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Microsoft To Abandon Windows Phone?
symbolset writes "Microsoft has had some trouble as of late getting adoption of their mobile products. Even Bill Gates has said it was inadequate. Despite rave reviews of Windows Phone in the press it has failed to get double digit share of the smartphone market. Now comes reports from WMPoweruser that WP8 will lose mainstream support in July 2014."
Neener neener!
Er, that likely means they'll be on WP9. How long will Google update Android 3.x or even 4.0?
Trololol samzenpuss, trololol.
Balmer certainly appears all-in on the WP8, as part of his "Microsoft integrated everywhere, on everything!" strategy (Win8/WP8/Surface/O365).
More likely, it's just part of the push to release everything quicker, more often, and more detriment to the consumer who must constantly re-purchase everything.
Ridiculous headline title. All this means is they're going to be moving onto the next version of the OS by then (WP9?). Speculating that they're going to leave the phone market entirely is a little far-fetched at present.
Yes, WP8 will be abandoned... for WP8.5 or WP9.
Microsoft is still dealing with the fact that their flagship products throughout the 1990's are almost universally associated with crashes, poor performance, and overhyped marketing. It bit them with the Zune, and now it's biting them with the phones. You know why XBox is so big? It doesn't have the word 'Windows' or 'Microsoft' in its name, and it had (still has?) its own business unit with its own management structure not tied to Windows.
On the other hand the OS support date is reset with any never version of the OS, so a Windows Phone 8.5 or 9 update in November 2013 would bring along its own 18 month of security updates. Microsoft has already promised all current Windows Phone 8 handsets will receive the next major version of the operating system.
The article said they would be updated the system to a new version and that the new version would be pushed to all windows phones. That system would get security updates for 18 months. It sounds like they just want people to upgrade to me.
This posting looks like FUD, if you read the article it says.
All window 8 phone devices will get new version of OS, which will have a 18 month support window.
Maybe. Perhaps they only mean support of 8.0 will end at that date. It's a bit early to start with the dead parrot jokes for WP8. More of a Black Knight at this stage.
The article doesn't say MS will bail on Windows phone, only that once they release a new WP release, they will eventually stop providing security updates for old ones. Not news.
No you deserve -42 for believing a /. headline about Microsoft.
The article says the following at the bottom, "On the other hand the OS support date is reset with any never version of the OS, so a Windows Phone 8.5 or 9 update in November 2013 would bring along its own 18 month of security updates. Microsoft has already promised all current Windows Phone 8 handsets will receive the next major version of the operating system."
oh christ was my first thought to that....
I'm not a huge fan of Microsoft but I do feel for Nokia and the bus that their staff were thrown under.
I'd be kinda surprised if this is true though, Microsoft are known for flaunting failed products for years to save face. This would be another reason to add to the list for why metro sucks ... it's pretty sad that the whole windows ecosystem was imho designed from the mobile up rather than an extension of the desktop.
This sounds like FUD though and for once it's not coming out of Redmond.
Headline as a question?
The article discusses dates on which Microsoft will end support for its current product, which is designed to be superseded on (at least) an annual basis. It doesn't mean that Microsoft plans to get out of the phone business, or will delegate software development to Nokia or Google, etc.
schadenfreude fail. you're just getting played by a link bait headline. they'll be on WP9 by then.
Microsoft - Wrong Choice...
:-)
Actually, their problem was, that even though they had N770 and N810, they started working on Linux phone (N900) too late...
Being in Redmond, I would start worrying about the future...
Maybe, Office and Xbox have future, but Windows might be shaking - lot's of people are happy with Android, iOS, maybe there is something behind the corner, that will make it much less interesting for the people (Linux+Wine+ "some very well marketed GUI"
Article is about support for WP8 given that WP9 is coming out in a few months. And if you have a WP8 phone: "All current Windows Phone 8 handsets will receive the next major version of the operating system." Which is more than we can say for a substantial number of Android handsets, where the easiest way (besides rolling your own) to get the new version of Android is to buy the new phone as the vendor probably won't update the current handset.
No. RTFA
On the other hand the OS support date is reset with any never version of the OS, so a Windows Phone 8.5 or 9 update in November 2013 would bring along its own 18 month of security updates. Microsoft has already promised all current Windows Phone 8 handsets will receive the next major version of the operating system.
Yes exactly. Clearly a case of RTFA and Misleading headline.
How long will Google update Android 3.x or even 4.0?
Google have been pretty good at providing continuous updates for earlier versions of Androids. In fact they will provide updates as long as the phone is good. Their business model covers this. Apple and Microsoft's business model does not.
Love how they come up with lose "mainstream support"
Microsoft doesn't give up that easy. Remember they were also late to this game, by a lot and that's a big reason for slow adoption. Enough people are happy with their Iphones and Androids and MS hasn't put forth anything to disrupt the market yet But one thing they have done is create a great environment for developers, with tons of tools and a marketplace that takes care of vendors. It appears they learned the from Linux, take care of the developers and they'll build more stuff. With more applications your platform will flourish.
