Windows Mobile Weekly Digest: Plummeting sales, a Fenice refresh, and making it rain in a new way

There's a lot going on in the world of Windows Phone. So much, in fact, that it is sometimes tough to catch every important story.

Device rumors come and go. New apps join the Windows Phone Store, and your favorite app can get a big update with a new look or new features.

Therefore, every week we will compile a list of the Windows Phone news that you just shouldn't miss. Welcome to the "Windows Phone Weekly Digest."

1. Windows Mobile

This week, users on individual mobile carriers began to notice that their Windows 10 Mobile phones started showing 'typing...' in their SMS conversations, the same way apps like WhatsApp do. The mobile OS now supports "SMS chat" on networks that offer the service. Not only will you be notified when the other party is typing, but also whether or not they have read your message.

Windows Insiders who have installed build .63 should be warned about a data-eating bug that could run up your usage. The issue resides in the Messaging app and can be prevented by disabling the "Sync messages between devices" setting on your phone.

As for the upcoming Windows 10 Mobile Insider "Redstone" builds, it looks like the first phones to receive them will be the Lumia 550 and the Lumia 950 series.

A new firmware update, bearing version number 15503.21007, was made available for the Lumia 550. It is similar to the ones that rolled out to the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, but this one cannot be installed over-the-air, so you must get it through the Windows Device Recovery Tool.

The Xiaomi Mi 4 also received a firmware update. This one fixes bugs on versions of the phone running Windows 10 Mobile.

Microsoft recently detailed their plans to enable firmware updates for Windows 10 Mobile Insiders in order to make it easier to get new phone software in addition to OS patches.

Microsoft released their Q2 earnings report of fiscal year 2016 and the phone part of the report wasn't good. Although it was no surprise that Windows Phone sales were low, sales in the US actually hit an all-time low.

The old and low-end Nokia Lumia 520 was the most widely used Windows Phone in 2016, indicating the Microsoft's lowly standing in the smartphone arena. But this is neither unexpected, nor the end of Windows-based phones.

Other notable items: 2. Apps

The Store app for Windows 10 PC and Mobile was quietly updated without a changelog. However, one noticeable addition is a new music collections section that features selections curated by Groove Music editors.

The newest edition of the official Vine app boasts a new user interface that not only streamline's the design, but is also geared toward discovering other users to follow.

Following up on Microsoft's April announcement that Viber would be launching a universal app for Windows 10, Windows Central contacted the messaging service asking for an update. A PR rep for the company told us that they are "still working on the universal app for Windows 10, but were not able to give us a timeline for the release.

After making and appearance on Windows Blog Italia earlier in the week, Microsoft's new Ringtone Maker app was officially released in the Windows Store. The app is more or less a refreshed version of Nokia's ringtone maker, but it's good to see it back.

Fenice for Twitter, one of the best Twitter apps out there, was updated as well. Amongst the many bug fixes and new features, the app now supports Windows Hello authentication.

Other notable items: 3. Games

The insanely popular Candy Crush Saga picked up 15 new levels in the form of a new episode.

"Continue the sweetness and delight with 15 NEW LEVELS in Candy Keep, a brand new episode! Tiffi is helping Sue the Skunk hide Candy inside her nest. But why? What are they planning? You better go and find out!"

Game Troopers' cash-crazy game Make it Rain: The Love of Money got a refresh on Windows desktop and mobile. This latest iteration has a new user interface, new options, additional items, and more.

And if you ever wanted to be a crime boss, but didn't wish to do the jail time, you may want to check out Godfather OL for Windows Phone. This RPG has you starting off as a lowly thug and working your way up to the top of the ladder of lawlessness.

Other notable items:

Be sure to weigh in on this week's news in the comments section. See you next week!

Source: Windows Mobile Weekly Digest: Plummeting sales, a Fenice refresh, and making it rain in a new way

AdDuplex Brings Bad News for Microsoft Windows Phone

Microsoft's high-end Lumia 950 is struggling to win market share among Windows Phone users. Source: Microsoft.

It's safe to say that Microsoft has experienced a resurgence under new CEO Satya Nadella. Prior CEO Steve Ballmer's rein was defined by the " lost decade ," where the stock tremendously underperformed the broader market, as a combination of valuation compression and the failure to properly adjust to mobile weighed on Redmond.

In order to make up lost ground in mobile, Ballmer aggressively moved forward in devices. In tablets, Microsoft pushed forward with two versions -- the Surface Pro and Surface RT -- the latter of which resulted in a near $1 billion inventory writedown, and sealed Ballmer's fate. Ballmer was even more aggressive in smartphones, buying then-partner Nokia 's smartphone business in April 2014 for $8.0 billion, cash included.

The result? Another writedown.

Last fiscal year, Satya Nadella took a $7.5 billion impairment charge for the purchase. A new report from AdDuplex gives insight into how poor Microsoft's smartphone performance has been. The most-popular Windows smartphone is the Lumia 520, a three-year-old model.

