As Microsoft stated, a new version operating system for smartphones will be completely separate from the entire Windows 10 series. This system is called Andromeda and all phones that will be released after the release of the OS will use this version. Modern gadgets will not be able to support Andromeda OS.
Support for the current edition of the phone OS will continue for the next year and a half. After this period, Windows 10 Mobile will no longer be updated or supported by the manufacturer.
The Andromeda operating system will take into account any form factor, which will allow it to be installed on any device that can support it. However, all Microsoft smartphones released before the release of the new OS will not be able to use it.
Also interesting is the fact that Google is developing a new product in the field of operating systems with the same name as Microsoft - Andromeda. This operating system will be called upon to combine operating Android systems and Chrome.
New branch of development – Feature 2
Feature 2 is a new branch in the development of Windows 10 Mobile, which is completely isolated from its entire series. It was this separation from the main project that caused the current version to be closed.
This version software will be supported by developers for the next year and a half. Error fixes will be released for the current version of the OS, new features will be introduced for specialized versions, and a security service will be supported.
The developers also announced the backporting of a new multitasking platform for the current version of Windows 10 Mobile, which is used on more modern platforms, for example, Redstone 3 and 4. This innovation is needed for Feature 2 since it is similar in functionality and capabilities to Redstone 2. Such support will be provided until the end of the Windows 10 Mobile project.
Backporting for an ongoing software modification is necessary to ensure that smartphones that support it do not become obsolete prematurely. This will allow them to use modern applications and applications that will be released during the remaining period of OS support. After the release of a new development, support for the old one will cease, and phones such as the Lumia 950 or HP Elit x3 will quickly become obsolete.
Mobile version of Windows
The latest edition of the operating system for smartphones is the usual Windows 10, but adapted for devices with a display diagonal not exceeding 9 inches. The entry of this OS was in February 2015. Main feature this version it became possible to connect the phone to desktop computer with their full synchronization, as well as using the smartphone as a full-fledged system unit when connecting a monitor, keyboard and mouse to it.
However, Microsoft was unable to occupy its significant niche in the market for smartphones and operating systems for them. On this moment Almost all mobile devices run on Android or iOS software. Windows accounts for only 0.4%. At the same time, 80% of smartphones from Microsoft use the OS Windows Phone 7, 8 or 8.1 and only 20% support Windows 10 Mobile.
This manual contains detailed instructions on installation and use of preliminary Windows builds 10 Insider Preview (including troubleshooting tips and links to other helpful support resources).
Installing the Windows 10 Insider Preview Build
Getting started is easy. To install the first Windows 10 Insider Preview 1 build on your PC, follow the instructions below.
- If you haven't registered yet, . Note. You can also sign up using a work account. In this case, you will be able to take advantage of additional benefits.
- Install Windows 10 on your computer. To install the Windows 10 Insider Preview build, you must have a licensed version of Windows 10 installed on your computer. If your computer is currently running Windows 7/8/8.1, you can install Windows 10 from this link. If you're having trouble installing Windows 10, you can install the Windows 10 Insider Preview build: Download the Windows 10 Insider Preview ISO.
- Make sure the Windows 10 Insider Preview build supports the language on your PC.
Language support
The Windows 10 Insider Preview build is available in the following SKU languages:
English (UK), English (US), Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Bulgarian (Bulgaria), Hungarian (Hungary), Greek (Greece), Danish (Denmark), Hebrew (Israel), Spanish (International, Spain), Spanish ( Mexico), Italian (Italy), Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan), Chinese (Simplified, China), Korean (Korea), Latvian (Latvia), Lithuanian (Lithuania), German (Germany), Dutch (Netherlands), Norwegian (Bokmål , Norway), Polish (Poland), Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Romanian (Romania), Russian (Russia), Serbian (Latin, Serbia), Slovak (Slovakia), Slovenian (Slovenia), Thai (Thailand) , Turkish (Turkey), Ukrainian (Ukraine), Finnish (Finland), French (Canada), French (France), Croatian (Croatia), Czech (Czech Republic), Swedish (Sweden), Estonian (Estonia), Japanese (Japan) .
