14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has officially retired the original version of Windows 10 Mobile, with no other updates, including here security patches, to be shipped to devices running it.
The software giant says this particular version (listed as 1511) has received support for more than two years, as it's flagged as having launched in November 2015. But as Neowin noted, Windows 10 Mobile was actually released to devices on March 17, 2016, while November 2015 is the month when Microsoft unveiled the Lumia 950/950 XL.
Running Windows 10 Mobile at a time when the operating system was still in development, Lumia 950 has often been criticized for its software bugs, and many early adopters blasted Microsoft for launching a device running unrefined and unfinished software.
While less than two years have passed since Microsoft launched Windows 10 Mobile, it's no surprise the company is trying to get rid of the platform, especially given all the bad press it received lately.
Support until 2019
The January 9 date doesn't come out of the blue since it's part of Windows 10 Mobile's planned lifecycle, but pulling support for the original version of the OS comes at a time when the firm is more focused on Android and iOS rather than on its own mobile operating system.
Updating to newer versions of Windows 10 is a thing that everyone should do to remain secure and continue receiving improvements, though this is allowed only for a limited number of devices. Microsoft has gradually reduced the number of devices supported with each new OS update, and right now only approximately 12 devices can run the latest version of Windows 10 Mobile.
Windows 10 Mobile will continue to get security updates until 2019, but with Microsoft confirming that no new features and hardware are planned for the platform, users can hardly find a reason to stick with Windows phones.
