COMMERCE TECH

Microsoft abandons Windows 10 Mobile; Update phone from PC

Microsoft is no longer developing new hardware of features for Windows 10 Mobile. However, it has promised to patch remaining Windows Phone devices into the near future.

Struggling with a small market share, Microsoft finally declared in early October that it will be no longer developing new hardware or features for Windows 10 Mobile. In a series of Tweets, Joe Belfiore, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President of Windows, said the U.S. technology giant will continue to release bug fixes and security updates, but not any new hardware. He said Microsoft has tried “very hard” to incentivize app developers, but admitted that the volume of users on Windows 10 Mobile is too low. Belfiore himself admitted that he no longer users a Windows phone. Microsoft founder Bill Gates recently said that he had switched to Android.

To help Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows Mobile 10 users install future updates, Microsoft has released the over-the-cable (OTC) Updater tool, which moves updates from a PC to the phone. The phone needs to be connected to a PC via USB, unlocked, and in airplane mode to use the updater.