The Windows 10 Insider Preview build is available in the following User Interface Pack languages:
Azerbaijani (Latin, Azerbaijan), Albanian (Albania), Amharic, Armenian, Assamese, Afrikaans (South Africa), Basque, Belarusian (Belarus), Bengali (Bangladesh), Bengali (India), Bosnian (Latin), Valencian, Welsh, Vietnamese, Galician (Galicia), Georgian, Gujarati, Dari, Indonesian (Indonesia), Irish, Icelandic, Kazakh (Kazakhstan), Kannada, Catalan (Catalonia), Quechua, Kyrgyz, Konkani, Khmer (Cambodia), Laotian (Laos), Luxembourgish, Macedonian (Republic of Macedonia), Malay (Malaysia), Malayalam, Maltese, Maori, Marathi, Mongolian (Cyrillic), Nepali, Norwegian (Nynorsk), Oriya, Punjabi, Persian, Serbian (Cyrillic, Bosnia and Herzegovina), Serbian ( Cyrillic, Serbia), Sinhala, Sindhi (Arabic), Swahili, Tamil (India), Tatar, Telugu, Turkmen, Uzbek (Latin, Uzbekistan), Uyghur, Urdu, Filipino (Philippines), Hindi (India), Cherokee (Cherokee) , Scottish Gaelic.
Note.
Language Windows packages LIP can only be installed in addition to the supported primary languages. For instructions on how to customize your input language or interface after installing a language pack, see Add or change an input language or interface on your computer.
2. Prepare your Windows 10 PC
3. Complete installation
- After your computer restarts, select Start > Settings > Update and Security > Windows Update, then click Check for updates to download the latest Insider Preview build based on the settings you specified in the previous step.
- Once the download is complete, the user can choose one of three reboot options. Click Select time, Remind me later or Reboot now to complete the installation. Note. Once you install the Insider Preview build, your system will automatically receive new builds. To make sure that you are using the latest version of the build, just check for updates in Windows Update.
Share your impressions with us
Feedback you provide about Insider Preview builds goes directly to our developers. It helps them make OS Windows yet better. To submit feedback, simply open the app Feedback Center on the menu Start. The Feedback Hub also gives you access to Insider news, quests, community, and other resources. You can also use the Language Community app to help us make Windows better in your language.
Working with access circles
Description of access circles
By "access circles" we mean the frequency of receiving preliminary builds of Windows 10 Insider Preview. Each circle has its own criteria for the stability of assemblies and sets a certain frequency for their provision.
Circles of access allow you to evaluate the quality of software as it becomes available to a wider audience. If the build passes all the required automated tests in the labs, it is released with a new feature, application, etc. and made available to participants in the early round of access, which is characterized by the most frequent updates. The build then continues to be judged on various criteria and eventually moves on to the next round. To help get builds to Windows Insiders more quickly, we've changed how builds are promoted through circles, the criteria for moving from one circle to another, and added a new circle.
Note. When registering a new device for the program, the early access circle is selected by default. Check below which access circle suits your requirements and configure your device accordingly.
Early Access Circle
The benefits of the Early Access Circle are that members can be the first to try out new and improved features and provide feedback. If you have devices in the Early Access ring, be prepared for certain issues that may block core functionality or require time-consuming workarounds. Because the build is tested on a limited number of devices before release, some features may not work on certain configurations. If you encounter an issue that is blocking important functionality, please report the issue using the Feedback Hub app and prepare to fix it. Windows installation. You can do this using the media creation tool (
Late Access Circle
The benefit of a Late Access circle is that you still get updates and features from the Development branch, but the build stability in this circle is greater. Builds move to the Late Ring after technical teams receive and review the feedback submitted by participants in the Early Ring. Late Ring builds are subject to the same tools and processes as production builds, including weekly security patches. Additionally, the Late Ring builds have fixed issues that would make it impossible to regularly use the Early Access builds. Note. Late Ring builds belong to the Development branch and may contain defects that are fixed in subsequent stages of testing.
Circle Release Preview
This circle of access is best option, if you require an up-to-date official version Windows 10, but you want to get updates, apps, and drivers before other users and don't want to deal with the risks of Develop builds. The Release Preview is only available if your Windows build version is the same as the current production version. The easiest way to move from Development to Production is to reinstall Windows using the Media Creation Tool (see Download Windows 10 for instructions) or using Windows tool Device Recovery Tool (on mobile devices Oh).
Moving to the next version
This is a unique feature of the Early Access Circle that allows Insiders to "move up" to the next Windows 10 Insider Preview builds before the current release is completed. Registration for the Upgrade Program is available for a limited time to a small number of participants.
Changing the circle of access
Changing the circle is very easy. Open Settings, select Update and Security and then . In chapter Level selection Select one of the following circles: Late Access Circle, Early Access Circle, or Release Preview.