I am certain MS is going to wait at least a year or two to see how the market does when the apps roll in. By then they may also come up with something that really compels people to switch. I know this isn't the site to talk about faith in MS, but there you have it.
The article clearly states that WP8 is going to be updated to the next version of WP. This would be like saying that Windows 7 RTM support is ending so Microsoft is abandoning all of its faithful Windows 7 users that are buying computers today with Windows 7 today. When in-fact Microsoft is really just saying that you need to be running the latest SP1 (service pack) that can be installed on any computer running Windows 7 RTM. Basically, install WP8.5 or WP9 (whatever it is called) and you'll be set.
/rant
FWIW, I rushed out and bought a HTC 8X on the day they came out and used it alongside my day-to-day smartphone and although I LOVED the OS, I hated the fact that there weren't enough apps and the whole Messenger/Skype/Lync/Facebook/SMS thing is a mess on the device at the moment. I would have kept the device and loved using it had it not been for how horrific the messaging experience is on the phone. For anyone who cares, the default "Messaging" app contains your text messages and facebook messages, but is 100% incompatible with Skype and Lync at the moment. It doesn't support Messenger anymore really either since that is technically on its way out. My opinion is that they need to somehow integrate Lync/Skype/Facebook/SMS on the platform to give an unrivaled communications experience. If they could also integrate voicemail, email, twitter, and phone calls all so they show up in that same place then that would be great. You should just be able to set your outbound communication preferences for a particular contact so that you can reply to them easily.
Back to the point. Please read the article.
Microsoft can never win in a competitive marketplace. Unless they're operating from a monopoly position, the world can see that the emperor has no clothes. I just can't believe that it has taken this long for them to be exposed for the inept yet evil little bastards they are.
it's just part of the push to release everything quicker, more often, and more detriment to the consumer who must constantly re-purchase everything.
I know Microsoft shafted their customers over windows Phone 7 [and earlier versions] sacrificing a 10% smartphone marketshare for 2%, but you can only do so for so long. That 2% they have now they can expect to drop [to nothing] if they continue to abuse its customer base.
All this means is they're going to be moving onto the next version of the OS by then (WP9?). Speculating that they're going to leave the phone market entirely is a little far-fetched at present.
Is that not just the same thing.
Yes, WP8 will be abandoned... for WP8.5 or WP9.
Yes, WP8 customerswill be abandoned... for WP8.5 or WP9.
Fixed it for you...they will call it Windows phone 8.8, which they will day is the same as 9 :)
It's called upgrading the OS. Nothing to see here people except a really, really bad, mis-leading headline.
Steven
Utter nonsense....that means the new version is coming then....and 8 will not be supported or updated as an entity...but the current WP 8 handsets are upgradeable to 9 and above. Not like the old WP 7 phones....they had hardware issues that could not be upgraded to WP 8
Microsoft is still dealing with the fact that their flagship products throughout the 1990's are almost universally associated with crashes, poor performance, and overhyped marketing. It bit them with the Zune, and now it's biting them with the phones. You know why XBox is so big?
Except the reality is Windows Phone [was] is not very good, [125 REASONS NOT TO BUY A WINDOWS PHONE 7.5 http://my-symbian.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=44034%5D. The harsh truth is it was never a serious competitor which will hurt Microsoft in the future, as its potential customers continue to get burnt....it will end up like the Zune.
MS has made many, many promises with its WP platform. The short attention span of most forgets that few of those promises have been kept. Frankly, they are by far "The lair".
"If you want updates, buy Nexus." Is there a problem with that rule of thumb, other than that U.S. prepaid carriers tend not to carry Nexus phones?
On the other hand the OS support date is reset with any never version of the OS, so a Windows Phone 8.5 or 9 update in November 2013 would bring along its own 18 month of security updates. Microsoft has already promised all current Windows Phone 8 handsets will receive the next major version of the operating system.
That must bring a great deal of comfort to those Windows Phone 7.x devices that are denied future OS updates...Did they pinky promise.
Dude, its a phone. Curb your virginity.
But one thing they have done is create a great environment for developers, with tons of tools and a marketplace that takes care of vendors. It appears they learned the from Linux, take care of the developers and they'll build more stuff.
It makes me wonder how Microsoft plans to treat amateur game developers and startup studios on Xbox Durango.
With more applications your platform will flourish.
With more applications the Atari 2600 did not flourish. By sometime in 1983, there were so many me-too applications that retailers couldn't sell them all. That's part of why lockdown became the norm on some platforms: there was a perceived correlation between being able to clear organizational hurdles and quality of the end product.
