Windows Phone

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A love letter to my Windows Phone, which I still miss 5 years later

by Nat Levy on July 14, 2017July 14, 2017 at 12:08 pmComment

This week, Microsoft ended support for Windows 8.1, or the final operating system tied to the glorious failure that was the Windows Phone. Microsoft’s quest to best Apple’s iOS, Google’s… Read More

Three years after $7B Nokia deal, Microsoft’s smartphone strategy has changed dramatically

by Geof Wheelwright on April 25, 2017April 25, 2017 at 11:05 am 13 Comments

It’s hard to believe that it was only three years ago today that Microsoft officially completed its purchase of Nokia’s devices and services business for more than $7 billion. The… Read More

Tech support with Satya Nadella: Watch Microsoft’s CEO respond to shareholders’ product problems

by Todd Bishop on December 9, 2016December 9, 2016 at 11:02 am1 Comment

The Q&A session at Microsoft’s annual shareholder meeting is a chance for the company’s investors to quiz CEO Satya Nadella and other executives on the strategic direction of the technology giant.… Read More

Wielding their Windows Phones, Microsoft shareholders grill CEO Satya Nadella on device strategy

by Todd Bishop on November 30, 2016November 30, 2016 at 10:52 am 47 Comments

BELLEVUE, Wash. — “Please silence all Windows Phones and other devices,” was the announcement at the beginning of Microsoft’s annual meeting here this morning. In any other setting it might have… Read More

Microsoft Surface phone speculation ramps up as company reportedly dials back on Lumia models

by Nat Levy on September 12, 2016September 12, 2016 at 9:14 am 2 Comments

Microsoft will “end sales” of its lineup of Lumia smartphones in December, according to a report from WinBeta. Citing an anonymous source, WinBeta reports that several recent actions indicate a move… Read More

Homegrown hardware: Microsoft Surface beats acquired phone business in revenue again

by Todd Bishop on April 25, 2016April 25, 2016 at 9:42 am 2 Comments

Microsoft’s latest quarterly results show a company in transition. Declines in the traditional Windows business continue to be partially offset by growth in Azure, Office 365 and other cloud services. But there’s another interesting… Read More

Hey Microsoft, what about Windows Phone? Build attendees dissect tech giant’s mobile strategy

by Todd Bishop on March 30, 2016March 30, 2016 at 4:09 pm 3 Comments

SAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft’s Windows Phone devices and Windows 10 Mobile operating system got barely a mention today at the Build developer conference here, highlighting the company’s struggle to compete against Apple, Google, Samsung… Read More

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Windows Phone apps: ‘Give us time’ for unified platform to work

by Todd Bishop on December 3, 2015December 3, 2015 at 1:52 pm 30 Comments

“That won’t work.” That’s what former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said while listening to current Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella describe the company’s strategy for getting more apps onto Windows Phone.… Read More

Live from NYC: Microsoft unveils Surface Pro 4, Band 2, Lumia 950, HoloLens developer edition

by Jacob Demmitt on October 6, 2015October 6, 2015 at 8:39 amComment

NEW YORK — The stage is set, Windows 10 signs are illuminated and Microsoft appears ready to pull the curtain off its next generation of hardware at a press event in… Read More

Microsoft filing reveals phone division was missing internal targets prior to $7.5B write-down

by Todd Bishop on August 3, 2015August 3, 2015 at 6:39 am 12 Comments

A new Microsoft filing reveals previously undisclosed details about the company’s decision last month to upend its Phone Hardware division, cut up to 7,800 additional jobs and take a $7.5 billion write-down, just one year after acquiring Nokia’s phone business. An… Read More

Microsoft cuts 7,800 more jobs, takes $8B charge in retreat from Windows Phone ambitions

by Todd Bishop on July 8, 2015July 8, 2015 at 11:15 am 31 Comments

Microsoft this morning confirmed that it will be cutting 7,800 additional jobs, primarily in its Windows Phone business, and taking a $7.6 billion charge related to its acquisition of Nokia’s smartphone… Read More

New forecast: Windows Phone market share will still be single digits in four years

by James Risley on May 26, 2015May 26, 2015 at 11:16 am 7 Comments

Windows Phone’s worldwide market share will rise over the next five years, but only slightly, market research firm IDC says in a new forecast this morning. The report shows Microsoft’s… Read More

Microsoft’s Cortana to launch on Android and iPhone, expanding beyond Windows for first time

by James Risley on May 26, 2015May 26, 2015 at 7:52 amComment

Microsoft’s Cortana virtual assistant will expand to iPhone and Android as part of a broader effort by the company to help users transition seamlessly between a Windows 10 computer and any mobile device. The… Read More

Microsoft’s new goal: 1 billion Windows 10 devices within 2 to 3 years

by Todd Bishop on April 29, 2015April 29, 2015 at 11:22 amComment

Microsoft is making its pitch for Windows 10 to developers at its Build conference in San Francisco this morning, and the company just set a high bar for the upcoming operating system.… Read More