Working with updates
Once you enroll in the Windows Insider Program and install the first build of Windows 10 Insider Preview 1, you will receive updates on your enrolled device. During development, the build number will change for each update. On devices you can receive two different types assemblies:
Basic assemblies
When a major build is released, it includes various combinations of new features, updates to existing features, defect fixes, application changes, etc. Major builds are assigned numbers starting with 1. Build numbers are not always sequential. This depends on the internal criteria that determine the transition from one circle of access to another. For example, after build 14361 you might get build 14365.
Additional (service) assemblies
These are so-called "service" or "cumulative" updates, which contain a small number of changes made to the main assembly. Service builds often include bug fixes, minor operating system updates, and other small changes. For example, after build 14361 you might get build 14361.1002 and then get build 14361.1003.
What to Expect at Each Access Round
There are no specific requirements for build numbers on each access circle, but in general the following pattern is observed:
Early access circle - main builds, very few service builds;
late access circle - main build with minor fixes;
Release Preview - A major build changes at a specific time and is followed by a series of service builds until the next release date occurs.
Learn more about your computer
The following is a brief guide to finding basic information that you may need while participating in the Program. This information is also needed when providing feedback about build issues or feature suggestions, or when receiving help.
How to determine the build number
Select Start, enter winver and press winver – execute command.
How to check which circle is selected?
Open section Settings, select Update and Security > Insider ProgramWindows. The circle you select will appear in the Select Insider Settings section.
How do I know which account is used to receive builds: a Microsoft account (MSA) or an Azure Active Directory (AAD) account?
Open section Settings, select Update and Security > Windows Insider Program. Pay attention to the information in the section Windows Insider Account.
How to check if the installed copy of Windows 10 is activated?
Open section Settings, select Updates and Security, then select Activation
I'm not receiving updates
Windows Insiders may notice that your computer is not receiving the latest updates. This rarely happens, but if you encounter this problem, there are a few basic conditions you need to check.
Check for updates manually
Open section Settings and select Update and Security. Explore the list of available updates or click Check for updates. If your device is set to Keep Time active, your device must be turned on and signed in to complete the installation.
Is your copy of Windows activated?
Open section Settings, select Updates and Security, then select Activation. Pay attention to the information displayed.
Is your MSA or AAD account connected to your device registered to receive builds?
Computer recovery
If your computer crashes, follow the recovery instructions below.
Criticality assessment
How critical is the problem? One application? Minor functionality?
Can you use your device as before, or are its basic functions not working?
Can you solve the problem? Would an alternative application solve the problem?
Is there a newer build available that will fix all the known bugs you are experiencing?
Troubleshooting
Define the problem. There may be a solution to this problem. Connect with us on the Windows Insider forums or on Twitter @WindowsInsider. If basic functionality does not work, you may need to reinstall the current OS version. Before any reinstallation or rollback, be sure to create backups important files. This process rarely results in data loss, but it is best to keep important data separate.
Reinstalling the OS
You can choose one of the available reinstallation options: reinstall only the operating system or completely delete all data from the device. Select Settings > Update & Security > Recovery and press Begin In chapter Restore the computer to its original state. Update your OS or install it from scratch by following the on-screen instructions.
Return to previous build
If your computer was working fine with a previous build and you want to revert to this build without losing data, try the following steps. Select Settings > Updates & Security > Recovery, then select Begin In chapter Rollback to an earlier build.
Note. After installing the update on your computer, you will have seven (7) days to perform a rollback (if necessary). If you need to rollback at a later time, you will need to install a later update or perform a clean install of the previous build from bootable media.
Clean install of the Insider Preview build from bootable media
One of the questions that comes up periodically is how to create a bootable USB drive with Windows installation files (from an ISO file). This bootable USB drive can be used in a variety of scenarios, such as recovering a computer from a failed build installation, troubleshooting various errors, and enrolling a new computer in the Windows Insider Program.
If you need to create a bootable USB drive from the Windows Insider Preview ISO file, follow these instructions.
Stop receiving Insider builds
To opt out of receiving future builds on your current computer, select Settings > Update & Security > Windows Insider Program, then select Stop receiving Insider Preview builds and follow additional instructions on the screen.
Device recovery
If you need to disable receiving Insider builds, do so when your device is running a production build late in the development cycle so that if problems occur, you won't have to restore your device. Production builds are stable and service updates are regularly released for them. With this build, you can enjoy all the new features and avoid losing data on your device. If you opt out of the Program, your device will remain in the current preview build and you will not receive any further service updates. Your build will have a limited expiration date and will be vulnerable to security threats.
You can find the current production build number in .