Microsoft has already promised all current Windows Phone 8 handsets will receive the next major version of the operating system.*
*For sufficiently loose definitions of "current".
#DeleteChrome
windows 9 on the way soon? did 8 flop that bad??
Slashdot is a Windows bashing site to the point of being ridiculous. It seems that Ars Technica is a little more even-handed when commenting on Operating Systems. It's good to weigh the pros and cons of all the operating systems without falling prey to the immature "Evil Microsoft" mentality that so many people have here. I like LockerGnome's opinion that an operating system's strength is often is weakness; dwell upon that one.
Look, I know most of the folks frequenting /. are ardently anti-MS (Hence all the clever usage of a $ instead of the 'S'), but this is really an embarrassing attempt at click bait. It isn't in the realm of truth and feel sorry for the poster and the people jumping on board with it to fuel some frothing Anti-MS rage or resentment at some perceived slight. Slashdot is poorer this.
So many injustices..so little time..
They should of called it "winPhone" instead of Windows 8. That was like calling it Crap+1 instead of just Crap, because all the windows phones before 8 literally were pretty crappy. Doomed by association.
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Here's what the article said: On the other hand the OS support date is reset with any never [sic] version of the OS, so a Windows Phone 8.5 or 9 update in November 2013 would bring along its own 18 month of security updates. Microsoft has already promised all current Windows Phone 8 handsets will receive the next major version of the operating system. [emphasis mine, misspelling is in the original article
So it could be freudian, and what the author was really thinking slipped through his typing fingers: it will neverhappen that newer OS upgrades will be provided to current windows-phone users.
.
There is sensationalistic journalism, and then there is blatantly misleading journalism. This is the latter.
Assuming /. wants to be taken seriously, someone's wrist should be slapped for this and/or the headline updated.
While WP7 is different from WP8, WP8 is based on the common architecture of NT 6.2 which will be used as the basis of current and future Windows OSs. So while WP8 may have broken compatibility w/ 7, the same need not necessarily be true of WP 9 and beyond.
I do agree that Microsoft should have had a way to upgrade WP7 phones w/ WP8. Although I wonder to what extent the carriers or OEMs (like Nokia) might have to say about that. For the OEMs, such an ability would simply mean that new phones not be bought, while for the carriers, it could involve unlocking the phones (which in the US would mean that a carrier, having financed a phone, now has to eat the costs while that phone can be used to switch to a competitor).
...the year of Windows on the smartphone.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
The market place and business models for applications in 1983 is quite a bit different from those of current smartphone apps.
More Apps = More companies believe there is a ROI on porting their apps to that platform. Supporting more platforms doesn't come for free.
re: it's pretty sad that the whole windows ecosystem was imho designed from the mobile up rather than an extension of the desktop.
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And the sad thing with the latest iteration of the apple OS is that Mountain Lion has turned into an iOS-copy-fest rather than leaving in the features that make a desktop useful like scroll-bars that stay in place, and not having to fucking scroll in order to see the scroll bars in the first place. That is a serious fail, imho, and enough for me to tell my parents not to upgrade their 10.6 machines up. Me, I'm linux-debian-knoppix (with gnu in there, of course), so I could say it doesn't affect me. But I read of all of the fury with gnome's meanderings and the first round of KDE 4.0 screwing up all of the features that 3.x had already gotten right.
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I played with older versions of knoppix with kde 3.x branches (I think it was a knoppix 5 distro) and I like how the desktop maintains state between shutdowns when you install it to hard drive. The new Knoppix 7.04 using LXDE does not maintain state between boot-ups. I put one of my mom's computers on Knoppix 5.something with KDE 3.something and she loves the fact that she can shut down with editor windows in a document and browser tabs open (not just hibernate or sleeeeeep) and actually reboot back into the work environment which she left open. It's fucking astounding when a desktop is done right.
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Unfortunately, all of the key gnu/linux desktop guys (kde, gnome, lxde), ms windows, and apple are all walking down the wrong path by bringing the wrong
(a) tablet-touch and
(b) phone-os-metrofication and
(c) clean-look-ma-no-widgets-apple-without-scrollers-or-buttons and
(d) look-i-can-fuckup-ubuntu-like-the-big-os-boys mistakes.
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Wow. You're a dumb fuck. Too bad your UID is so low. It's deceiving.
They did? AFAIK they shut out Qt from the phones. Why? I don't know and I don't care. It just means that none of my apps will run on WP8 ever. Certainly not a big loss, but 'are great environment for developers' is something different.
Once you've been around here long enough it's no longer deceiving, it's telling.
Nokia alone is doing
35m for 2012
55m for 2013
85m for 2014
HTC did another 12m or so in 2012 and is expecting growth.
Carriers pushed through huge subsidies all during 2012 and Verizon continues to see Microsoft as key to their business strategy.