Pre-Microsoft Lumia has the largest market share According to AdPlex's data, the Nokia Lumia 520 is the most-popular model with Windows Phone users, with a worldwide 12.9% market share. The Lumia 520 was released in April 2013, and was discontinued last year. Additionally, Microsoft's next-gen entry-level 5-series model -- 2014's Lumia 535 -- takes 11.7% market share. The newest Windows 10 Mobile operating system is struggling, as well, and only has a 9.5% market share versus the Windows Phone 8.1's dominant 78% share.

Worldwide, the newest Lumia, the Lumia 640, has a reported 6.3% Windows share, and the high-end Lumia 950 is lumped into the catch-all others category, with a market share less than 3%. In the United States, things are slightly better for Microsoft -- 2015's Lumia 640 has an 18.2% share, but still trails a two-year old Lumia 635 that has nearly 31% of the market.

The purchase appears to not have brought any benefits You can't blame Ballmer for looking into buying Nokia's handset business. A year before the company announced its intentions, Alphabet (nee Google) purchased Motorola Mobility for $13 billion. The threat for Microsoft was that Google would become another Apple  -- a device, software, and services giant -- and further cement Microsoft's legacy as a dinosaur that missed the boat in mobile.

Very soon after, Microsoft announced the purchase, even before it closed the deal. Alphabet essentially admitted defeat and sold the device business to Lenovo for $3 billion (although it kept many valuable patents) after reporting consistent quarterly losses from the division. What should have been a warning to Microsoft was advice not taken, and ended up costing the company nearly the entire purchase price.

More recently, Nadella has been redefining mobile success on its own terms. Interestingly enough, Microsoft has started to change its fortunes in tablets with the Surface starting to show signs of life . However, it doesn't seem as if this success will be duplicated in smartphones anytime soon.

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The article AdDuplex Brings Bad News for Microsoft Windows Phone originally appeared on Fool.com.

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Jamal Carnette owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), and Apple. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days . We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .

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Source: AdDuplex Brings Bad News for Microsoft Windows Phone

Here's why Microsoft wants everyone to get Windows 10 by July — and what happens if they don't

REUTERS/Robert GalbraithMicrosoft CEO Satya Nadella speaks during his keynote address at the company's "build" conference in San Francisco, California April 2, 2014

Microsoft is giving away Windows to any existing customers for free until July 26, 2016. 

This is a dramatic shift from how previous versions of Windows have worked. Beyond this, it has also had a big effect on how Microsoft's finances work.

Giving away the operating system for free seems like it makes no sense. Traditionally, Microsoft has made money by selling Windows (or, as an extension, Office) to consumers and businesses. Now, it just sells Windows to businesses and gives it away to consumers. 

The reasoning behind this is simple, and has been articulated by Microsoft many times: Windows on one billion devices. 

Getting Windows 10 onto one billion devices — roughly the same number as Apple has on iOS — is tough. Windows is a computer operating system, not a phone operating system. This was great when PCs ruled, but that is no longer true. 

However, the PC market is still massive — around 270 million units per year — and Microsoft has a good chance of getting Windows 10 onto one billion devices. But to do it, the company had to make a compromise and give it away for free. 

REUTERS/Jason RedmondMicrosoft Corp shareholders drink coffee as they wait to hear Chief Executive Satya Nadella speak at his first annual shareholders' meeting in Bellevue, Washington December 3, 2014 Drastic times call for drastic measures

To make that decision — which was likely the idea of CEO Satya Nadella — possible, Microsoft has had to invent new lines of revenue. 

Office 365, for example, works better when a lot of people use it because it's subscription-based. Instead of getting a one-time fee — usually around $100 (£70) per copy — Microsoft now gets $5.99 (£5.99) every month which, in a little over a year, generates more money than the old model. 

This change means that Microsoft has had to look for different ways to monetise Windows. The Windows Store is one example of this and, according to Microsoft, it's becoming a hit (annoyed developers aside). 

Microsoft needs the most amount of people to use the Windows Store to make it viable. Apple's App Store, which is worth tens of billions of dollars a year, is valuable because one billion people have access to it. 

Apple recently announced its holiday quarter results and made a big deal out of its "Services" division which, in essence, was the App Store. According to Apple, its services business is worth $31 billion (£22 billion) per year. 

Microsoft wants to get some of that $31 billion — or, more accurately, create its own — and giving away Windows is a key part of that mission because the more people you have using your operating system, the more money you can make from it. 

REUTERS/Hannibal HanschkeMicrosoft CEO Satya Nadella holds a speech to present the companies new cloud strategy for Germany in Berlin, November 11, 2015. But why did Microsoft want to change its business model? 

The PC market, despite shipping 270 million units, is on the decline as people buy smartphones. 

Microsoft's smartphone business is in trouble having shipped just 110 million units in its entire lifetime compared to around 4.5 billion iOS and Android shipments. 