One year after the Nokia deal, low-end devices are squeezing Microsoft’s smartphone business

by Todd Bishop on April 27, 2015April 27, 2015 at 10:06 amComment

One year ago this week, Microsoft completed its $7 billion acquisition of Nokia’s smartphone business. The deal transformed Microsoft into a mobile phone maker, with its own line of first-party… Read More

New universal Office apps coming soon to phones with Windows 10 preview

by Blair Hanley Frank on April 17, 2015April 17, 2015 at 11:05 amComment

Microsoft will begin offering Windows Phone users a preview of the future of its Office suite on mobile devices by the end of this month. Jared Spataro, the general manager… Read More

App of the Week: Office Lens turns your phone into an ultra-productive scanner

by Blair Hanley Frank on April 14, 2015April 14, 2015 at 11:44 am 2 Comments

We may be living in the 21st century, but we haven’t been able to shake the clutches of paper and whiteboards just yet. Try as we might, it’s nearly impossible… Read More

Apple offers credit to iPhone buyers who trade in their Android smartphones

by Blair Hanley Frank on March 30, 2015March 30, 2015 at 10:59 am 2 Comments

Apple has begun offering store credit to people who trade in their phones when switching to an iPhone. The company quietly changed its retail store information pages to say that… Read More

Microsoft’s Cortana coming to iPhone and Android, report says

by Todd Bishop on March 13, 2015March 13, 2015 at 11:06 am 2 Comments

Microsoft is planning to bring its Cortana virtual assistant to iPhone and Android as a standalone app, competing more directly with Apple’s Siri and Google Now, according to a report this morning by… Read More

Microsoft teams with Deutsche Telekom to promote Lumia sales in Europe

by Blair Hanley Frank on March 4, 2015March 4, 2015 at 9:24 amComment

Microsoft has inked a partnership with Deutsche Telekom to promote its line of Windows-powered Lumia smartphones to users in Europe. DT, which is also the parent company of Bellevue-based T-Mobile,… Read More

Softcard kills Android, Windows Phone apps following deal with Google

by Blair Hanley Frank on February 25, 2015February 25, 2015 at 5:21 pm1 Comment

Earlier this week, Softcard announced that Google purchased some of its assets and technology, and now the company is shutting down two of its apps. The company revealed in a posting… Read More

Microsoft Garage rolls up its doors to reveal new Android, Windows Phone apps

by Frank Catalano on February 25, 2015February 25, 2015 at 10:09 am1 Comment

Open the Garage bay doors, Redmond. For the second time since October, Microsoft has rolled out a fleet of cross-platform apps from its internal Microsoft Garage incubator. While some of the… Read More

Apple takes smartphone market share from Android thanks to strong iPhone sales

by Blair Hanley Frank on February 24, 2015February 24, 2015 at 12:45 pm 3 Comments

Apple’s strong sales of iPhones during the fourth quarter of 2014 gave the company a greater piece of the worldwide smartphone market, according to new figures released today by… Read More

Microsoft releases first Windows 10 technical preview for phones

by Todd Bishop on February 12, 2015February 12, 2015 at 11:15 amComment

Microsoft released its first public preview of Windows 10 for phones this morning, providing a glimpse of the next version of its operating system for Windows Phones, and looking for… Read More

Cell phone robberies down 25 percent in SF with use of ‘kill switch’ technology

by Blair Hanley Frank on February 11, 2015February 11, 2015 at 10:38 am1 Comment

Smartphone owners can rest a little bit easier when it comes to having their phones stolen, according to new data released today. In a joint press release, London Mayor Boris… Read More

Samsung and Microsoft reach mystery settlement in high-stakes Android patent dispute

by Todd Bishop on February 10, 2015February 10, 2015 at 8:07 amComment

Samsung and Microsoft say they have settled their lawsuit over a patent licensing agreement that required Samsung to pay Microsoft for its use of Android, based on Microsoft’s claims that Google’s… Read More

Microsoft’s Cortana changes Super Bowl statement to appease Seahawks fans

by Todd Bishop on January 31, 2015January 31, 2015 at 7:52 am 9 Comments

Cortana isn’t changing her prediction for the Super Bowl this weekend. She still gives the edge to the Patriots, based on her “current sources.” But Windows Phone users who ask Microsoft’s… Read More

Microsoft’s Cortana: ‘I wouldn’t put my money on the Seattle Seahawks right now’

by Todd Bishop on January 20, 2015February 8, 2015 at 3:54 pm 16 Comments

Microsoft may have an issue on its hands in its hometown. A Windows Phone user and die-hard Seahawks fan alerted us this afternoon to this scandal in the making: Microsoft’s… Read More

New Windows Phone app lets Lumia users answer a call by picking up their phone

by Blair Hanley Frank on December 15, 2014December 15, 2014 at 5:09 pm 4 Comments

Microsoft wants to make it easier for people to control their phones without having to touch the screen. The company launched a new Gestures app in beta today for Lumia handsets running… Read More

Microsoft buys app testing platform HockeyApp, boosting its mobile development cred

by Blair Hanley Frank on December 11, 2014December 11, 2014 at 8:45 am1 Comment

Microsoft has acquired HockeyApp, a developer tools platform that allows people to manage beta testing and analytics for apps running on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Mac OS X. Financial terms… Read More