What sort of product doing 40% year-over-year growth, good reviews, moderate or better OEM support, so or better developer support, and a good fit for Microsoft strategy gets cancelled?
This article sounds like flamebait to me.
Other than the Xbox and that's had a rocky ride Microsoft's track record with hardware is miserable. They've been the mirror image of Apple. Apple has had a few products like Apple TV that haven't taken off but few actual flops. Microsoft keeps playing catch up making it incredibly hard when the market is already full. Last to the market with a music player and it flopped and now last to the market with a smart phone and shock of shocks it flopped. They would have been better off using their leg up with Xbox to try to beat Apple to market with a smart TV. If Apple does come out with a smart TV in the next 12 months what are the odds Microsoft will 3 years from now and what are the odds of it flopping? They have to stop chasing after the market and start leading. It doesn't matter how hard you work on the barn when the horse left three to five years ago.
Yes. Windows 8 is a Windows Vista. Like Windows 7, Windows 8's successor will just be a tweaked version of its predecessor, but sheeple will insist that the predecessor was worst evar and the successor is a ginormous improvement. Expect this alternating flop/success cycle, based on absurdly exaggerated perceptions and the bandwagon effect, to continue for quite some time.
Attention zealots and haters: 00100 00100
Are you THAT out of touch with the IT world that you don't understand Microsoft's support cycle? This is the worst I've seen on Slashdot in a long time and it's a shame that someone actually thought this was news.
It seems from some google searching that the word on the street is that MS is doubling down on Windows 8, and their response to the huge unpopularity and poor adoption of 8 is to make 9 _even less_ like 7 and even harder to use.
Word is that Windows 9 will have no start button - no way - no how - and the API that would allow a third party app to add one is gone.
Basically, Microsoft is telling its users, "Fuck You."
It was a hundred times better than all this iPhoney-mentality crap (yes, I'm including Windows and Android in this mentality) we get shoved down our throats as the only marketable OS now. kthx.
if what you said was true, no one would be stuck on a win 7 phone....but there they are.
Redmond is the FUD factory
Microsoft has already promised all current Windows Phone 8 handsets will receive the next major version of the operating system.*
*For sufficiently loose definitions of "current".
Current as in most phones released within 2-3 months of the Windows 9 release will probably be able to run it.
Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
Yes. Windows 8 is a Windows Vista. Like Windows 7, Windows 8's successor will just be a tweaked version of its predecessor, but sheeple will insist that the predecessor was worst evar and the successor is a ginormous improvement.
The primary reason why people dislike Windows 8 is the forced exposure to Metro and the loss of the Start button. Unless Microsoft gives an option to get around this, Windows 9 will be just as disliked as Windows 8. Power users and business users aren't suddenly going to decide that a tablet interface on the desktop is a good idea.
Wow, I didn't think Slashdot could go lower but it just managed to do that.
Next headline: MS to abandon Windows, because Windows XP support Ends April 8, 2014?
Microsoft will make Windows Phone 9, in fact they even have people working on testing it.
http://msftkitchen.com/windows-phone-9-testing-begins-also-windows-9-gets-a-mention-from-microsoft
And Windows Phone 8 phones will be upgradeable.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2416002,00.asp
And Windows Phone is growing marketshare:
http://wmpoweruser.com/italy-shows-their-windows-phone-strength-already-15-of-windows-phone-market/
http://wmpoweruser.com/windows-phone-has-a-16-3-market-share-in-poland-one-of-the-highest-in-the-world/
http://www.fiercewireless.com/europe/story/analyst-windows-phone-sees-strong-growth-uk-and-italy/2013-01-23
http://www.wpcentral.com/long-queues-china-nokia-lumia-920-sells-out-two-hours [And yes, that's actually picture of people queuing for Windows Phone)
And yet we have this bullshit FUD summary, headline and article? No wonder Slashdot is losing readership fast, with barely a few comments for stories compared to earlier.
The partyline biased moderation, calling people with alternate viewpoints shills and chasing them away into karma hell can only last so long before the echo chamber gets tired of listening to itself and packs it up.
Reminds me of this story http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/02/16/2259257/draconian-drm-revealed-in-windows-7
Even the mainstream tech media noticed that. Interesting read: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2009/02/oh-the-humanity-windows-7s-draconian-drm/
I doubt any one would care now, with most people having written off Slashdot as the hiding place of anti-Microsoft trolls and zealots living in their alternate reality. Posters like bmo, symbolset, tuple666, Zero__Kelvin, LordLimeCat, Jeremiah Cornelius, UnknowingFool, rtfa-troll, binarylarry, MightyMartian, drinkypoo, pieroxy and a whole bunch of others have ruined Slashdot beyond repair and seem to suffer from this affliction: http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/07/25/1757253/linus-calls-microsoft-hatred-a-disease
This place was always anti-MS but reasonable and informative comments used to get modded up a few years ago, not anymore.There are enough things to bash Microsoft with, why make up lies and spread FUD?