Sorry, Windows Phone. 110m lifetime sales - 4.5bn iOS & Android phones sold in the same period pic.twitter.com/CO03XWhYJg

— Benedict Evans (@BenedictEvans) January 28, 2016

Essentially, Microsoft has had little choice but to give away Windows for free, to anyone, to increase usage in a world that is increasingly hostile to PCs. 

Microsoft has also been distributing its apps on other platforms and now has over 300 million Office downloads on iOS and Android. The company originally made the apps exclusive to Office 365 customers but has since opened it up to anyone. 

A big kick in revenue from cloud service — around $6.3 billion (£4.4 billion) in the last quarter — also helped the company navigate this change. 

REUTERS/Thomas MukoyaMicrosoft CEO Satya Nadella (C) takes photographs with delegates after the launch of the Windows 10 operating system in Kenya's capital Nairobi, July 29, 2015. So what happens if the plan goes wrong? 

Microsoft is running a big risk giving away Windows for free and, come July, could choose to do any number of things. 

The company says it currently has over 200 million Windows users but that number needs to increase fivefold — and that isn't likely to happen in the next four or five months. 

ZDNet speculates that Microsoft could do one of three things: 

Go back to the original model of charging users a license to get Windows. 

Extend the period of time Windows 10 is free for. 

Change out the free offer for a different offer. 

Any of these three options is viable and the only way to find out what the company will do is wait until July 26, but the most likely guess at this time is that Microsoft chooses option two, bites the bullet, and offers another six months of free Windows 10 to on-board as many users as possible. 

However, the free offer will have to end eventually and Microsoft could be a very different company by that time. 

According to Microsoft's holiday quarter report, the Windows Store is growing, the third-party apps are a hit, cloud revenues are up, and the Surface line is looking bright — but will these be enough to bring Microsoft into a new age? 

We'll have to wait until July 26, 2016 to find out. 

NOW WATCH: This is what your phone looks like when you have 8 million Instagram followers Please enable Javascript to watch this video
Source: Here's why Microsoft wants everyone to get Windows 10 by July — and what happens if they don't

Microsoft Surface tops $1.3B for quarter, but Lumia smartphone sales plummet

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Microsoft's Surface sales rebounded in the company's fiscal 2016 second quarter ending December, thanks in part to the launch of the Surface Pro 4 tablet and the first Surface Book laptop, Microsoft reported.

When it comes to installation, you can do that either automatically via Windows Update service, but this means you have to wait for your Surface to receive the present update, or manually by downloading and applying Microsoft's release. However, the updates have yet to solve the battery drain and wake-up issues.

Surface Pro 4 owners get the first two fixes listed above, along with a Surface Fingerprint Sensor driver update which is supposed to improve the accuracy of the sensor.

It is quite clear after reading the update description that Microsoft hasn't fixed the battery drain and sleeping issues, even though it covers enhanced keyboard detection and stability patches for Nvidia graphics cards.

Although reassuring to see Microsoft still working on a fix, it is slightly disappointing given the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book have been out on the market for a few months at this point. Microsoft has found this issue to be happening due to Intel Skylake chipsets. The new update has made it harder to detach the Surface Book screen. Complaints are also coming, that with the new updates, the Surface devices have stopped recognising the Surface Pen.

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Source: Microsoft Surface tops $1.3B for quarter, but Lumia smartphone sales plummet

Microsoft financials raise doubts over the future of Windows Phone

Barely two years into Satya Nadella's tenure as Microsoft CEO, the once-passé tech giant continues to gain ground, as evidenced by Thursday's quarterly earnings report. A year ago, the company revenue was $26.47 billion.

During the quarter, Microsoft returned $6.5 billion to shareholders in the form of share repurchases and dividends.

Finally Personal Computing revenue is down 5% ( or 2% in constant currency) mainly thanks to the declining revenue from OEMs licensing Windows. But the big highlight was Azure revenue, which grew 140 percent, including revenue from Azure premium services growing almost 3x year-over-year.

For the quarter, Redmond reported non-GAAP revenue of $25.7 billion for its second quarter, with adjusted earnings per share $0.78. Other companies like Google and IBM lag behind, as Microsoft's growth in cloud accelerates.

The company reported a rise in unearned revenue balances of $19.8bn, up 8% in constant currencies, representing services that have been paid for up front, but not yet delivered.

All that Microsoft needs right now is a strong growth oriented long-term strategy in the smartphone segment that should be centered around a more efficient and robust Windows 10 Mobile iteration. Subscriptions for Office 365 productivity software also lured both businesses and consumers, and even Windows sales came in better than the overall PC market, fueled by the adoption of Windows 10.

Moreover, Personal Computing has been hit by Microsoft's inability to make a space for itself as a phone platform.

The number of people using the Xbox Live service for digital content and video games climbed 30% to a record 48 million.

