14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft confirmed late last year that no new features for Windows 10 Mobile would be developed, leaving the platform in maintenance mode until it reaches end of support in July 2019.
Without the parent company’s support, the mobile OS has no chance to survive, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that you can forget about your Lumia phone.
Skilled developer @imbushuo has recently showcased a working version of Windows 10 (ARM) installed on the Lumia 950 XL, which after so many months of testing and bug hunting finally appears to be running smoothly on the device.
As you can see in the video below, which the dev calls “the phone that can replace your PC,” the operating system isn’t exactly as snappy and responsive as you’d expect it to be in a perfect world, but it’s certainly something that you can live with for experimental purposes.
What’s next for Windows phones?
There still are things that need to be improved here and there, such as modem connectivity, but otherwise, everything appears to be running smoothly without any major bug whatsoever.
As we’ve said in the past, the whole thing comes down to how useful regular users would find this project. Without a doubt, installing full Windows 10 on a Lumia 950 XL still can’t make the device become your daily driver, though it’ll be interesting to see how this project evolves with help from more developers.
Microsoft itself has abandoned phones, but people familiar with the matter said a new kind of mobile device is on its way to the market, possibly launching as soon as this year. Codenamed Andromeda, this device could support multiple form factors and offer phone capabilities, but by the looks of things, it won’t be a phone per se.
@imbushuo’s project only works on the Lumia 950 XL, but it’s probably just a matter of time until other developers try to install full Windows 10 on other models as well.
The phone that can replace your PC(?) pic.twitter.com/OC9XBeWkdT — Ben | imbushuo (@imbushuo) May 12, 2018