14 DAY TRIAL // If you’re a Microsoft watcher, you probably heard those rumors claiming that the demise of the Lumia brand is very close, while the firm itself is losing interest in mobile.
And although Microsoft is most of the time tight-lipped on its mobile plans, there are moments when various company executives reiterate the commitment to Windows 10 Mobile, and this is exactly what happened at the Ignite conference recently.
A slide presented during a session called “Discover what’s next for Windows 10 Mobile” puts the emphasis on “Microsoft’s commitment to Windows 10 Mobile,” explaining that the firm plans “increased focus on mobility experiences in Windows” and “continued investments in differentiated first-party devices and device ecosystem.”
Furthermore, the slide also included a quote by Windows boss Terry Myerson, who confirms Windows 10 Mobile still has a place in the company’s vision.
“We always take care of our customers, Windows phones are no exception. We will continue to update and support our current Lumia and OEM partner phones, and developer great new devices,” this quote reads.
The Surface Phone is coming
So basically, what Microsoft did at Ignite was to say the same thing as before and explain that it’s fully committed to keeping its mobile operating system alive, while also supporting the ecosystem. This involves working with partners to bring new devices to the market, although we all know that there aren’t really that many companies that are interested in building Windows phones.
On the other hand, Microsoft is also making a reference to “first-party devices,” which could be a sign that the company is preparing a phone of its own to expand the Windows 10 Mobile ecosystem. This is probably the eagerly-anticipated Surface Phone, which should see daylight next year with state-of-the-art hardware and Windows 10 Mobile Redstone 2.
Microsoft has already promised increased focus on phones in 2017 and hinted that Redstone 2 would bring substantial improvements to mobile devices, as 2016 was mostly the year of PCs.