14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is selling the new Samsung Galaxy S9 in its own stores, and leaving aside the controversy on whether the device features a customization pack or not, the company is also offering a trade-in program to save up to $350 for the new device.
Basically, this promo makes it possible for buyers of the Galaxy S9 to get a hefty discount when trading in older phones, and the company says that the newer the device is, the bigger the trade-in value.
Needless to say, flagships are the ones that are worth more for Microsoft when committing to a Samsung Galaxy S9 purchase, but as it turns out, this doesn’t apply to its very latest high-end Windows phone.
Because according to this reddit discussion, Microsoft pays only $50 for a Lumia 950 XL in mint condition, despite the phone’s original price of $649 when it was announced in October 2015. Obviously, having a 2015 phone in like-new condition is impossible if a case wasn’t used, so there’s a good chance that you’re going to get even less on your Lumia 950 XL.
The death of Windows phones
While this is disappointing, to say the least, everything aligns with how Microsoft sees Windows phones these days. The company has already confirmed that the platform no longer has a future, with no new features and devices on the radar, and most likely, Windows 10 Mobile will be pulled completely in mid-2019 when it reaches the end of support.
In the meantime, Microsoft is said to be looking into building a different kind of mobile device that would support several form factors, while also remaining super-committed to the software side of its Android and iOS push.
The software giant wants all of its customers to be able to access its apps and services regardless the platform, and this is the main reason Android and iOS apps are getting updates every once in a while.