14 DAY TRIAL // Windows phones are pretty much dead, with Microsoft confirming that no other devices and feature updates are planned, but this only happens on the company’s side, with hardcore fans keeping them alive using various experimental projects.
One such idea was demoed today when Gustave M. (via WL) managed to get both Windows RT and Windows 10 (ARM version) running on a Lumia 1520, Microsoft’s phablet that was once marketed as the company’s flagship in the Windows phone lineup. A similar project also brought Windows RT running on a Lumia 950.
Everything is possible thanks to Windows Phone Internals 2.3, which opens the door to a series of new projects, including what could be a revived version of Project Astoria, though it’s worth mentioning that work in this regard is still in its early days.
Just a demo for now
As far as the functionality of these devices is concerned, there’s not much to do on Windows phones with Windows 10 (ARM) or Windows RT installed. At this point, for example, the touchscreen doesn’t work, and even if it did, it’s hard to believe anyone could use it without a mouse and keyboard given the UI is not optimized for smaller screens with touch input.
On the other hand, such projects seem to suggest that there might be life for Windows phones despite Microsoft abandoning its own mobile platform.
The bigger challenge right now, however, is to get Android running on Windows phones, a thing that many users are interested in simply because this means they could stick with their existing hardware and run an operating system that still receives updates and doesn’t suffer from the lack of apps.
Bringing Android on Windows phones is work in progress right now and it’s hard to determine whether it’ll succeed or not, but for the time time, it’s pretty clear that not everyone is ready to give up on Windows phones as fast as Microsoft did.
