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Microsoft Stops Pushing Notifications To Windows 7 and 8 Phones (engadget.com)

Posted by msmash on from the great-riddance dept.

The end of Microsoft's Windows Phone project has been a long time coming, and now there's another nail in the coffin. From a report: Microsoft is ending support for all push notifications for Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows Phone 8.0 starting Tuesday, February 20th. According to Microsoft's blog post, in addition to the discontinuation of push notifications, live tiles will no longer be updated and the find my phone feature will not work. It's important to note that this doesn't apply to newer devices.

64 comments

  1. Old versions? by DogDude · · Score: 4, Informative

    So they're discontinuing a minor feature on old versions of Windows Phone. Why would that mean that "the end of Windows Phone" is coming? They're still actively supporting Windows Phone 10.

    --
    I don't respond to AC's.
    1. Re:Old versions? by alvinrod · · Score: 2

      Indeed. I think more people will be surprised that Windows Phone is still around than anything else. I actually do have an old Nokia with Windows Phone 8 on it from years ago when I needed a phone while traveling to a place where my existing phone wouldn't work due to different cellular bands being used, but I'm honestly more surprised than anything that it would still be getting updates this long after the fact.

    2. Re:Old versions? by jareth-0205 · · Score: 3, Informative

      So they're discontinuing a minor feature on old versions of Windows Phone. Why would that mean that "the end of Windows Phone" is coming? They're still actively supporting Windows Phone 10.

      Eh? They're discontinuing a central feature (push messages) of some of their smartphones. On their old devices, but not that old. Windows Phone 8 was still being sold in 2013.

    3. Re:Old versions? by darkain · · Score: 1

      Push notifications is hardly a "minor feature" of a smart phone.

      (inb4 jokes of Windows phones not being "smart")

    4. Re:Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why would that mean that "the end of Windows Phone" is coming?

      Slashdot's been pushing the "death of Windows phone" stories since back when it was called Windows Mobile 6.

    5. Re:Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Almost as bad as "holding it wrong"...

    6. Re:Old versions? by DogDude · · Score: 1, Funny

      I've noticed that. Super weird. They must be getting paid by Google or Apple to do that.

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    7. Re:Old versions? by UnknowingFool · · Score: 4, Interesting

      That would be the case if owners of Windows Phone 7.5 and 8.0 could update to newer versions. My understanding is that not all of them can. Heck some Windows 7.5 owners couldn't even upgrade to 8.0

      --
      Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
    8. Re:Old versions? by cloud.pt · · Score: 1

      It still doesn't make it acceptable. And push notifications aren't a minor feature - they're an essential feature of a mobile phone released after 2010. And if I used Live Tiles, I would argue their update is the difference between them being "Live" or "Dead" ones - what was once a glorified button turned into a basic button.

      Microsoft is undergoing a change in dynamic that is itchy at best, and flat out unprofessional at worst: the privacy issues, the Win10 upgrade shenanigans, the forced updates, the p2p (forced) updates, the lack of flexibility in the new Metro UI Windows Control Panel tools, the simple fact they make the old style/actually usable tools unreachable through search indexation blacklisting. MS is going with the trends of "transient support level" and "inadverted, unnanounced feature change/deletion rollouts", so common in web apps such as Facebook and Google and applying them to the one place it shouldn't be applied: secondary-memory-installed software. That place is sacred, and that is why the guy suing for 600M$ because he can't get back his Windows 7 actually has a point.

    9. Re:Old versions? by jellomizer · · Score: 2

      Being that such a feature required Microsoft infrastructure to support. So they are slowly dismantling the Phone Infrastructure. Windows Phone 10, is probably still has enough users to keep it going. But if they can bring down a lot of the Push Notification servers and just meet the Windows 10 Phone user they should be OK. Where they can take their employees and move them elsewhere.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    10. Re:Old versions? by thsths · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Windows Phone 10 was not available until 2016, so obviously Windows Phone 8 devices were sold long into 2016. Some of those might be less than 2 years old. Granted, most will have an update to Windows Phone 10, but disabling the platform so soon will leave a sour taste.

    11. Re:Old versions? by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      What are you newbie or something? Slashdot has been pushing the death of the Windows Phone sense Windows CE.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    12. Re:Old versions? by Hal_Porter · · Score: 2

      Microsoft have admitted they're not going to develop the platform further

      https://www.cnet.com/news/wind...

      Windows Phone was a major step back from Windows Mobile. Windows Mobile had quite an ecosystem of Win32 apps, a good custom Rom scene and manufacturers like HTC making devices like the HD2.