Microsoft also fared well with its Office 365 cloud product, a major part of the "intelligent cloud" sector, which saw revenue growth of almost 70% in constant currency. Office 365 subscribers grew to 20.6 million and Windows 10 is now on more than 200 million devices.

"They nailed the cloud", said Matt Howard, a venture capitalist at Norwest Ventures who monitors Microsoft closely.

This segment, which includes results Windows licensing and devices (Surface, phones, and Xbox), declined 17 percent to $9.4 billion.

Source: Microsoft financials raise doubts over the future of Windows Phone

Microsoft's Lumia may be a dead phone walking, as sales continue to fall

As Lumia sales keep sliding, the sole hope is the rumored Surface phone.

Microsoft said Thursday that it sold half as many Lumia smartphones as it did a year ago, and that the trend will continue—what some might call a virtual death sentence for Microsoft's Lumia smartphone line.

In its quarterly earnings call Thursday, Microsoft said that it sold 4.5 million Lumia phones during the fourth calendar quarter, down a whopping 57 percent compared to  the 10.5 million sold during the same period a year ago. Phone revenue as a whole declined 53 percent, or $1.2 billion. Even worse, Microsoft chief financial officer Amy Hood told analysts to expect that its phone revenue would decline a comparable amount in the coming quarter as well.

That means that by the end of March, Microsoft's phone business will be worth roughly $636 million in terms of revenue. That's roughly three times the revenue recorded by Blackberry's hardware division in November—and BlackBerry, of course, has basically transitioned into an Android phone company. Like the Black Knight, Microsoft's phone business may not be quite dead yet, but how long does it have to go?

Why this matters: Oddly enough, perhaps the easiest pill to swallow is the one that might normally cost an executive his or her head: the recognition that Microsoft spent $7.2 billion in 2013 to buy Nokia's device business, and has essentially blown it. But with $102 billion in cash and short-term investments, even $7 billion is a relative drop in the bucket. What has to sting, however, is watching Apple record $18.4 billion in profit alone, primarily by selling iPhones and related services. Microsoft is watching its own  opportunity to develop a smartphone ecosystem slowly evaporate, quarter by quarter.

"Congratulations on a great quarter"

Overall, Microsoft's profits declined by 15 percent to $23.8 billion, as profits fell 5 percent to just under $5 billion. (Factoring out currency fluctuations and older one-time charges, Microsoft's revenue grew 3 percent, and profits by 20 percent.) The drop in phone revenue dragged down Microsoft's overall devices revenue by 26 percent compared with the previous year, despite an all-time high for the Surface tablet business, which recorded $1.35 billion in revenue after the launch of the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book.

Interestingly, not a single Wall Street analyst asked about the future of Microsoft's phone business, generally choosing to ask about the state of the overall customer economy or Microsoft's continued strength in the cloud or enterprise services. Neither did Hood or chief executive Satya Nadella, besides reporting on the performance of the business unit and its future prospects. In fact, practically every analyst congratulated Microsoft for a strong quarter despite the more sobering aspects. 

The Windows Phone space seems eerily quiet. Microsoft isn't booking appointments to show off new devices at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next month. The rumor pipeline is also cold, beyond tantalizing whispers of a "Surface phone" that some hope could be the savior of Microsoft's smartphone business. According to AdDuplex, the most popular Windows Phone remains the Lumia 520, released in April 2013. 

Analysts, too, are holding out hope that the Surface phone materializes. "The phone business appears to be trailing off very quickly," Patrick Moorhead, principal at Moor Insights & Strategy, said in an email. "I do not think this is a last gasp however, as I do have a degree of confidence in the Surface team to create a differentiated smartphone if they are given as many chances as they had with Surface Pro. I also believe that there is a future in the commercial market for a Windows 10 phone with Continuum."

To be fair, Microsoft has never officially said it plans to discontinue its smartphone business. But Microsoft's woes in the smartphone space are well known: a shortage of third-party apps, plus a Windows 10 Mobile operating system seemingly designed for the small, loyal cadre of existing Windows enthusiasts. As Moorhead notes, however, we have yet to see the impact of the Microsoft "bridge" technology, porting apps written for iOS to the Windows platform.

I've always been a fan of the Lumia hardware, especially the new Continuum feature, but many of the features that have sold Lumia phones in the past now appear on Android phones and iPhones—in part, where the apps are concerned, because Microsoft put them there.

Microsoft continues to sell Windows Phone overseas, nearing 10-percent penetration in the United Kingdom and other European countries. But in the United States, comScore puts it at 2.8 percent, and falling—and that's for November. 

Reputation can buoy or bury a product, and once a brand attracts the stink of failure, that's it. Microsoft hasn't killed the Lumia line. Neither has the press, or retailers. It's the customers that have walked away from Windows Phone, leaving it by the side of the road.

Updated at 7:52 PM with comments from Patrick Moorhead.

