14 DAY TRIAL // The death of Windows Phone has certainly been one of the most discussed topics in the Microsoft world in the last couple of years, especially given the quiet approach that the software giant embraced regarding its mobile strategy.
Things like the mistakes the company has made in the smartphone world, the lack of apps, and the reduced OEM support for Windows Phone/Windows 10 Mobile have been among the overly dissected subjects for way too long.
But despite all the bad news and the apocalyptic forecast that everyone projected for Microsoft’s mobile push, diehard Windows Phone fans have always been there supporting the company even during those times when it wasn’t doing anything than staying tight-lipped.
And one of the reasons this happened is because these hardcore fans have always hoped that Microsoft would get its stuff together and bring out the mythical Surface Phone. This particular device has made the news every once in a while in the last couple of years, either with features that Microsoft was said to be working on or with rumors regarding its launch.
Concepts published on social media fueled all the speculation, and some went as far as projecting the imminent launch of the Surface Phone several times.
And what’s more surprising is that some people are still waiting for the Surface Phone to see daylight any moment now, possibly even at Build, despite Microsoft itself acknowledging the death of Windows 10 Mobile in late 2017.
But by the looks of things, while there are millions of users out there who still love Windows phones but had to move to Android or iOS because of an obvious reason, nobody believes Microsoft can do anything to revive the platform. And probably the worst thing for the company is that hardcore fans no longer feel a potential Surface Phone would even be able to make a difference.
And this gets us to one quite important question: are there any chances for the Surface Phone to be a hit if it ever launches?
While reading a reddit discussion on ways to revive Windows Phone, I came across a comment that perfectly describes what diehard fans think about Microsoft’s mobile approach:
“ Microsoft has done a great job of destroying their market for Windows phone. More importantly, they have destroyed their reputation amongst hardcore Windows users for their ‘mobile strategy.’ Right now, their strategy is making apps for other platforms. There is the mythical Surface device under construction by an army of engineering elves using funding from a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. It's scheduled to arrive in a carriage pulled by unicorns. ”
Windows Phone has long been the mobile platform with the most loyal user base. But with Microsoft itself surrendering in the smartphone battle and the future of its mobile push uncertain because the company keeps every little detail secret, it makes sense for everyone to be skeptical about anything in this regard.It’s believed that Microsoft could reignite its mobile strategy with a completely new device that wouldn’t be a phone per se, but a product supporting multiple form factors and possibly including phone capabilities. Codenamed Andromeda, this device might be a modern interpretation of the Surface Phone, though this name is very unlikely to ever be used.
And this gets us to another critical question. Windows phones are dead, right? Right. Therefore, a Surface Phone would make little no sense at this point because Microsoft has lost the love even of its diehard fans. So what’s the purpose of this new mobile device that fewer and fewer people seem to be excited about? The answer is the one word that’s making hardcore Microsoft fans go nuts. It’s enterprise.
For Microsoft, the more concerning thing is as simple as it could be. Users still love Windows Phone, but they no longer love the company.