      So you could buy an HD2, flash a custom Rom and find pretty much any software you wanted - e.g. iGO for navigation, Pleco's Chinese dictionary and so on. Once they announced that Windows Phone wouldn't run any of the old apps most of the ISVs decided to move to Android and/or iOS. And so did almost all the users. Windows Phone never really stood a chance. Still they kept it going for a fair bit of time. Windows Phone 7 was released in November 8, 2010.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      And it was only in October 2017 that they announced they were throwing in the towel

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      In October 2017, it was revealed that Microsoft had discontinued active development of Windows 10 Mobile due to its low market share and the lack of third-party development for the platform, and that the operating system will only receive patches and maintenance releases going forward.

      It's a shame really. If they'd launched a Nokia Communicator type device with an Atom running desktop Windows in 2010 or so, they might have had a chance. Of course now Android and iOS are so dominant it's hard to see that MS could do anything that would dethrone them.

      I think desktop Windows will survive but people that run it use heavy weight applications and need a powerful CPU. A netbook class device isn't really usable these days - I'd say you need an i5 and 13 inch screen minimum. Which means a Nokia Communicator type clamshell with an Atom is not really going to be much use.

      The worst thing is that they fucked up the rather nice UI of Windows 7 trying to get people to write and use Metro apps in order to strengthen Windows Phone. Actually Windows Phone is dead and the clumsy tablet interface put people off Windows 8. I.e. merging mobile and desktop ended up weakening the desktop, not strengthening mobile, which died anyway.

      Though admittedly Windows 10 isn't actually half bad. I think in the long run they'll kill of Metro/UWP/whatever the current name is. Win32/Win64 will survive though.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    13. Re:Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Interesting

      I hope consumers learn their lesson this time... that lesson being: In addition to being untrustworthy and unreliable, Microsoft are fickle and do not care about the longevity of any of their products, willing to quickly take an axe to anything that is not profitable with little thought for the customers who invested significant money in it not long before.

    14. Re:Old versions? by giggleloop · · Score: 1

      IKR. You can't use an adjective to modify a verb! 'Holding it wrongly.'

    15. Re:Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's the "throw shit at the wall to see what sticks" methodology that MS seems to have been taking for the last decade, since real innovation is hard and they have too much money to fail, all they have to do is try everything to stay alive.

    16. Re:Old versions? by iamhassi · · Score: 1

      Sony did the same thing with ps tv, ps vita, and many tvs and blue ray players, discontinued access to the monthly paid subscription gaming service PlayStation Now. Problem is they sold one year subscription packages too, so anyone that paid a year in advance to access PlayStation Now with one of those devices couldn't use it anymore. Many of these tvs and blu ray players were still in stores being advertised as accessing PlayStation Now so imagine buyers surprise when they decided on the tv with PlayStation Now access because they could stream games for $10 a month only to discover the service was discontinued on their new tv.

      --
      my karma will be here long after I'm gone
    17. Re:Old versions? by tripleevenfall · · Score: 1

      So, following the pattern of most of the android handset makers?

    18. Re:Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, but why intentionally cripple these phones by stopping push notifications? It's not like the infrastructure is particularly expensive. Dicking over existing customers just signals that you have absolutely no interest in supporting this product line in the future.

      I can power on any android phone from 2013 (back when Winphone8 was still being sold) and it'll still work exactly as it did back then.

    19. Re:Old versions? by jareth-0205 · · Score: 1

      So, following the pattern of most of the android handset makers?

      No, because old Android versions do not stop functioning. Say what you will about Android updates, but backwards compatibility has always been good. Gingerbread devices still work with push notifications.

    20. Re:Old versions? by Stormwatch · · Score: 1

      Though admittedly Windows 10 isn't actually half bad.

      On a scale of "punched cards" to "Macintosh", I'd say Windows 7 is "not half bad", but Windows 10 is "what a mess."

      --
      Circumcision is child abuse.
    21. Re: Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Show me a tech company of their size that doesnâ(TM)t pull the same crap. If it does not make dollars for them then it does not make sense for them unless there is some more importer long term goal so they are willing to take losses like they did with the X-Box. Microsoftâ(TM)s future isnâ(TM)t in phones. They missed out on the window.

    22. Re: Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lol. Thereâ(TM)s a reason I never bought the 4 or 4s other than the design being ugly. Something about that redesign didnâ(TM)t work for me.

    23. Re:Old versions? by omnichad · · Score: 1

      This is such a Google move. Losing trust in Microsoft is not the best outcome. Not trusting cloud services tied to hardware purchases is much better. There needs to be a consumer pushback for cloud service guarantee periods just like limited hardware warranties. The FTC should be doing their part too - consumers are getting screwed everywhere. Just look at all the bundled digital copies of movies sit Blu-ray purchase that show an expired code when you get it home and open it up.

    24. Re:Old versions? by omnichad · · Score: 1

      Rant Continued...