Source: Microsoft's Lumia may be a dead phone walking, as sales continue to fall

Tencent drops Windows 10 Mobile QQ development

Tencent has announced that it will halt the development of a QQ app for the upcoming Windows 10 Mobile platform.

In an online announcement on Wednesday, the company said that "despite that the era of Windows 10 Mobile is coming, we may not follow closely this time. It is not because we are changing, but the reality is cruel, which drives us to change and adapt to the times". It claimed that it has been a true supporter of previous Windows mobile platforms between 2011 and 2016.

"Users on the Windows Phone platform keeps declining and have moved to other platforms, but [we] didn't notice that Microsoft is showing any effort to retain them," said Tencent. "But we believe that Windows 10 Mobile is a good platform which is yet a hit to the market."

Tencent said its QQ app will continue to support the current Windows Mobile platform, but the company will not make major updates and will enter routine maintenance.

QQ's official download page shows that the latest version of mobile QQ for Windows Phone platform was made on June 12, 2015, while its iOS version and Android version were both refreshed this January, indicating that the plan to ditch the unpopular platform might have been long-planned.

Despite more and more Chinese people migrating to mobile-friendly WeChat, QQ remains one of the most popular messaging tools in China, both on desktop and mobile terminals.

As of September 30, 2015, QQ's monthly active users reached 860 million, 639 million of whom use mobile terminals to log on to their QQ accounts, according to the company's third-quarter financial report in November.

An earlier report indicates that Android and iOS own a market share of smartphones in China, of 78.1 percent and 19.4 percent respectively as of August 2015, compared with Windows' tepid 2.3 percent.

Source: Tencent drops Windows 10 Mobile QQ development

Microsoft grabs surfacephone.com domain. You do the math.

What's This?

Microsoft's Lumia 950 runs Windows 10 Mobile and can connect to displays for a PC-like experience.

Image: Raymond Wong/Mashable

By Raymond Wong2016-01-28 16:17:47 UTC

A Surface-branded smartphone could be coming soon.

Reddit user nok4us noticed Microsoft now owns surfacephone.com; the URL redirects to the company's Surface website. Microsoft also snatched up surfacecar.com, although it's less likely that an actual Surface car is going to be announced any time soon.

While owning the domain isn't confirmation that a Surface Phone really is coming, the possibility of Microsoft releasing such a device isn't completely unrealistic.

Last December, Windows Central published a report saying Microsoft had abandoned an Intel-powered Windows 10 Mobile phone and had switched gears to building a Surface phone for release in the second half of 2016.

Panos Panay, corporate vice president for Surface Computing at Microsoft, was reportedly put in charge of the Surface phone project. Who better to lead development on a Surface phone than the guy who gave us the excellent Surface Pros 3 and 4 and the Surface Book convertible.

Consumers have shown little interest in Microsoft's Lumia-branded smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile. The Lumia 950 and 950 XL are Microsoft's best smartphones, but Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile's biggest problem still remains: The app ecosystem is puny.

As we said in our Lumia 950 review, where are essential apps like full-featured versions of Instagram and Snapchat? A Surface phone won't fix Windows' apps problem, but it would at least give consumers hardware worth getting excited for.

With a worldwide mobile market share of only 1.7% as of Q3 2015, according to Gartner, Microsoft needs something huge to reverse the failure that was Windows Phone.

Though we don't have details on the Surface phone, outside of a tidbit that it may be powered by an Intel chip, Microsoft could provide more details at its upcoming Build 2016 developer conference at the end of March.

BONUS: Hands on with the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Source: Microsoft grabs surfacephone.com domain. You do the math.

Microsoft will preload TripAdvisor on Windows 10 devices in a bid for relevance

Despite universal hatred for bloatware, Microsoft is willing to shove high-profile apps in front of users.

In a move that's sure to annoy consumers, TripAdvisor said Wednesday that its popular travel app will come preloaded on millions of Windows 10 desktop and mobile devices later this year. It's a sign of Microsoft's desperate attempts at app relevance that that actually sounds like a good idea.

TripAdvisor said that its app for Android and iOS has already been downloaded 215 million times to date, serving up a mix of user reviews and photos, plus a mobile feature that points users to nearby points of interest. 

On devices supplied by Microsoft, only one third-party app tends to be preloaded: Candy Crush Soda Saga, precisely because consumers despise bloatware. Third-party vendors feel differently, however. The fact is, preloaded apps can slow down a machine and eat up precious space on a hard drive or SSD, which is why in 2015 PCWorld listed the PC vendors to avoid if you hate preloaded applications.

Smartphones also typically limit their bloatware to apps created by the carrier or device maker. In general, Apple and Google focus on supplying their own apps first and foremost, leaving it to the user to pick her own third-party apps.

So why would Microsoft's partners choose to preinstall TripAdvisor, as well as other Windows 10 apps in the future? Because it's a good idea.