To find out the build number installed on your computer, select Start, enter winver and press winver – execute command.
If you want to stop receiving Windows Insider Preview builds during the development cycle and return your computer to the current production build, you'll need to install a previous version of Windows using the Media Creation Tool. Read the instructions in the section or choose one of the following images (depending on previous version to which you are restoring): Windows 7 Recovery Image, Windows 8 Recovery Image, or Windows 10 Recovery Image.
Support Resources
Although Windows Insiders are experienced, Microsoft experts provide advice on Windows 10 Insider Preview builds. In addition to the information in the How To section, the following support options are available.
Windows Insider Blog
With each new build, the Windows Blog posts key changes and known issues that Windows Insiders may encounter. Visit our blog for up-to-date information and news. .
New system - life with clean slate. Everyone needs a reboot from time to time, even giant corporations like Microsoft. Historically, the company from Redmond has suffered defeat after defeat, releasing its mobile devices, which, it turns out, are of no use to anyone. After many attempts, wanderings, and collaboration with Nokia, the company decided to make drastic changes: Windows Phone was abolished, and a new era of Windows 10 Mobile arrived. In fact, Windows update 10 Mobile is a new system, with a new vision, but at the same time retaining the principles that have migrated from iteration to iteration.
Many resources, including Russian ones, carefully monitor the development of Windows 10 Mobile. W3bsit3-dns.com, Mobile-Review and others spoke positively about the system and predicted a positive future for it. However, let’s take a closer look at what awaits the owners of modern gadgets running on the new platform.
Installing and setting up Windows 10 Mobile
In principle, the process of installing and configuring the system does not take much time, and it cannot be called labor-intensive. However, there are a number of things you need to know before installing Windows 10 Mobile.
The system can be installed officially on a number of initially supported gadgets. You can install a test build. You can install a hacked system on unsupported gadgets.
In addition to those gadgets that come with new firmware on board, there is a whole line Lumia phones, which can be updated. The update will not come automatically, as they say, “over the air,” so you will have to use the Upgrade Advisor utility. The utility is supported by all intermediate smartphones from Lumia 430 to Lumia 1520. After the update it will not be needed initial setup, all data will be transferred automatically. Still, for the phone to work better, it is worth resetting the settings to zero (when installing a major update, some files may be damaged). That's all you need to know about installing Windows 10 Mobile. Builds for developers can be obtained by registering on the Microsoft website, and then installing Windows application Insider.
Interface design
Despite the fact that the update is of such a global nature, visually the system has not undergone major changes. After basic setup Windows 10 Mobile will be completed, the user will see the familiar “tiled” interface. With the new release, the user is given more opportunities to change appearance desktop. First of all, these changes affected the wallpaper. Now the user can set any background that will cover all “tiles” and applications that do not have their own background. It is also possible to change the size and color design of each individual “tile”. The distance between interface elements has been reduced, allowing for even more content to be placed on the desktop. This is useful if you want to receive updated information from large quantity shortcuts. It looks quite bright and unusual, although confusing, at first glance. Otherwise, the interface remains the same, only instead of a black background, now the same wallpaper is used that was used on the desktop, the details have become thinner (calculated for new displays with high resolution), settings and other lists that were previously impossible to sort out have finally been organized. The list of programs has changed slightly; now newly installed applications for Windows 10 Mobile are placed at the beginning of the list, in the “Recently added” field. However, on programs installed in new system, is worth a separate stop.
Apps for Windows 10 Mobile
Due to the update, external changes caught up with almost everyone standard applications, instructions for developing programs have been updated, visual elements have been linked to desktop version operating system. Functional changes affected such programs as:
Mail and calendar | Now combined into one application called Outlook. The client became similar to an application for Android and iOS. There is now support for swipes. By sliding your finger over a letter, you can delete it or put a mark (gestures are customizable). There is deeper integration with the smart calendar, allowing you to create events directly from incoming emails. |
Photo gallery | The photo library has been transformed into something more advanced. In addition to smartphone photos and screenshots, the standard image storage now includes photos stored in the OneDrive cloud storage. Information about where and when the photo was taken is now displayed next to pictures. Basic tools for editing pictures have appeared (photos can be cropped). The tile on the desktop still displays the most recently taken photos in random order. |
Microsoft Edge | The built-in browser has not changed much. The updated application has two new features that were borrowed from Safari. The first is Reading List (similar to Pocket, allowing you to save pages to read later). The second is “Reading Mode” (cleaning the page of information garbage in order to focus on the material). |
Messages | The built-in messenger has become smarter. Integration with Skype has appeared (the ability to communicate with contacts from this service has appeared). A “quick response” function via notifications has appeared. It remains possible to use MSN Messenger (if anyone still uses it). |
Xbox | The good old hub with games has been updated. In addition to the fact that all game projects remained in place (your scores, match results and gaming partners), the Xbox SmartGlass console control system was also built into the program ( remote controls that allow you to comfortably type messages into Xbox and so on). |
Manizan applications | Serious changes have also affected the application store. The terrible confusion that confused even the most experienced users is now gone. The store was combed and brought to the same design as the “desktop” version. Problems with the search, alas, were not resolved. |
Another important change concerned third party applications. A tool has appeared that allows you to convert finished products on iOS and Android into programs for Windows 10 Mobile. At the same time, the developers promised seamless integration of new applications, even without interface changes, which in theory should lead to terrible chaos in the store, which can be put up with if the developers actually start transferring their projects to a new platform, but something tells us that it's already too late.