      Anyone buying a PS3/PS4 game on release day that requires 20GB of patches need to know that that game will "expire" too. As soon as the PS3 servers are shut down (they certainly won't go forever) you are stuck with the buggy release version on any future used console you buy. While NES/SNES/PS1 games will continue to work for another 50 years.

    25. Re: Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not necessarily true. Some apps will not work on old versions of Android.

    26. Re:Old versions? by rtb61 · · Score: 0

      It's not like M$ has not done exactly the same thing in the past, which is mentioned each and every time the start a new service, which is why so few people pick up their products, which results in them discontinuing the service, which happens when they launch a new service to try again, which results in everyone discussing the cancelled service, which is why so few............

      M$ sucks, don't buy into it, they will cancel what ever they claim to supply, and of course they routinely https://www.youtube.com/watch?... (yeah, fuck off), and rather than putting up with it they lose customers each time but the suckers keep biting. What more needs to be said other than ZUNE anyone (why does the word https://www.youtube.com/watch?... pop into my heard each time I think of M$ nowdays).

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    27. Re:Old versions? by drinkypoo · · Score: 2

      According to Microsoft's blog post, in addition to the discontinuation of push notifications, live tiles will no longer be updated and the find my phone feature will not work.

      So they're discontinuing a minor feature

      That's not a minor feature. Push notifications are a major feature. So is the ability to find your phone.

      Why would that mean that "the end of Windows Phone" is coming? They're still actively supporting Windows Phone 10.

      You do know that you can still use features like this on Android all the way back to Gingerbread, right? This is pathetic on a level usually reserved for... well, Microsoft. I suppose they should carry on.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    28. Re: Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >> exactly as it did back then.

      > Not necessarily true. Some apps will not work on old versions of Android.

      New apps, which may or may not be created to work on older versions*, are not "as it did back then".

      * At least with Android you can create a single app which will work on everything from 2.3 to the latest.

    29. Re:Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep, the people who they are now harassing are likely in phone upgrade business due to age of the phones. Only a idiot will buy anything new a company who just pissed him off.

    30. Re:Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What is this "Windows Phone 10" you speak of? The "Windows Phone" branding ended with 8.1.

      My phone runs Windows 10 Mobile.

    31. Re:Old versions? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There was a WP8.1 that was available until 2016. WP8 was replaced for new hardware shipments somewhere in 2013-2014, just like the GP said.

    32. Re:Old versions? by Gr8Apes · · Score: 1

      Anyone buying Sony in the last 20 years shouldn't expect anything other than being bent over and saying "Thank you, may I have another!" at the top of their lungs. Sony is by far the most anti-consumer large company out there. And it shows, in their declining fortunes. May they die an unnoticed death.

      --
      The cesspool just got a check and balance.
    33. Re:Old versions? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      If you need something to help you find your phone, you have done something terribly wrong with your life. You should try to think about what that is, and change it, immediately.

      I will repeat more or less verbatim something I said recently in another conversation; users sometimes do stupid things. If you do not take this into account, you are failing.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  2. Newe devices ... by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 1

    It's important to note that this doesn't apply to newer devices.

    Yet.

    Wait long enough and they'll abandon them, too. "The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior."

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
    1. Re:Newe devices ... by Fly+Swatter · · Score: 1

      Thank you, Captain Obvious. Who would have thought that newer products eventually become older products.

  3. 5 years of support by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is the end of the industry typical 5 years of support.

    1. Re: 5 years of support by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Lumia 530 was first shipped in 2014 and will not get an official Win10 update(some people have had success hacking it to run 10, some havenâ(TM)t).

      Apple and Google still have working push for every iOS and Android version theyâ(TM)ve ever shipped. Apple hasnâ(TM)t done any huge changes to their push system. Google does have a new system(GCM), and you canâ(TM)t sign up new apps to push to into their older system(C2DM). Old apps still using C2DM are still working fine though.

  4. Like the death of Windows Mobile by Hal_Porter · · Score: 4, Informative

    Back in 2011 when I had a Windows Mobile phone they sent out this rather sad email

    From: Microsoft
    Date: 9 June 2011 at 04:23
    Subject: Shut-Down of Windows Marketplace for Mobile and My Phone
    To: Hellacious Bastard Porter <hal.b.porter@porterindustries.com> *
     
    Shut-down of Windows Marketplace for Mobile Web Site and My Phone Service Notification
     
    June 8, 2011
    Dear Windows Mobile 6.x customer:
     
    Microsoft will be discontinuing the My Phone service for Windows Mobile 6.x. We will also be discontinuing the Windows Marketplace for Mobile web site. Because you may be affected, please review the details below:
     
    Windows Marketplace for Mobile Web Site To Be Discontinued
     
    The Windows Marketplace for Mobile web site at http://marketplace.windowsphone.com/ will no longer be available starting on July 15, 2011. After July 15, 2011, you will no longer be able to browse, buy or download applications for Windows Mobile 6.x phones via the Windows Marketplace for Mobile web site.
     
