With the Lumia 950/XL and Windows 10 Mobile now a reality, what do you think of Microsoft's chances? (poll results)

posted by Chris P. / Dec 22, 2015, 2:33 AM

With the Lumia 950/XL and Windows 10 Mobile now a reality, what do you think of Microsoft's chances? (poll results)

After announcing the acquisition of Nokia's handset division back in 2013, it was to be expected that the Windows Phone platform would be temporarily in a state of limbo as the bigger giant figures out what to do with the smaller giant, and how to best integrate the operations of both. And with Windows 10 already in the pipelines, there was quite a bit for Microsoft to reflect upon.

This lead to a period of not total, but at least partial stoppage, where lower end models kept coming out, but the flagship spot of honor was being kept warm by the Lumia 930 — a year-and-a-half old phone. Naturally, expectations were pretty high for the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, both of which are now a market reality. So we wondered what you thought now that you can actually get your hands on them (provided you're on AT&T in the US), and where that leaves Microsoft in the big picture.

According to the results of our yesterday poll, a little over 40% of voters think that the new Lumia duo is a game changer, and Microsoft has a bright future ahead of it. On the other end, about 23% of participants say that Microsoft is essentially finished. And in the middle, we've got a sizable, ~36% chunk of votes, made up by folks who just can't tell right now.

The resulting discussion in the comment section below also proved kind of interesting to read through, and we thought some of our readers brought up some valid points — like the annoyance that the aforementioned AT&T exclusivity is, and the resilient rumors of a Surface-branded Microsoft device that is (supposedly) the company's endgame. We certainly agree with the former, and can't deny that we're all kinds of excited about the prospect of a Surface smartphone — we did award the Surface Pro 4 the title of best tablet of 2015, after all. Whether it ever comes to fruition, however, we'll have to wait and see.

With the Lumia 950/XL and Windows 10 Mobile now a reality, what do you think of Microsoft's chances?

These two are game changers, Microsoft is going places

40.45%

Can't say

36.28%

It's certain now: Microsoft's mobile division is on path to extinction

23.28%

Options

26 Comments

2. byazatt

Posts: 316; Member since: Oct 26, 2012

Haha, I agree about the memory, iPhone still sells bucket load of tiny 16 gb version. Most people are OK with 32 gigs of mem. Though I personally would love a 128 gb internal memory space. I like shooting videos and photos while storing full movies on my phone.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 2:53 AM 0

3. Victor_D

Posts: 5; Member since: Dec 06, 2015

"I love my Note5 without removable battery and expandable memory." -> In other words, you love lack of choice and options. Well, if that's your thing... I am sure sheep are also very happy with being herded. "32gb is enough for 99% of the world and nobody cares if you can remove the battery" 32 GB in this day and age is LAUGHABLE. You add a few albums, snap a couple hundred hi-res photos and you're done. Windows Mobile with its expandable storage and the ability to store mostly everything, including apps, on your card has a HUGE advantage here. Sure, sheep will not appreciate that, but sheep are not the ones Microsoft wants to sell their phones to.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 2:59 AM 5

7. twens

Posts: 1152; Member since: Feb 25, 2012

Not that more space is not good but I have never in my life since I begun using smartphones filled up a 16gb device before. Funny thing is I upgraded to my 64gb 6 plus to 128gb 6s plus and even with that I can't fill up 16gb of that. It only comes to show that everyone has what they do with their devices and I believe there are countless of people like me out there who just install a few apps and games and call it a day. I have less than 2 gb of music on my phone and I don't even listen to all of it.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 3:26 AM 1

18. 497362

Posts: 60; Member since: Aug 27, 2015

I am one of those people. Im still using an 8 gb Lumia with a few useful apps. Games bore me after playing a few times. I have an 8 gb sdcard, about 75% full. I dont want, have or need lots of music or videos. I wouldnt know what to do with more memory.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 5:38 AM 0

9. vladtdr

Posts: 6; Member since: Oct 28, 2014

people complaining about storage, wtf, u never heard of the cloud? Also microsoft sucks, windows10 mobile sucks, and i'm glad i sold my lumia 930 and bought a nexus 6, if I didn't i would have still waited for wm10 since fall...