Of course, the real blame is on moderators for modding up these kind of posts and marking others rebutting replies to them as troll and flamebait.
Last one out, switch off lights.
As near as I can divine, Microsoft is no longer going to ship service packs like they did with Vista and prior. Windows 7 is probably only getting service pack 1. Windows 8 basically is SP2. Windows 9 will be SP3. They are on an incremental release cycle, like Apple's OSX, and all those Windows 8 phones might possibly be running Windows Phone 10 by 2015.
Now, they will be nickel-and-diming you for the desktop OS ($40 CHEAP!), but it might not be the case with phones, especially subsidized phones on contract where all the licensing is handled by the carrier. Also something I'm keen to see, Microsoft does not have a great track record with delivering incremental upgrades that don't crater *recent* old hardware, so it'll be interesting to see if they change their ways in that respect.
But the headline and summary is just a FUD encounter of the fourth kind: FUDabduction.
Microsoft has already stated that they are moving towards a faster update cycle for all of their software products. All this means is that there will be no new OS updates for WP8.0 after July 2014. They will have 8.5 or 9.0 out before that date.
BTW, Google has the EXACT same upgrade/support cycle for each version of Android (18 months).
I expect more than this from the Slashdot editors!!! After all, they are supposed to at least understand the tech industry which includes software update/support cycles.....
can we wait to think a sec before we right a headline.
Microsoft has abused its locked-in public for far too long; failed to fix things which were important to users, forced "upgrades" onto business. They abused their monopoly power to everyone's annoyance... even the developers, developers, developers.
Is it any wonder why, when Microsoft decides to expand into a market they were too late for, that they couldn't draw any fans (because there are none) or developers or anyone? You can only buy so much, but you can't buy customers ... well you can to a degree, but you can't pay them enough to suffer through more Microsoft than they already have to.
I remember long ago.. Windows95... I was excited. Windows98. Still excited. They were good and popular because anyone could get it... piracy was part of their market share and part of their marketing plan. Once they had full control, the turned on "genuine advantage" and here we are.
Fool me once, Microsoft, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.
Microsoft? who the fuck still uses that shit? what is this, 1998?
Hmmm.... Clickbait/linkbait anyone?
Wow, I didn't think Slashdot could go lower but it just managed to do that.
Next headline: MS to abandon Windows, because Windows XP support Ends April 8, 2014?
Microsoft will make Windows Phone 9, in fact they even have people working on testing it.
http://msftkitchen.com/windows-phone-9-testing-begins-also-windows-9-gets-a-mention-from-microsoft
And Windows Phone 8 phones will be upgradeable.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2416002,00.asp
And Windows Phone is growing marketshare:
http://wmpoweruser.com/italy-shows-their-windows-phone-strength-already-15-of-windows-phone-market/
http://wmpoweruser.com/windows-phone-has-a-16-3-market-share-in-poland-one-of-the-highest-in-the-world/
http://www.fiercewireless.com/europe/story/analyst-windows-phone-sees-strong-growth-uk-and-italy/2013-01-23
http://www.wpcentral.com/long-queues-china-nokia-lumia-920-sells-out-two-hours [And yes, that's actually picture of people queuing for Windows Phone)
Picking up some loyal users who seem to like it :
http://wmpoweruser.com/pcmag-readers-choice-awards-2013-windows-phone-wins-mobile-os-category/
http://www.ubergizmo.com/2013/01/customer-satisfaction-of-windows-phone-on-the-rise-according-to-survey/
And winning some awards
http://www.wpcentral.com/nokia-lumia-920-struts-its-stuff-and-takes-prestigious-innovative-handset-award-2013
http://wmpoweruser.com/nokia-lumia-920-wins-engadget-smartphone-of-2012-user-vote/
And yet we have this bullshit FUD summary, headline and article? No wonder Slashdot is losing readership fast, with barely a few comments for stories compared to earlier.
The partyline biased moderation, calling people with alternate viewpoints shills and chasing them away into karma hell can only last so long before the echo chamber gets tired of listening to itself and packs it up.
Reminds me of this story http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/02/16/2259257/draconian-drm-revealed-in-windows-7
Even the mainstream tech media noticed that. Interesting read: http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2009/02/oh-the-humanity-windows-7s-draconian-drm/
I doubt any one would care now, with most people having written off Slashdot as the hiding place of anti-Microsoft trolls and zealots living in their alternate reality. Posters like bmo, symbolset, tuple666, Zero__Kelvin, LordLimeCat, Jeremiah Cornelius, UnknowingFool, rtfa-troll, binarylarry, MightyMartian, drinkypoo, pieroxy and a whole bunch of others have ruined Slashdot beyond repair and seem to suffer from this affliction: http://linux.slashdot.org/story/09/07/25/1757253/linus-calls-microsoft-hatred-a-disease
(Couldn't resist.)