    The Windows Marketplace for Mobile service will continue to be available on your phone, however. You will continue to be able to browse, buy and download applications for Windows Mobile 6.x on your phone.
     
    My Phone To Be Discontinued

    They killed those off so they could replace them with the Windows Phone equivalents. Now those are being killed off too. This is Microsoft's way of telling people not to invest in their platforms, technologies or APIs. Mind you I never actually bought anything from the marketplace, Windows Mobile was more of a 'find hacked .cab files and roms on dodgy websites' type of OS, and My Phone was a free cloud backup service.

    * Some names and email addresses have been changed to protect the the guilty.

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    1. Re:Like the death of Windows Mobile by Z00L00K · · Score: 1

      I did some stuff for Windows Mobile 6.1 (or whatever they called it back then) and it was a horrible experience as soon as you wanted to do something more advanced. API calls were there but not implemented. So I'm not even upset or annoyed that Microsoft decides to close shop on the mobile phone market.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    2. Re:Like the death of Windows Mobile by neerajvrma87 · · Score: 0

      microsoft has switched to android for more visit deuniverse

  5. Windows Phone 8 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    All Windows Phone 8 handsets could have been updated to 8.1 so if anyone was bothered they could have done something about it. How long do Android phones in the same budget price range get updates? 5 years? Really?

    1. Re:Windows Phone 8 by 5um0F1 · · Score: 1

      This isn't an update its a down-grade of functionality Android handsets may stop getting upgrades but no one actively removes features from them

  6. The first Microsoft feature anyone wanted by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    >> Microsoft Stops Pushing Notifications

    Yay - the first Microsoft feature anyone actually wanted! I can't wait to see this get ported to Windows X...I mean 10.

    1. Re:The first Microsoft feature anyone wanted by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      "Live Tiles"!

      Aka part of your screen reserved for advertising.

      "Buh ih wuzzent only that!"

      That was the only reason it existed.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    2. Re:The first Microsoft feature anyone wanted by DogDude · · Score: 1

      You have no idea what you're talking about. Live Tiles let you get info from an app (mail, phone, schedule, weather, etc) without opening it. It's pretty slick on a phone.

      --
      I don't respond to AC's.
    3. Re:The first Microsoft feature anyone wanted by omnichad · · Score: 1

      Live tiles was no different than the unread email count overlay in iOS, but with more screen real estate.

  7. Future Proof by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    All Microsoft Windows Phones are Future Proof (tm) - guaranteed to have no future whatsoever.

  8. Both users are devastated. by pecosdave · · Score: 1

    and forming a support group.

    --
    The preceding post was not a Slashvertisement.
    1. Re:Both users are devastated. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And by support you mean "moral support", right?

  9. Microsoft always kills support by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If there's one thing we can count on, it's that Microsoft will kill support for anything that doesn't have as many users as MS wants. Which screws the people who did invest in MS technology. Which has the effect of making adoption of any new MS technology riskier than it should be. That's a self-defeating cycle.

  10. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  11. Think about it. by theendlessnow · · Score: 1

    There a very small number of Windows Phones..... so what if we turn them into a rare resource, or physical currency?

    Today:
    "That'll be two Windows Phones, please."

    Would you take a nickel instead?

    Tomorrow:
    "That'll be two Windows Phones, please."

    What?!! Only the rich could afford that!

  12. A win for the trolls by Darkling-MHCN · · Score: 2

    The author of this of this article is either a troll or quite knowledgeable about Windows Phone.

    Windows Phone 7 is 8 years old and 8 is 6 years old and were replaced by Windows 10 three years ago.

    As a Microsoft technologist I can tell you the days of Microsoft providing indefinite support on any platform are over. They have been a lot more aggressive in ending support on dated technology across all their offerings. This seems entirely consistent with their strategy I don't see them exiting the phone market any time soon.

    1. Re:A win for the trolls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's a strategy???!

  13. No need to post an article about this by cafelatte · · Score: 1

    It would be much easier just to send both users an email.

    1. Re:No need to post an article about this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, they're community celebrities, given the size of the community, so an visiting for a face-to-face meeting, in person, is warranted.

  14. A draft of the announcement by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, we should first
    announce publicly, that MS Windows Mobile phone users can be assured that
    none of their private information will be turned over to any government
    regardless of court order or any search warrant. So the two of you will be
    safe.

  15. What's the OS of those 8 phones by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    .Microsoft Stops Pushing Notifications To Windows 7 and 8 Phones

    I don't want to talk about Windows 7, but I am interested to know what OS were being used for those 8 Phones.

  16. WHAM bam THANK YOU scam. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    fuck that company to death.