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 3:46 AM 0

10. Victor_D

Why should I constantly stream/upload/download, when I should have the option to expand the storage on my phone? Plus, cloud space costs money too, above certain level. Really, arguing against the possibility to have expandable storage (i.e. freedom, possibilities, flexibility) is a priori self-defeating, just give up.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 3:51 AM 4

12. Hexa-core

Posts: 2131; Member since: Aug 11, 2015

True. And it's impossible to be connected to cloud storage and use data stored in there 24/7. What about when there's a network bug or being at a place where there's no network? Or urgently in need of data, then smartphone suddenly turns off due to lack of juice... How to connect to cloud storage? With SD card, data's available 24/7!

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 4:28 AM 5

31. Furbal unregistered

Cloud is not a solution for storage of things you actually need.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 3:48 PM 1

13. Zylam

Posts: 1765; Member since: Oct 20, 2010

Windows Phone/Mobile is dead in the water, saying this as a huge Windows Phone/Mobile fan from back in the days of Windows Mobile 2003/5/6. Had Windows Phone 7, 7.5, 8 and will probably try 10, Bought, the HTC Mozart, Titian, Lumia 1020 and 830. Still love the design and hardware but there are no apps. Anyone that tells you windows phone has apps has not used windows phone for more than 2 days. I checked out the 950/XL, horrible phones with washed out screens and cheap plastic feel. My 830 feels miles more premium and it's a mid range vs there highend phones. Sad but true. Windows Phone is dead wasteland, it won't die as MS need a mobile presence regardless of it being profitable to push the one OS on all devices concept of Windows 10. Who knows maybe one day out of nowhere windows phone will become popular and actually get support.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 5:02 AM 1

19. Victor_D

"but there are no apps. Anyone that tells you windows phone has apps has not used windows phone for more than 2 days." -> Enough with the hyperbole. I've been using Win10 Mobile for weeks and I have all the apps I need. Yes, it has less overall quantity of apps than Android or iOS but the real situation is that the major applications are available. Sometimes, there are third party alternatives for the likes of YouTube which are actually quite superior to the original Google apps. You may run into problems when certain institutions don't bother to port their apps to Windows Mobile, but where I live, I have banking applications and a number of small apps as well. I have never (no hyperbole here) felt to be restricted by a lack of choice on my Windows phone. Ergo, comments such as "there are not apps" are GROSSLY MISLEADING and, quite frankly, it's just slander aimed to discourage people from trying the platform out.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 5:47 AM 5

14. Cslfiero

Posts: 68; Member since: Jun 29, 2015

Most people who don't believe in windows are pretty easily sold on pointless features. They think body shell and bezels makes the phone, sheer size of the app store makes the OS, and won't buy anything that wouldn't get them kudos from their yuppie friends.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 5:18 AM 0

15. catze86

Posts: 731; Member since: Dec 07, 2015

They will regrets their mistake for buying an iPhone after their butt burned by their beloved Apple brand phone. Yeah yeah, will last a day with that pregant battery case...

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 5:36 AM 0

16. catze86

This is for TheHonestCommentator

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 5:37 AM 0

17. catze86

20. 497362

Windows will continue to grow, a little faster now. Compared to Android, its a much more reliable and intuitive UX. It is easier for me to get windows phone set up to do things i want easily and more quickly. The available services are the same, but its just easier to use under windows. Everything is simpler, to do the same kind of thing. And i find all of the apps i need on both android and windows. i know android has a lot more, its just that they are all totally useless to me on android so i dont care that windows doesnt have them. Except a couple more decent internet browsers are needed for windows. My next phone will be WM but a bigger screen. Windows has the best UX for me, far superior than android. Havent used iOS enough to compare.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 5:53 AM 5