No one trusts Microsoft's app store

If you know nothing else but the name of a specific app, you can be almost certain to find it in Apple's app store, and odds are there's a version for Android, to boot. Apps that aren't intrinsically mobile, such as Slack, generally have a version that the developers have authored for Windows PCs, or else there's a generic Web service. 

With Windows 10 Mobile, however, it's a far different story. Android apps total almost 2 million; the number of apps written for iOS is about the same. Microsoft has stopped breaking out the number of mobile apps written for Windows 10 and Windows Phone 8.1, but  now claims, "there are 669,000 apps written for phones, desktops, and tablets in the Windows Store." Let's face it: We all assume that apps written for Android and iOS simply aren't on the Windows mobile app store, and we're surprised when they are. 

So if a user is buying a new Windows phone, it stands to reason that Microsoft wants to reinforce the notion that Windows phones are a rich platform, and that top apps are indeed written for it. Preloading popular apps like TripAdvisor or Yelp helps Windows' image. (It'd be nice, obviously, if a few more major developers followed suit.) And as long as those preloaded apps can be easily uninstalled, I think users will be okay with it.

With just 2.8 percent of the U.S. smartphone market, Microsoft is staring into the abyss. Windows Phone 8.1 struggled, and recent reports suggest that it will be February or early March before older Windows 8.1 phones begin upgrading to Windows 10 Mobile. Rival Blackberry has basically given up and embraced Android. Yes, preloading apps smacks of desperation. But that's where we're at.

Editor's Note: This story's headline has been corrected to note that Microsoft's hardware partners will preinstall the TripAdvisor app, not Microsoft.

Source: Microsoft will preload TripAdvisor on Windows 10 devices in a bid for relevance

Holiday sales seemed to have little effect on the Windows Phone device landscape

To no surprise, the AdDuplex Windows Phone Statistics Report for January 2016 shows that holiday sales seemed to have little effect on the Windows Phone device landscape.

Overall, in the US, AdDuplex finds that the only Windows Phone position change for the month of January is the Lumia 435, which has risen two places to a share of 0.3%. The biggest share change in America is the Lumia 640, which gained a 1.7% share in the US  since the last analysis. The reports also details that the Windows Phone loser in the US is the Lumia 521, which lost another 0.8% share in January.

Software wise, the report finds that Windows 10 mobile is now running on 9.5% of analyzed devices, a lead over the 8.4% of analyzed devices running Windows Phone 8.0.   Windows Phone 7, 8.0, 8.1, all are down, with 0.5%, 0.4% and 0.1% usage in the devices that AdDuplex analyzed. According to AdDupex, the changes suggest that the growth in Windows 10 usages are being driven by new devices.

Worldwide, however, there was an increase in the popularity of the Lumia 640, which went up 1.0% in share in AddDuplex's overall analysis. Also, while other devices such as the Lumia 435, 535, and 640 CL saw 0.3% increases in share, the popular Lumia 520's share declined 1.1%.

Windows Phone Devices Worldwide

Meanwhile, the report finds that Microsoft and Lumia remain the top Windows Phone 8 & 10 manufacturers with 96.97% of share. Blu, however, has overtaken Huawei as the fourth most popular manufacturer. Even though the Nokia and Microsoft share numbers have remained the same, it actually means that their market share has dropped, considering a new reported manufacturer name for Microsoft.

The AdDuplex report goes on to cover the share of Windows Phone devices in markets in Germany, Italy, Poland, Indonesia and Argentina. According to AdDuplex, the same Lumia devices make up the top 10 in the German market in January as they did in November, but with a small change in order. The Lumia 640 has overtaken the 930 to become the second most popular device in the German market. The Lumia 530 has also climbed to spots in the report.

The AdDuplex report is based on data collected from 5,298 Windows Phone apps running AdDuplex SDK v2 and higher. The raw data is analyzed and collected over the day of January 22nd 2016. AdDuplex, established in January 2011, is the largest cross-promotion network for Windows Phone and Windows Store apps and games. Over 10,000 apps actively use AdDuplex to gain visibility.

AdDuplexreportWindows Phone

Source: Holiday sales seemed to have little effect on the Windows Phone device landscape

Windows Phone Executive Joe Belfiore Is Using An iPhone And That's Okay

An executive for Windows Phone, Joe Belfiore, has been spotted on Twitter using an iPhone. While some are up in arms about it, Belfiore suggests that he has his reasons.(Photo : George Frey | Getty Images)

When you are head of a major smartphone platform that happens to be the least popular in the world, it turns out you quickly stop using it.

Joe Belfiore, who works as the Corporate Vice President of Operating Systems Group at Microsoft, recently took a year off — as of October 2015 — to take a trip around the world.

Belfiore has been tweeting pictures of his trip, and one tweet in particular shows off his actual preference when it comes to smartphones — the iPhone.