Notification curtain
One of the most important and frequently used elements of the system is the so-called curtain, which contains notifications from various programs and keys for quick access to various smartphone functions. Its design has undergone minimal changes; the same controls remain:
- A key to turn Wi-Fi on and off (also displays the name of the network to which the gadget is currently connected).
- Key to turn Bluetooth on and off (also displays connected media devices).
- Key to lock screen rotation.
- Key to access settings.
Below is a list of notifications, which is now grouped by the applications to which they relate. This makes them easier to sort and delete. One notification is deleted by swiping on it, a group by swiping on the program name. To delete all notifications, there is a “Clear all” button.
Among other things, expanded notifications have appeared that you can interact with without opening the application. For example, if you receive a message on your phone, by pulling the notification, you can open the text input line and respond to it without going to the messenger itself. Naturally, this function is available to developers, and they have the right to use it as they please. Twitter developers, for example, added shortcuts for popular actions such as “retweet” and “like.” You can stop the alarm in the same way.
Continuum
The cornerstone of the new platform from Microsoft. This know-how is the main connecting element between the desktop and mobile versions of Windows. According to engineers from Redmond, the ideal smartphone is a smartphone that is also a computer. Instead of producing various gadgets and dragging information through the clouds, creating all sorts of “ecosystems,” the creators of Windows offer one device that can replace everything at once. The idea is this: a person with a smartphone with pre-installed Windows 10 Mobile versions with Continuum support can install it in a specialized docking station, which, in turn, is connected to a monitor and input means. After which the periphery is activated, the smartphone acts as system unit, and the end user sees classic Windows on the desktop.
The idea was always on the surface, but no one dared to bring it to life. Microsoft decided to take matters into their own hands and, together with HP, created a device equipped with the latest technology, operating in Continuum mode.
Unfortunately, such a grandiose idea is unlikely to turn out well in the short term, as there are at least two serious problems. The first is that not all smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile support this function; a solid reserve of power is required for it to work (in fact, there is only one candidate for this role and other manufacturers, including Microsoft, are in no hurry to release new solutions). The second is the system that the person behind the monitor and mouse will work with, not exactly Windows 10, but Windows RT. In this case, the user is deprived of Win32 support, and without this the computer is not a computer at all. For real professionals, ARM will never replace “adult” architecture. In the long term, we have before us a real device of the future and a system that will finally emerge from the “desktop” monopoly as a leader in the mobile segment.
Keyboard and one-handed mode
Keyboard - amazing and powerful tool in Windows 10 Mobile. w3bsit3-dns.com and other resources that monitor the development of the platform have more than once posted tweets and screenshots in which the built-in Windows keyboard corrects terrible mistakes and completes words with one letter.
The keyboard in the new system has not changed much. The usual functions remain, such as:
- Word Flow - typing tips based on data from the system’s dictionary database, the user’s individual dictionary and experience;
- Swipe input - the ability to type text and communicate by simply moving your finger across the keyboard.
- Point for moving the cursor (joystick) - a small point has appeared between the letters Z and X, with which you can move the cursor through the text, so as not to resort to using a virtual magnifying glass.
- It is now possible to change the position of the keyboard, as well as its size. On large display you can move it to the right corner and slightly reduce it to make it more convenient to operate with one hand (the problem of all fans of “phablets”).
Also, for one-handed control, an analogue of the Reachability function from the iPhone was added. Now, if you hold down the Win button for a long time, you can lower the interface to the level of your finger, so that you don’t have to grab the gadget and reach for it. top part display.
