14 DAY TRIAL // Everyone heard by now that Windows phones are more or less abandoned since Microsoft no longer plans to release new features and devices, and slowly but surely this thing is becoming unavoidable.
Microsoft has just announced that it’s retiring push notifications for Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows Phone 8.0, which technically means that devices running one of these two OS versions will no longer receive notifications and tile updates.
Live tiles no longer live
In other words, the live tiles, which have long been the feature users loved and praised the most about their Windows phones, will no longer be “live,” while notifications won’t be pushed to their devices.
“On February 20, 2018, Mobile Push Notification services will be turned off for Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows Phone 8.0. Once this happens: Your phone will no longer receive notifications. Your phone will not receive additional live tile updates. The “Find my phone” feature will no longer locate your phone. Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows Phone 8.0 have reached their end of support dates, and thus services for these versions of Windows will be discontinued over time,” Microsoft says.
While the software giant promises to continue offer support for Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows 10 Mobile, it’s all just a matter of time until these two are getting the ax as well.
Microsoft has already pushed its mobile platform in maintenance mode, so only critical security fixes are shipped, with end of support due in July 2019. Until then, no new features would be released, and shortly after that, the push notification service will be pulled from this platform as well.
The small number of customers still using Windows phones will certainly be disappointed, but sooner or later, the transition to Android and iOS becomes the only option. Third-party research firms already put Windows 10 Mobile at 0% market share.