Microsoft has officially set an end-of-life date for Windows 10 Mobile.
What is Windows 10 Mobile?
Windows 10 Mobile is the smartphone operating system that Microsoft created in 2015 as a successor to Windows Phone 8. It was installed on Nokia Lumia phones and Microsoft’s own Lumia phones after it bought that brand from Nokia.
What does end-of-life mean?
End-of-life means that Microsoft will no longer update the devices’ software with security patches and improvements. These updates aren’t needed for the phone to work, but make it work better and not have many problems.
When is the end-of-life date?
Microsoft will stop updating phones running version 1709 of Windows 10 Mobile on December 10, 2019. The Microsoft Lumia 640 and 640XL will stop being updated on June 11, 2019, because they are on software version 1703.
Will smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile still work?
Yes, they will work just as well as before, but they will not get better from software updates.
Should I buy a phone with Windows 10 Mobile?
Short answer: no.
Long answer: only if you are going to keep it for nostalgia or testing. Some Windows phones have great cameras, such as the Lumia 1020 and 950/950XL. Normal consumers should not use a Windows Phone as their daily driver, as even Microsoft has admitted.
Is Windows 10 Mobile or Windows Phone bad operating systems?
No, the user interface and look of Windows Phone/Windows 10 Mobile is very modern and has caught many people’s attention. The hardware many Windows Phones ran varied from flagship to budget, but Windows Phones were generally well-priced. The main problem with Windows Phones is that app developers didn’t make apps for the platform. For example, Google, who runs Android, didn’t make a Gmail, Maps, or YouTube app for Windows Phone.
What should I do if I have a Windows Phone?
If you are happy with your smartphone and don’t want to switch to Android or iOS, keep using it until software support end, or until you feel like moving. No one is forcing you to get a different smartphone.
Why is Microsoft doing this?
Windows 10 Mobile did not become as popular as Microsoft wanted it to, so now they are moving resources and people from working on Windows 10 Mobile to other projects. Android and iOS are the dominant operating systems on smartphones today, and since Microsoft realizes this and the fact that they can make money from their Office apps on those platforms compels them to abandon Windows 10 Mobile for other, more profitable products.
Source: Microsoft