21. adi90

Posts: 554; Member since: Dec 21, 2015

Stock android mobiles are far better than windows mobile. I can use all the core apps of microsoft along with much needed android apps like inbox by gmail and google maps. Those who have used cheap chinese android mobiles will definitely like windows UX. Nexus 5 released in 2013 is still as fast as new. Try nexus 5x or 6p this year. They are as snappy as any windows mobile. like windows is better in laptop category so android is better in mobile . It is as simple as that. A flagship android device is as good as any iOS device. Microsoft has already suffered a defeat last year in budget category and Now is the time in flagship models. Everyone knows that windows mobile is existing only because microsoft is such a big company. Rest you can debate whole day. But fact will not change.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 6:30 AM 0

28. elitewolverine

Posts: 5192; Member since: Oct 28, 2013

inbox and google maps, for me are replaced by outlook and maps on windows. Have yet to run into any problem there. simple as what? Let me know when your android nexus 6p can run two screens at once, then we will talk about 'best'. To me that matters more than snapchat.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 11:24 AM 1

22. 7thspaceman

Posts: 1597; Member since: Feb 14, 2011

I like and use a windows smartphone but realize so many people were using Android and Aplle iphones before windows 7 even came out that many people using them wont convert to Windows smartphones. the MS 950/950XL smartphones will make Windows smart phone users happy because they have really good high tech components in them and have the continuum feature. my gripe is their price. microsoft has to make a 250 to 350 dollar continuum capable smart phones for continuum to be something a lot of people can afford to buy a smart phone that has it. I think that if Microsoft sells a Surface smart phone that can run x86/Win 32 full desktop PC programs as well as Universal apps then this is the smartphone that will get some Android and Apple smart phone users to buy Windows smart Surface smart phones that can do this because they will be pocket PC's

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 6:47 AM 1

23. adi90

It is Not that just becuase people were using android and iphone so they doNot switch to windows. The main reason is the way microsoft releases their mobiles that only a few people want to buy it. Their best release last year lumia 640xl was a good device per se. But it cannot compete with the best of android in same price as android in that price range come with better specs. A windoWS mobile may be a bit snappier as compared to custom skin of android but android manufacturers has much better processors . But when it comes to stock android both windows and stock android has almost same speed. And processor does make a difference becuase it adds additional functionalities. Microsoft also knows it. So to save some glory it released lumia 950 with Snapdragon 808 and 950xl with SD 810. But they release budget luMia mobile only for the sake of releasing it. So why will people leave android and buy windows Most important thing is that even from past mistakes microsoft does not learn. They are still releasing device like luMia 550 with SD210 in Rs.9000 in india. lol. Sometimes it feels as if they are already accepted their defeat and releasing moBiles for the sake of it. Add to that even the leaks of future windows mobile predict SD 212 processor. I donot recall any future andrOid leaks with SD200 series processors, even in budget category.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 7:43 AM 0

24. bobby2803

Posts: 32; Member since: Jun 28, 2014

Recently tried out win 10 through insider programme on L640. It is beautiful and smooth. everybody should buy a 550 or 640 and try out win 10 mobile before commenting. Now waiting for project astoria or islewood integration.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 7:45 AM 0

25. tx2ma

Posts: 10; Member since: Sep 15, 2012

Like Windows phones or not, it's a nice piece of hardware. If you can't at least admit that, then you're a fanboy of something. Competition is good. Keeps the platforms moving forward.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 7:46 AM 1

26. adi90

Do you know what is the difference between hardware and software? Windows 10 as software is superior to android os. But as a hardware how can SD400/210 superior to SD410 ?. Atleast think before you post.

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 7:53 AM 0

27. avishekmukherjee

Posts: 362; Member since: Apr 09, 2015

YES These two are really gamechangers :)

posted on Dec 22, 2015, 10:24 AM 0

35. StanleyG88

Posts: 240; Member since: Mar 15, 2012

Not much if they keep ignoring the largest US carrier user base, Verizon.

posted on Dec 23, 2015, 1:20 AM 0

36. pureviewuser

Posts: 501; Member since: Nov 11, 2012

Loving my lumia 950 xl up to now great.

posted on Dec 23, 2015, 3:25 PM 0

37. pureviewuser

Hey you know a good mp3 downloader for my 950 xl? As the ones I used on windows 8.1 don't work same goes to uc browser won't give download option for you tube.thanks.