It may be FUD, but Microsoft hasn't helped itself in garnering this sort of attention. They have a nasty habit of not telling you that a product isn't going to be dropped or deprecated, they just let it wither and die as some bean counter decides that a technology doesn't fit with whatever the strategy of the year is at the moment. Witness: XNA, Silverlight, Media Center, Zune, a whole bunch of DirectX stuff, Vista Ultimate Extras, any windows mobile OS before WMP7, etc...
I've been burned multiple times with MS dropping APIs or driver support without *any* notification. You have to go to the MSDN forums where everyone else is complaining to find out what's going on.
My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
Looking forward to the release of next version...
No wonder Slashdot is losing readership fast, with barely a few comments for stories compared to earlier.
This is absurd. Slashdot's growing at an astounding rate in both the troll and fanboi demographics.
People perceive that Microsoft isn't worth buying. Every blue screen that someone got they blame on microsoft. Every ugly looking interface. Every virus. This might not necessarily be Microsofts fault but people perceive it that way. Microsoft have a well known but not very well respected brand name. Now they have a variety of choice people exercise it.
Um, isn't a share a percentage? So "getting out of a double digit share" would either mean dropping to a single digit (less than 10%) or taking the whole market ( 100%.) Surely MS didn't expect the latter...
Manufacturing a device that does not let you easily change the battery should be a crime.
LOL
No, 2013 is the year of the Linux desktop.
Nokia won't be around, after all the patents/engineers will be at MS by then.
Nokia's patents may end up in M$'s pocket, but not the engineers
Most of the Nokia engineers I know are self-starters, and most of them can't stand Ballmer's manner
Muchas Gracias, Señor Edward Snowden !
I'd have to say that Windows Phone was the best thing to kick off smart phones, however they lost touch with their market share, proper video drivers available early on could have changed a lot, along with failed VOIP client support, AND catered to operators lockdown at a very bad time in the game.
Now given they have bad numbers, no one denies Android market domination, they need to get in touch with their market, if they can't, then they need to get in touch with those that can reach them, funny it is where they left off. If XDA DEV's where to happen upon target designer to build latest version builds and toss in some spice, I have NO DOUBT some magic would happen. This would provide a direction to run with to regain contact with the Windows Phone market share.
But, according to you crazy slashdotters, LINUX phones are coming soon, and they'll squash all the competition, just as Linux now dominates the desktop.
People typically replace their phones every two years anyway, so it's really a non-issue.
/* No Comment */
MS seems to have lost touch with the consumers step by step and haven't really checked what the professional users want and don't want.
All this change of the user interface that has been appearing during the last few years has made it a challenge to use Windows and applications since the stuff you are looking for sometimes moves to another location or has a new name. In some cases you even need to go command line to locate the application you need, which has happened in Windows 8.
If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
The start screen is the start button. Nobody lost anything.
Seriously, it's not a big deal. In every other measurable way, Windows 8 is superior to Windows 7. To whine about the look of the new start menu is fucking stupid.
This is likely to get modded down into obscurity, but reading the piece and many of the comments, I see another interesting dimension here, relating to upgrade cycles.
A key mantra of the FOSS community has always been "Release early and release often" and aligns with the ethos of broad public collaboration in development communities. As a result of this ideal and the sheer number of projects and developers contributing, the end users (and I suspect that the majority of slashdot terms are end users) see an endless flow of updates and improvements. Then along came projects like Ubuntu, which capitalised on this by creating 6-monthly release cycles, packaging up new updates to get them to users more quickly. Understandably, this became very popular.
Then commercial companies like Apple and Microsoft saw this, but to their eyes it looked very different. It wasn't an opportunity to offer users incremental improvements, but a chance to charge users more money, or persuade them that they had to upgrade something that wasn't even out of warranty. The FOSS drive for rolling improvement became the Proprietary Companies' drive for more profit.
But they have a problem, which is why their customers should have to keep paying, over and over, for something they already bought. So they tie their new software to new handset designs, or put new frills, bells and whistles on it. And the schmucks go and buy the same product over again. Please don't mis-read this: it's not intended to be anti-Microsoft or anti-Apple, just anti the idea that we should be forced to upgrade something as mature as a mobile phone every 12-18 months and, worse, pay MS or Apple for the privilege.
This just seems pointless, and worse, the mindset is being actively encouraged by those making the money. Except of course, the argument isn't "Because we'll make lots of money off you if we do this," because that gives the game away.
It's just one vast con...