Sound and ringtone settings
Basically, some kind of special fine tuning Windows 10 Mobile does not require sound. Everything works the same as in the previous version. The only problem that remains is with assigning ringtones. Users are still wondering how to change the ringtone Windows call Mobile 10. Fortunately, changes in working with desktop Windows (defining a smartphone as a flash drive) allow you to do this without any problems. To do this, you need to connect your smartphone to the PC, open the Phone - Ringtones folder in it and upload the desired audio file there, the main thing is that it does not have DRM protection. After this, you should open “Settings” - “Personalization” - “Sounds” in your phone. There, select the “Ringtone” option, find the newly downloaded audio file and select it as the ringtone. The system also now has a built-in ringtone maker application that can create ringtones directly on your phone.
File manager
Users have been asking Microsoft programmers for quite a long time to equip the system with a full-fledged file manager, such as is available in Android and the related desktop Windows. Initially, developers were reluctant to add such features, since the system was supposed to be in many ways similar to iOS, which lacks such features for reasons of security and simplicity. Windows 10 Mobile should have been just as simple and closed. Microsoft Error, fortunately for fans, has been corrected in latest update. A rather primitive, but still file manager, a kind of stripped-down analogue of “Explorer”. It is possible to create documents, view them without going into applications, move, copy, and so on. There is no synchronization with OneDrive; to work with cloud storage you will have to download additional application and import files individually.
Windows Hello
Security comes first, which is why most modern smartphones are equipped with biometric data reading systems (hello iPhone 5s and Touch ID). Microsoft went further and developed a kind of intermediary system between the scanners and the system responsible for process security. Instead of a fingerprint sensor in gadgets running on Windows based 10 Mobile, uses a camera that scans the iris of the eyes. A similar solution was used in the recently released and failed Samsung Galaxy Note 7. The recognition system does not work very well. Firstly, the phone must be quite close to the owner’s face; at arm’s length, the smartphone simply does not “recognize” the owner. Secondly, even if the phone is close to your face, it can still make mistakes, often asking for a passcode. The function is, of course, interesting, but it would be better for Microsoft to opt for a fingerprint scanner, which works quickly and reliably.
Instead of a conclusion
It's hard to sum up what's happening with the Redmond-based mobile platform. On the one hand, the Windows 10 Mobile update shows us a certain growth, the system is clearly developing, its creators have ideas and certain thoughts on what Windows will be like in the future. New unique functions appear, beloved old ones are improved, and new manufacturers of Windows smartphones enter the market. Developers have received carte blanche and can sell their programs for Android and iOS in the Windows app store without any difficulty (even without redrawing the program interface).
But something goes wrong. It is too late. The credit of trust has been exhausted. Despite all its efforts, loud statements and announcements, Microsoft cannot attract a sufficient audience. People have become accustomed to advanced systems from Google and Apple and have more than once placed their trust in the Windows manufacturer. But, alas, they were let down every time, and the new platform could not give them as much as modern people require. Windows 10 Mobile is what it should have been mobile Windows 3-5 years ago. At the moment, we can only wait for Redmond to figure out how to convince the public that their platform deserves attention, but for now all Windows fans are in limbo, and it is not known what will happen next.
The future of Windows 10 Mobile has become popular topic among fans and critics alike since Microsoft announced that Windows 10 Mobile development would move to the "feature2" branch and remain there. Although Microsoft has stated that this change is minor, sources Windows resource Central paint a different story; development of Windows 10 Mobile was separated from the rest of Windows 10 on other platforms. But why?
Microsoft has separated the development of Windows 10 Mobile from the rest of Windows 10 because Windows 10 Mobile is no longer required for what Microsoft plans for Windows on mobile devices. Sources suggest that Microsoft's next mobile device will run what the company calls internally Andromeda OS; a version of Windows that strives to be modular enough to run on any form factor and, as a result, eliminates the need for Windows edition 10 Mobile. So Microsoft no longer needs a Windows-specific version of Windows 10, which means Windows 10 Mobile is now redundant.
This is great news, except for one important detail; Existing Windows smartphones will not receive updates to this "Andromeda OS".
Feature2 branch
According to sources, the feature2 branch exists to continue supporting what Microsoft's internal documentation calls "legacy ARM chipsets" for the next year and a half. The main goal of the feature2 branch is to continue serving mobile Windows devices 10 through 2018 with bug fixes, security updates, and new enterprise-specific features. It is also reported that Microsoft will support new UWP APIs that will be introduced in Redstone 3 and Redstone 4 on PC
The reason these APIs are "backwards" and not originally introduced is because the feature2 branch is technically Redstone 2 (but it's frozen). When Microsoft split Windows 10 Mobile into the feature2 branch, it also froze OneCore development on Redstone 2. Now, given that Windows 10 Mobile will not recreate the rest of Windows 10 development, this means that Windows 10 Mobile will support Redstone 2 for the remainder own life.