There are a number of replies to the tweet, pointing out that Belfiore isn't using a Windows Phone, and plenty of people are suggesting that Belfiore should be working on making the platform better.

Of course, Belfiore's phone choice likely doesn't really mean that much except the fact that even Microsoft executives aren't huge fans of the Windows Phone platform. Microsoft has also been releasing a number of cross-platform apps, so perhaps Belfiore is making sure to use all the Windows apps while he's on holiday. Not only that, but even Belfiore mentions in an article published by the Verge that it's important for Microsoft to be knowledgeable about its competition.

"To understand the benefits and drawbacks of a full ecosystem like Windows, Android, iOS — you have to LIVE IN IT," said Belfiore in a comment. "You have to feel its strengths and weaknesses, be let down, be delighted. And you can't do that just "playing around" with a device for a couple of days."

© 2016 Tech Times, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Source: Windows Phone Executive Joe Belfiore Is Using An iPhone And That's Okay

Microsoft's iPhone keyboard: Now Word Flow one-handed typing fan design surfaces

With Word Flow as one of the more prized Windows Phone features, there may be less incentive to purchase a Lumia in future.

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft is testing out a novel fan design for its forthcoming Word Flow keyboard for the iPhone that will make it easier to type with just the thumb.

Details of the keyboard design have leaked just days after Microsoft sent out invites to iPhone owners in its Windows Insiders program to participate in a Word Flow for iOS beta test.

Each row of keys in Word Flow for iOS, as Microsoft observers at Thurrott.com point out, sits on an arc shunted to the bottom corner of the phone, thus allowing each key to be within reach of one thumb. It's reminiscent of the fanned keyboard design Microsoft Research had in the works in 2012 for Windows Phone.

Told you it would leak quickly after I posted this morning. pic.twitter.com/BsMkTFM10G

-- Brad Sams (@bdsams) January 25, 2016

Windows Mobile 10 also has a one-handed typing mode. However, for Lumia devices the feature crams the keyboard in its standard design to either side of the display for left- or right-handed users.

The Verge has now posted a leaked image of Microsoft's new fanned keyboard, which Thurrott has also now posted on Twitter.

The new keyboard marks the latest feature from Windows Phone that was once essentially exclusive to Lumia devices. Some were surprised to see Cortana launch on iOS, following highly polished releases of Outlook, Office, and OneNote for the iPhone.

With Word Flow as one of the more prized Windows Phone features, there may be less incentive to purchase a Lumia in future.

Besides the arc design, Microsoft's Word Flow also offers a powerful predictive engine that helped it set the world record for fastest texting.

Read more about mobile apps
Source: Microsoft's iPhone keyboard: Now Word Flow one-handed typing fan design surfaces

Windows 10 mobile rollout gets delayed again

January 25th, 2016 at 10:26 pm - Author Matthew Wilson

Microsoft has had to delay the rollout of Windows 10 for mobile devices once again. The update was supposed to release soon after the team missed the December release date but now it looks like Windows Phone owners are going to have to wait a bit longer.

This is according to a report from VentureBeat. Microsoft originally wanted to put Windows 10 on current Lumia devices later this month but apparently the software just "isn't ready yet".

Windows 10 has appeared on two devices already, namely the Lumia 950 and 950 XL. Apparently the rollout of Windows 10 on smartphones will now take place after the release of the Lumia 650, which will be a low-end device aimed at businesses.

The Lumia 650 is also currently tipped to be the last Lumia ever. After that, Microsoft will apparently move on to new branding for its Windows smartphones. The company has toyed with the idea of a Surface phone in the past so that could be the direction Microsoft takes things later this year.

KitGuru Says: Microsoft is looking to unify desktop, laptop and mobile with Windows 10. However, it seems that the company is running into some issues on the mobile front. Are any of you running a Windows Phone at the moment? Are you planning on sticking with it? 

Source: Windows 10 mobile rollout gets delayed again

Windows 10 Mobile Looks To Be ‘Delayed Again’

Windows 10 Mobile has been delayed again and may not launch until February, according to an email from Microsoft to partners that was leaked to VentureBeat,

Source: Windows 10 Mobile Looks To Be 'Delayed Again'

Windows Mobile Weekly Digest: WhatsApp goes free, the HERE suite returns, and the Lumia 650 gets delayed

There's a lot going on in the world of Windows Phone. So much, in fact, that it is sometimes tough to catch every important story.

Device rumors come and go. New apps join the Windows Phone Store, and your favorite app can get a big update with a new look or new features.

Therefore, every week we will compile a list of the Windows Phone news that you just shouldn't miss. Welcome to the "Windows Phone Weekly Digest."

1. Windows Mobile

Two new lesser-known smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile went on sale this week. The unlocked 5.5-inch Coship Moly X1 hit Amazon for $300. In addition, the budget-friendly Bush Eluma landed on Argos for U.K. for £79.95.