So recently I was eating my lunch at a restaurant near the MS campus when a gregarious group of "softies" sat down at the next table and began discussing the state of mobile OS adoption. Many valid points were discussed, and even some of the current deficiencies of the current WP offerings were lamented [lack of live tile synchronization across device via the cloud, etc], but I nearly choked to death at the one and only proposal voiced to improve the WP platform: "MS has $43 billion in the bank, why don't we just pay off the 100 most popular iOS/Android developer to port their apps to WP?". The discussion immediately turned to how much $ each dev shop would want to port their flagship apps. Not even one person at this table of portly, striped polo shirted MS entitlement douches even flinched at the idea of buying market share.
you sound almost as cynical and twisted as I am :D
For me the whole adware/spyware issue with Ubuntu put me over the edge and I switched to Mint w/ cinnamon but I really hated the idea of using Unity and still stuck to gnome.
I do think you are being a little harsh on mountain lion, yes it has some addition touch centric stuff but the majority of the uI hasn't changed. I just drop the addition icons out the dock on a fresh install.
I'm also still stuck on Win 7, I personally hate metro but I can half see it being useful on a mobile device. I'm just disturbed that MS is trying to force me to use something I'm not into. The truth though which they are trying to avoid is that, like the old windows media center - if you can turn it off, most people will.
It's a trap!
They have already made the kernal change, i wouldn't expect too many phones being left behind now.
Rocket Surgeon.
a lot of people thought peter schiff was dumb in 2006-2007 because he kept telling everyone on CNN etc that the economy was going to shit itself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I0QN-FYkpw
with regards to TFA and the OP, time will tell if he is really a dumb fuck... or you are
//On the other hand the OS support date is reset with any never version of the OS, so a Windows Phone 8.5 or 9 update in November 2013 would bring along its own 18 month of security updates. Microsoft has already promised all current Windows Phone 8 handsets will receive the next major version of the operating system.// - From the article. Why the title is so misleading?
It is always a good idea if the moron posting to /. information from another source, that said moron actually knows how to read before posting. The article referred says nothing of the kind.
Slashdot is getting sadder and sadder. Once it was a forum for geek stuff, then it became a forum for uneducated idiots who wants to become geeks, and now, apparently, article posters are not even required to have basic reeding and righting skills.
No, you don't, you need -1 for trolling and an additional -1 for the fact that you don't have basic reading skills.
As usual, the /. article says something completely different from what the quoted article actually says.
If the mfgr locks the phone, it's the mfgr, not Google.
Are you retarded or just a fanboi?
Typical /. we-hate-microsoft department.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1281731-microsoft-more-evidence-that-windows-phone-8-is-a-great-success
The dangers of excessive individualism are nothing compared to the oppressiveness of excessive collectivism
Seriously? System Preferences > General > Show scroll bars > Always. Problem solved, and it's a hell of a lot easier than answering questions like why Application X won't install, or remembering the UI for two revisions back when explaining how to do something over the phone.
Bogtha Bogtha Bogtha
From everything I've seen, and all the first hand account of users on Windows Phone, it's a train wreck. I have yet to actually hear someone rave about it on the same level as the Z10, S3 or iPhone.
Windows XP was supported 10 years or so. Windows Phone is supported 2 years. There is a difference.
9/11: Never forget it was a false-flag operation
Yeah, but Microsoft is increasing the frequency of new versions. Similar to android, osx, and ios, having a new version every year instead of 5.
Rocket Surgeon.
They sound positively hysterical here this morning. Of course MS is going to jettison phones and Win8 phone. OF COURSE they are. This is how MS operates. Create a 'buzz' and when it doesn't dominate the world in a year they toss it in the trash.
The title on this article is TOTALLY misleading, as the source article said nothing about abandoning Windows Phone as a platform... just wrapping up mainstream support on their current mobile OS versions. /. editors are stooping to Fox News levels with this sort of bullshit. Sure this is /., but be accurate in your reporting, and don't start unfounded rumours based on BIAS.
Microsoft can't make a cool product so it can't break into consumer electronics. Microsoft only succeeded in game consoles for making a product people want, but even then I find the Xbox360 about the uncoolest game console for design, Microsoft has the worst industrial designers in the history of industrial design.
I doubt they are dropping Microsoft Phone, but they need to tap into the vapid side of consumers and make something that is just cool and a "must have" device rather then focusing on the feature set. Hey, it works for Apple each and every time.
I haven't thought of anything clever to put here, but then again most of you haven't either.
I just can't imagine MS abandoning WP. It would not make sense. Not today, nor tomorrow.
From the consumers perspecitve, however, I fail to see how and why anyone would opt to buy a phone with a 12 month usable lifespan.
I got myself a Dell Streak 5" phone. It was running Android 2.2 and was eventually uppgraded to 2.3. Dell abandoned their Streak line of devices and had it not been for the open-source nature of Android I would have been out of options.
Windows Phone 7.x owners must be pretty unhappy inside; they got themselves devices that can not be updated to any meaningful extent. The same seems to be happening to WP8 owners.