So, to compensate for this, Microsoft will support the new UWP APIs that will be introduced in Redstone 3 and Redstone 4. This means that if an application developer is targeting any new UWP APIs that will be introduced in the next couple of Windows 10 releases, these applications will continue to work with feature2 Windows 10 Mobile. This should give Windows 10 Mobile an extra boost of life in the next year or so.
This is why there is no Skip Ahead setting for mobile devices running Windows 10. There's simply nothing to miss. The only development for Windows 10 Mobile is Redstone 2.
It is indeed true that Microsoft continued to compile Redstone 3 builds for Windows 10 Mobile for a while, but only to continue CShell development on smaller engineering devices. However, sources said that as of last month this is no longer the case as CShell will not be available for existing Windows smartphones. It's also worth noting that Microsoft's efforts to bring new APIs to Windows 10 Mobile are only planned until Redstone 4, but that could change.
Application support won't last forever
Once the APIs stop receiving calls, Windows 10 Mobile devices will very quickly fall behind the rest of Windows 10 when it comes to supporting UWP apps. As developers begin to integrate the new APIs coming with Redstone 5, these apps will not be able to run on feature2 with Windows 10 Mobile, meaning devices like the Lumia 950 and HP Elite x3 will quickly lose support applications. Microsoft may continue to support Windows 10 Mobile with security updates in 2018.
Microsoft will continue to release production builds of Windows 10 Mobile (outside of the Insider Program), and may also continue to align them with PC releases such as the Fall Creators Update. But since development has been split between Mobile and Desktop, Microsoft can choose to release mobile updates on its own schedule if it wants.
In short, Microsoft will support Windows 10 Mobile for the foreseeable future to serve the remaining users.
Lately, I have often heard statements from users that mobile version Windows 10 is dead and you need to get rid of it quickly, but is it really so? Let's try to understand this issue more carefully.
Honestly, Windows users amazing people and at the slightest rustle they panic and say that everything is lost.
Let's start with a little history. First Windows Mobile appeared already in 2000, which was based on Windows CE, which in turn appeared in 1996, after which there were already 6 Windows versions Mobile, which were supported until 2012. Yes, at the beginning of the 2000s, Windows Mobile was on top, but with the advent of other mobile operating systems that were more responsive to users, the share of Windows Mobile decreased sharply, but nevertheless Microsoft supported it for as long as possible, until the release of Windows 8.
Microsoft understood that Windows Mobile needed a restart and on February 15, 2010, Steve Ballmer officially introduced the new mobile OS Windows Phone. At that time, Microsoft and Nokia entered into a cooperation agreement. Strangely enough, it coincided that the Nokia brand also needed a relaunch, and therefore, for a certain amount of money, Microsoft simply bought the Finnish mobile division. After which fruitful cooperation began. Nokia was engaged in its smartphones, which were magnificent in design, of course this does not apply to cinder blocks like the 920 Lumiya, but then there was his revolutionary mother wireless charger, which slightly leveled this defect. Carl Zeiss optics were the highlight of smartphones and they took pictures very well indeed, even by today's standards. Microsoft, in turn, dealt with software and exclusive support for Nokia, since in essence it was already their company. And the people who followed the tandem of these two giants were sure, including me, that the results would be simply bomb phones that would outshine all sorts of iPhones and Samsungs, but this did not happen. When Windows Phone 7 came out, they turned out to be somewhat unattractive and not very functional. And in principle, both developers and users, oddly enough, were not particularly upset. And they said that this was their first joint device and that there was more to come. And after the release of the new Windows Phone 8 platform, some work on the bugs was already visible. The smartphones looked pretty nice. The aforementioned flagship Lumiya 920, although it looked like a brick, was still popular. Afterwards, by the way, Microsoft updated the smartphone to version 925. He looked much cooler and thinner. Even I couldn’t resist then and bought a Lumia 820. The 920 was too huge for me, and the 720 was quite weak. Although Lumia 720 was the most beautiful smartphone at that time. Lumia 820 had great camera 8 MP with dual LED flash and had a good design, which captivated me. It seems to me that it was during the existence of Windows Phone 8 that the mobile OS was at the peak of its popularity. Afterwards, Windows Phone 8.1 and the new 3rd and 4th line of Lumia smartphones were released, which were magnificent from the design side. Moderately elegant and not oversized.
