10 Mobile was better than Android. They just couldn't get users to switch because of a lack of apps. Their decision to abandon the platform and the users (even with their own apps!!) was a very disappointing one and damaged trust.

tracker1 7y ago
I think how locked down the hardware is/was didn't really help, it was an also ran already way behind in market share and that's a hard position to be in. If it was easier as an end user to get software onto the thing or use a non-microsoft store for apps, it could have seen better interest. I agree the UI was in a lot of ways ahead for the later windows mobile devices. I still choose Android myself, though the amount of spying is getting creepy.
- snagglegaggle 7y ago
  This is exactly it. The Windows phone OSes were forward thinking. Unfortunately, especially in versions vefore 8.1, they were very very locked down. Complete secure boot was not implemented for x86 but Microsoft was very much in favor of it for non-x86, potentially at the behest of the manufacturers and their NDAs. This extended to more than just the bootloader; e.g. most people don't even know Windows Phone 7 was a real product. At some point MS realized this was hurting them, but it was too little too late.
- kd3 7y ago
  Yes I am a huge fan of the Windows mobile UI and it is consistently one of the things people always bring up when comparing to the competition. As for Android, I avoid it myself for privacy reasons. I'm now waiting to be able to get a Librem 5 phone which runs on PureOS.
pjmlp 7y ago
Indeed, they were around 10% in Europe when they gave up, it was just a matter of "slow and steady". However from the looks of consumer stores they are anyway wining on the not-iOS tablet front, as Windows 10 hybrid tablets are much more useful that Android ones using mostly upscaled phone apps.

by kd3 7y ago

tracker1 7y ago

I think how locked down the hardware is/was didn't really help, it was an also ran already way behind in market share and that's a hard position to be in. If it was easier as an end user to get software onto the thing or use a non-microsoft store for apps, it could have seen better interest. I agree the UI was in a lot of ways ahead for the later windows mobile devices. I still choose Android myself, though the amount of spying is getting creepy.

snagglegaggle 7y ago
This is exactly it. The Windows phone OSes were forward thinking. Unfortunately, especially in versions vefore 8.1, they were very very locked down. Complete secure boot was not implemented for x86 but Microsoft was very much in favor of it for non-x86, potentially at the behest of the manufacturers and their NDAs. This extended to more than just the bootloader; e.g. most people don't even know Windows Phone 7 was a real product. At some point MS realized this was hurting them, but it was too little too late.
kd3 7y ago
Yes I am a huge fan of the Windows mobile UI and it is consistently one of the things people always bring up when comparing to the competition. As for Android, I avoid it myself for privacy reasons. I'm now waiting to be able to get a Librem 5 phone which runs on PureOS.

pjmlp 7y ago

Indeed, they were around 10% in Europe when they gave up, it was just a matter of "slow and steady". However from the looks of consumer stores they are anyway wining on the not-iOS tablet front, as Windows 10 hybrid tablets are much more useful that Android ones using mostly upscaled phone apps.