Don't get me wrong; this strategy has worked well for the manufacturers for many years! Users buy new phones when the old ones become obsolete. In the smartphone-market, however, the cost for upgrading is high. If the user is forced to buy a new phone every year, the consumers will navigate towards cheaper low-end devices. And belive me: That is not what the manufacturers want! Nor do they want their customers turn to open-source alternatives when their devices no longer recieve new updates.
what are some differences in the last two or three updates to android, gingerbread to Jellybean?
One big new thing in Android 4.x compared to 2.2 and 2.3 is that the built-in SSL stack supports Server Name Indication, which lets you use SSL on sites that use shared hosting. Without SNI, your device can't see any certificate on port 443 of a given IP address other than that of the first site, instead giving a certificate mismatch error. This rules out putting hundreds of sites on a single IP like shared hosting providers do. For example, you get this error when you try to access https://pineight.com/ using Internet Explorer on Windows XP or Android Browser on Android 2.x because these browsers don't tell the SSL layer what hostname it's using when establishing a connection. Instead, you have to either fall back to HTTP, upgrade Windows or Android, or switch to Chrome or Firefox on Windows.
I have Windows 7.5 phones in the house and I'm pretty pleased with them. Of course, I'd prefer the latest and greatest, but my kids play on them and love them.
Of course Windows phone sales has to do with the fact that we all know a Microsoft branded product is coming, so why should be buy Nokia crap?
The title is so poor. Microsoft windows phone is not going away anytime soon.
Personally I think Microsoft should give it away. That would increase the number of vendors willing to throw it on their phones. Why would you want to pay for Windows phone when Android is out there for free?
From what I have seen of Windows 8 phone I like it. If Microsoft would take the efforts to support phones for 2-3 years then I would consider moving to a Windows phone.
One thing I like about the IPhone is the very consitent feel of the phone. I know what I am getting with each phone.
This is it. The fact that a so ridiculously interpreted article made a headline and some people try somehow to make a justification out of it just shows how stupid people here can be when it comes to bashing Microsoft. As a long time linux user and a person who many times does not like Microsoft's actions towards many things, I still have to admit and recognize that a large part of Linux's community is just blind, stupid and fanatic. Sadly, Slashdot has become a home to many of those people. I hope the day will come when people in Slashdot start seeing/reading things without trying to look for the first thing to blame when it comes from a source they do not "like".
God, the stupid - it burns. This is like saying "Android Key Lime Pie on the way soon? did Jellybean flop that bad??". You are a fucking idiot.
I've heard they're also discontinuing support for Windows XP. wonder if that means MS is abandoning windows....
</sarcasm>
The Kai's Semi-Updated Website Thingy
Nokia are still "gauging demand"
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Technology/2013/02/28/Nokia-holds-off-on-QWERTY-phone-keyboards/UPI-98831362092469/
That's nice. We might be deploying Nokias if they actually just got off their ass and made some, but instead we'll continue to wait on Blackberry Q10 as the only other enterprise ready device with a physical keyboard, which is what our USERS want.
who obliterate the competition in a computing segment with "free" and then toss it in the trash.
That was the case for WP as well, but carriers balked since their warranties were considerably shorter. This change is being made so that the OS support is consistent with the device warranties.
You're a cry baby loser, whining over scroll bars in OS X. Not to mention it's remedied by anyone with a basic understanding of how to search using Google or some other search engine. And then there's the fact that after a little adjustment, most people get along fine. In fact it feels more natural to me now.
The linked article suggests pretty much every BUT the title of the thread.
I don't care for WP but what I hate worse is people who will make sensationalist headlines out of something that has very little to do with what the headline is saying.
Windows phones will be fighting for that distant third spot with Blackberry... and whatever's upcoming (Tizen? Firefox OS? Bada?)
Most of the world will carry on with Android phones and iPhones.
For Microsoft, perhaps it makes little sense to invest so much (coding, marketing) for Windows Phone and yet get some paltry returns on investment.
Why not cut your losses and move on? Focus on your strengths (enterprise and productivity software, PCs, XBOX) instead.
The third (Microsoft) ecosystem is just not going to happen.
P.S: Don't worry too much about Nokia... it has a 'Plan B' should Windows phones tank. Could be Android or some other OS.
P.P.S: There are just too many paid Microsoft shills in the comment section... why don't you resume your 'evangelization efforts' after Windows phones hit a double digit % global market share?
"And the sad thing with the latest iteration of the apple OS is that Mountain Lion has turned into an iOS-copy-fest rather than leaving in the features that make a desktop useful like scroll-bars that stay in place"
How so? All my Unix programs are still here, my old post-PPC programs still work, the terminal is still present, etc etc. Sure, there's Launchpad, but that's for grannies and it can be safely ignored.
What's been removed? I haven't noticed Apple IOS-ifying any part of the OS here.
Who moderates this junk?
I'm Ron Burgundy?
need to block this spam company