Then Microsoft announced the release of Windows 10 and again renamed Windows Phone to Windows Mobile. At the end of 2015, it released smartphones of the 5th line called Lumia 950 and 950 XL - this is a kind of cosplay on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The phones, frankly speaking, were not the best and had a rather buggy OS at that time. Microsoft understood that it could not provide such a system to other older smartphones, so it delayed the release of Windows 10 until March 2016, after which all 3rd and 4th line smartphones, Lumia 1520 and third-party smartphones were able to receive this coveted update. The second line of smartphones did not officially receive Windows 10 Mobile, but still, through Windows Insider, Microsoft allowed you to upgrade to version 10 without problems, but then, of course, banned the release of assemblies for these smartphones, summarizing this by saying that the smartphones were too old, but the Ten it was possible to get money from them.
So this is what I mean by all this. This story was needed to restore some consistency. To be honest, there were even skeptics who, back in the early 2000s, said that Windows Mobile was an unnecessary OS that would soon die, but almost 20 years have passed and the system is still alive. It has had its ups and downs, but there are still people who use it and don't want to give it up. Even Microsoft itself claims that it will not stop releasing builds for smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile. This is already a good sign, it would be another matter if Microsoft were silent at all, but one can hope that for a few more years mobile Windows in the form in which it is now will receive updates. Yes, my God, even Windows RT, which has tens of times fewer users than Windows 10 Mobile, still receives updates, even one owner of this tablet once told me that a menu was added to the RT version Start, as in Windows 10, while, let me remind you, the system was released in 2012, 5 years ago, and after that you will say that Windows 10 Mobile is dead? I currently have a Lumia 830, the phone came out in the fall of 2014, now it’s 2017. About 2.5 years have passed and the smartphone is still receiving updates. Many Android smartphones cannot even afford this. Even if suddenly updates stop coming out for this platform, will the phone immediately turn into a brick? It will still work, except that there may be problems with some applications, but looking at Windows RT, which is less popular, and everyone has already forgotten about it, except Microsoft and some enthusiasts, we can say that Windows 10 Mobile will still be live a very long time.
Personally, I can say that, for example, I broke the Lumia 820 in 2014, when I was riding a bike and fell on the right side, and I had a phone in my pocket on that side and I still haven’t been able to fix it , due to the lack of the required part. The Lumia 830 has already been repaired once, albeit under warranty, but it was still there, so most likely the Lumia smartphones themselves will die faster than the mobile operating system from Microsoft.
Yes, Microsoft is preparing new smartphones that should be closer to the functionality of a full-fledged Windows 10, but in parallel, regular mobile Windows will also live, no one is going to give it up. I've been hearing for about 2 years now that the mobile system is dead. And is she dead now? No, more alive than all the living.
If speak about Windows problems 10 Mobile, then there is only one. These are very expensive devices. If Microsoft were to sell these devices at a loss, like the Xbox 360, for example, then the system would gain a much larger base of both users and developers. It is with the valuable that we kill two birds with one stone. Since users, looking at branded smartphones from Microsoft, still chose similar phones on the Android system, since they were cheaper and had better characteristics, and wealthier people took the iPhone because it was an iPhone. Like, if you have an iPhone, then you have succeeded in this life. And smartphones running Windows Phone and Windows Mobile were mainly purchased by enthusiasts and those people who wanted to try something new. Some gradually leave for other systems, while others return because they are accustomed to this OS.
Microsoft has taken a break for now; there have been rumors about a full-fledged Windows 10 on smartphones with Intel processors Atom, but Intel curtailed their production, and now Microsoft is relying on Qualcomm, whose new chips support Windows 10 and DirectX 12 at the hardware level. ARM chips will be built into both smartphones and laptops, and thanks to the Andromeda project, the system will adapt to the device, it will even be possible to run x86 applications thanks to the emulator of this architecture.
Switch to another mobile system or stay on Windows 10 Mobile - it's up to you. I am in no way defending Microsoft, since it is they who are mostly to blame mobile market, but even now I am completely satisfied with this system. There are plenty of applications in the store, the protection is quite good on a smartphone. What else do you need to use? If you are still playing with toys on your phone, and the games you need is not available on this OS, then most likely Windows Mobile was not suitable for you in the first place. I repeat once again - the system is not dead and may even be able to surprise you with something.