The Windows phone is dead? (Photo: Microsoft)

Some say the Windows Phone is dead, but Microsoft has recently announced the arrival of Lumia Windows 10 phones. So where lies the truth?

Computerworld put it this way: “Windows Phone is dead. Microsoft Lumia is dead. If you didn’t already know this, you’ve not been paying attention. But it’s easy to be blind to the inevitable when you’re emotionally attached to something.”The Independent said: “Microsoft might have killed its plans to make its own phone after it sacked 7,800 staff and said it would take huge charges.” At this point, mobile gambling app lovers who enjoyed playing on their Windows Phones probably stifled a small sob. Can it really be that the Windows Phone is dead? Or is this just a mild case of fear mongering?

Of course, we live in a world where everyone seems to own an iPhone. But what does an iPhone know that a Windows Phone doesn’t? Are Windows Phones that inferior? Richi Jennings’ article in Computerworld goes even farther is this matter. He said that “Lumia and Windows Phone are brain-dead, quasi-corpses — only kept alive by artificial life-support.” There must be some truth to this, otherwise, why would have Microsoft fired so many of its employees in the Windows Phone division? This step really seems like a looming storm cloud. Was buying Nokia an unnecessary Hail Mary?

A rival for iOS and Android… or not

As The Independent reports, Microsoft bought Nokia with the high hopes of creating a worthy mobile platform rival to iOS and Android. This, however, has been nothing more than a dream. According to Computerworld, Microsoft has also written off approximately USD 8.4 million, the amount (with interest) it had paid for Nokia. The Motley Fool reports that new CEO, Satya Nadella has sent out an e-mail notifying employees about the impending sackings and he wrote that there will be a “fundamental restructuring of our phone business.” This phrase, however, doesn’t mean that the Windows Phone is dead per se… but why would a company lay off so many workers if it planned on staying in the phone business? There might be hope yet, Windows Phone gambling app fans!

Let’s look at the facts, which lean towards Microsoft not completely throwing the Windows Phone out the window. First, there is the note from Satya Nadella saying “I am committed to our first-party devices, including phones. However, we need to focus our phone efforts in the near term while driving reinvention. We are moving from a strategy to grow a standalone phone business to a strategy to grow and create a vibrant Windows ecosystem that includes our first-party device family.” Fair enough. So he would rather focus on developing phones that people actually, REALLY want, even if that means releasing a smaller number of models.

The Windows Phone is dead… or not

The previous quote is not the only reassuring thing we have for gambling software developers who wish to break into the Windows Phone market. Nadella also talked about his plans for phones in the future: “We plan to narrow our focus to three customer segments where we can make unique contributions and where we can differentiate through the combination of our hardware and software. We’ll bring business customers the best management, security, and productivity experiences they need; value phone buyers the communications services they want; and Windows fans the flagship devices they’ll love.” In other words, he wants to create top-notch phones that could easily knock out iPhones and Samsungs.

Terry Myerson (Photo: Engadget)

If we look at the figures of a Chitika survey, the huge difference between iOS, Android and Windows Phone becomes apparent: in North America, 53.1% of people use iOS, 44.5% use Android. Only one percent of people use Windows Phone. On the other hand, Windowscentral states that Terry Myerson confirmed the fact that Microsoft still wants to launch the Lumia Windows 10 Phone. Myerson also assured loyal customers that they can be expecting “premium new Lumias designed for Windows 10” in the future. So, for all the creative naysayers like Alex Wilhelm, who said: “With Nokia, Microsoft was stuck between terrible options. […] Trapped between paying for love, and watching its partner put on an Android jersey…it took the shop in-house. [But now] Microsoft has thrown the white flag,” Microsoft could easily say “Suck it! We’re still in the game.”