Microsoft Stops Pushing Notifications To Windows 7 and 8 Phones (engadget.com) 64
The end of Microsoft's Windows Phone project has been a long time coming, and now there's another nail in the coffin. From a report: Microsoft is ending support for all push notifications for Windows Phone 7.5 and Windows Phone 8.0 starting Tuesday, February 20th. According to Microsoft's blog post, in addition to the discontinuation of push notifications, live tiles will no longer be updated and the find my phone feature will not work. It's important to note that this doesn't apply to newer devices.
Old versions? (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:3)
Re:Old versions? (Score:4, Informative)
So they're discontinuing a minor feature on old versions of Windows Phone. Why would that mean that "the end of Windows Phone" is coming? They're still actively supporting Windows Phone 10.
Eh? They're discontinuing a central feature (push messages) of some of their smartphones. On their old devices, but not that old. Windows Phone 8 was still being sold in 2013.
Re:Old versions? (Score:4, Insightful)
Windows Phone 10 was not available until 2016, so obviously Windows Phone 8 devices were sold long into 2016. Some of those might be less than 2 years old. Granted, most will have an update to Windows Phone 10, but disabling the platform so soon will leave a sour taste.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
So, following the pattern of most of the android handset makers?
Re: (Score:2)
So, following the pattern of most of the android handset makers?
No, because old Android versions do not stop functioning. Say what you will about Android updates, but backwards compatibility has always been good. Gingerbread devices still work with push notifications.
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
This is such a Google move. Losing trust in Microsoft is not the best outcome. Not trusting cloud services tied to hardware purchases is much better. There needs to be a consumer pushback for cloud service guarantee periods just like limited hardware warranties. The FTC should be doing their part too - consumers are getting screwed everywhere. Just look at all the bundled digital copies of movies sit Blu-ray purchase that show an expired code when you get it home and open it up.
Re: (Score:2)
Rant Continued...
Anyone buying a PS3/PS4 game on release day that requires 20GB of patches need to know that that game will "expire" too. As soon as the PS3 servers are shut down (they certainly won't go forever) you are stuck with the buggy release version on any future used console you buy. While NES/SNES/PS1 games will continue to work for another 50 years.
Re: (Score:1)
It's not like M$ has not done exactly the same thing in the past, which is mentioned each and every time the start a new service, which is why so few people pick up their products, which results in them discontinuing the service, which happens when they launch a new service to try again, which results in everyone discussing the cancelled service, which is why so few............
M$ sucks, don't buy into it, they will cancel what ever they claim to supply, and of course they routinely https://www.youtube.com/w [youtube.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Push notifications is hardly a "minor feature" of a smart phone.
(inb4 jokes of Windows phones not being "smart")
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:3)
Microsoft have admitted they're not going to develop the platform further
https://www.cnet.com/news/wind... [cnet.com]
Windows Phone was a major step back from Windows Mobile. Windows Mobile had quite an ecosystem of Win32 apps, a good custom Rom scene and manufacturers like HTC making devices like the HD2.
So you could buy an HD2, flash a custom Rom and find pretty much any software you wanted - e.g. iGO for navigation, Pleco's Chinese dictionary and so on. Once they announced that Windows Phone wouldn't run any of the
Re: (Score:2)
Though admittedly Windows 10 isn't actually half bad.
On a scale of "punched cards" to "Macintosh", I'd say Windows 7 is "not half bad", but Windows 10 is "what a mess."
Re: (Score:2)
What are you newbie or something? Slashdot has been pushing the death of the Windows Phone sense Windows CE.
Re:Old versions? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
It still doesn't make it acceptable. And push notifications aren't a minor feature - they're an essential feature of a mobile phone released after 2010. And if I used Live Tiles, I would argue their update is the difference between them being "Live" or "Dead" ones - what was once a glorified button turned into a basic button.
Microsoft is undergoing a change in dynamic that is itchy at best, and flat out unprofessional at worst: the privacy issues, the Win10 upgrade shenanigans, the forced updates, the p2p (
Re: (Score:3)
Being that such a feature required Microsoft infrastructure to support. So they are slowly dismantling the Phone Infrastructure. Windows Phone 10, is probably still has enough users to keep it going. But if they can bring down a lot of the Push Notification servers and just meet the Windows 10 Phone user they should be OK. Where they can take their employees and move them elsewhere.
Re: (Score:3)
According to Microsoft's blog post, in addition to the discontinuation of push notifications, live tiles will no longer be updated and the find my phone feature will not work.
So they're discontinuing a minor feature
That's not a minor feature. Push notifications are a major feature. So is the ability to find your phone.
Why would that mean that "the end of Windows Phone" is coming? They're still actively supporting Windows Phone 10.
You do know that you can still use features like this on Android all the way back to Gingerbread, right? This is pathetic on a level usually reserved for... well, Microsoft. I suppose they should carry on.
Re: (Score:2)
If you need something to help you find your phone, you have done something terribly wrong with your life. You should try to think about what that is, and change it, immediately.
I will repeat more or less verbatim something I said recently in another conversation; users sometimes do stupid things. If you do not take this into account, you are failing.
Newe devices ... (Score:2)
It's important to note that this doesn't apply to newer devices.
Yet.
Wait long enough and they'll abandon them, too. "The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior."
Re: (Score:2)
Like the death of Windows Mobile (Score:5, Informative)
Back in 2011 when I had a Windows Mobile phone they sent out this rather sad email
They killed those off so they could replace them with the Windows Phone equivalents. Now those are being killed off too. This is Microsoft's way of telling people not to invest in their platforms, technologies or APIs. Mind you I never actually bought anything from the marketplace, Windows Mobile was more of a 'find hacked .cab files and roms on dodgy websites' type of OS, and My Phone was a free cloud backup service.
* Some names and email addresses have been changed to protect the the guilty.
Re: (Score:2)
I did some stuff for Windows Mobile 6.1 (or whatever they called it back then) and it was a horrible experience as soon as you wanted to do something more advanced. API calls were there but not implemented. So I'm not even upset or annoyed that Microsoft decides to close shop on the mobile phone market.
Re: (Score:1)
The first Microsoft feature anyone wanted (Score:2)
Yay - the first Microsoft feature anyone actually wanted! I can't wait to see this get ported to Windows X...I mean 10.
Re: (Score:2)
"Live Tiles"!
Aka part of your screen reserved for advertising.
"Buh ih wuzzent only that!"
That was the only reason it existed.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Live tiles was no different than the unread email count overlay in iOS, but with more screen real estate.
Both users are devastated. (Score:2)
and forming a support group.
Think about it. (Score:2)
Today:
"That'll be two Windows Phones, please."
Would you take a nickel instead?
Tomorrow:
"That'll be two Windows Phones, please."
What?!! Only the rich could afford that!
A win for the trolls (Score:3)
The author of this of this article is either a troll or quite knowledgeable about Windows Phone.
Windows Phone 7 is 8 years old and 8 is 6 years old and were replaced by Windows 10 three years ago.
As a Microsoft technologist I can tell you the days of Microsoft providing indefinite support on any platform are over. They have been a lot more aggressive in ending support on dated technology across all their offerings. This seems entirely consistent with their strategy I don't see them exiting the phone market any time soon.
No need to post an article about this (Score:1)
It would be much easier just to send both users an email.