Microsoft added Continuum support for Windows 10 Mobile phones running Snapdragon 617. Any phone hoping to run Continuum must have a display with at least a 720p resolution, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.

It looks like people with older phones hoping to get the update to Windows 10 Mobile may have to wait until the end of February. A tweet sent to Bouygues Telecom asking for the status of the update was answered with a simple "It would not be before late February!"

It also appears that the official Lumia 650 announcement has been delayed. Initially set for February 1, the low-key blog launch has been pushed back to sometime in mid-February, due to some last minute software/firmware bugs that were found.

Other notable items:

2. Apps

Third-party Twitter client Fenice picked up a significant updateadding in-app YouTube playback, UI improvements, and a whole bunch of new features.

After failing to fully monetize in emerging markets, Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp retired their annual subscription fee for everyone. Initially, there were fears that the decision would lead to the implementation of third-party advertisements, but WhatsApp assured users in a statement that that would not be the case.

Another popular messaging app, Telegram is planning to develop a universal Windows 10 app. When asked about the possibility on Twitter, CEO Pavel Durov told a fan that they "definitely" have plans for one. Unfortunately, that's all we know, as no timetable was given.

Dropbox and Microsoft announced a new universal Windows 10 app, complete with drag-and-drop controls, interactive notifications, and even Windows Hello integration.

Fitness company Lose It! said that their Windows Phone app has been delayed, with no ETA in sight. LoseIt! Reports that the suspension of Microsoft's "Project Astoria," the Android-to-Windows 10 converter, is to blame:

"Per MS's direction we used Astoria. That's where we've invested resources & what we committed to. Nothing planned for Islandwood"

And after being pulled from the Windows Store back in October, the HERE suite of apps made their triumphant return. The disappearance was blamed on an undisclosed technical issue, which has yet to be elaborated on.

Other notable items:

Domino's Pizza orders up an app fix for hungry Windows 10 Mobile users

6tag picks up an update with adapted UI for the Lumia 640XL, 950XL, 1320, 1520

Third-party Reddit app Readit gets a brand new post viewer and more

Straw will now let you create your own topics

Third-party Twitter app Aeries adds video uploads and more

Shazam and Windows Maps receive minor updates

Microsoft updates Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Sway on Windows 10

Bone up on your 50 states facts with Know Your States for Windows PC and Phone

Popular game emulator RetroArch is coming to Windows Phone

Hear It First puts multi-lingual voice on Windows 10 PC and Mobile as an AdDuplex HERO

Windows Calculator snags minor update on Windows 10 PC and mobile

Playcast update brings Miracast support, new drive sources and more

OneNote, Uber and Netflix for Windows Phone, Windows 10 Mobile get minor updates

Messaging + Skype gets another small update

Find the best photos for your presentations with Pickit, now on Windows 10 and Mobile

AppRaisin gets new App Info card, improvements to Add News flow and more

Airtravel: Flights and Hotels closes out this week's AdDuplex HERO App lineup

OneDrive for Windows 10 Mobile gets a bug fixing update

Store app for Windows 10 PC and Mobile updated with new music collections feature

3. Games

In gaming news, Age of Empires: Castle Siege added player leagues in its latest update. The leagues break alliances into smaller groups to compete in tournaments against for in-game prizes. The game also picked up some other tweaks and bug fixes.

We took a look at Panzer Geeks, Game Troopers' crazy combat game for Windows Phone. The game has you racing a toy tank downhill to ram through hordes of enemies.

And there's still a possibility that Age of Empires: World Domination will be released for Windows Phone. Windows Central received an email from the game's developer, Klab, who said that "support for Windows Phone/Windows OS is being considered."

Other notable items:

Be sure to weigh in on this week's news in the comments section. See you next week!

Source: Windows Mobile Weekly Digest: WhatsApp goes free, the HERE suite returns, and the Lumia 650 gets delayed

Just Accept It: The Microsoft Lumia 950 Is Just Not Likeable

News By Anna Aoki | January 24, 2016

Microsoft's latest smartphone, Lumia 950, is built for the Windows-native in you. You've owned a Windows-running PC all your life and this is phone that complements everything you do on your desktop. But it turns out that the Lumia 950 garnered a rather large group of people disliking the phone.

For those unfamiliar, the Lumia 950 sports a 5.2-inch display and a resolution of 1440 x 2560 with 564ppi. The Snapdragon 808 processor is responsible for powering up the phone, and it also has 32GB of storage room (that could be expandable to 200GB, mind-blown yet?), and there is 3GB of RAM. It's also worthy to note that its AMOLED display serves as a pretty energy-efficient element too; when the screen displays blacks, it actually goes off too.

Now, it isn't all that hateful about the phone, no? Well, it doesn't come without its downsides. Perhaps the major turn-off is the fact that there is limitation in apps that are offered, despite having the Windows 10 it boasts about. It also seems that flagship devices almost always get standard priced, so it could have been better for the wallets if it were cheaper.

Do you think the lack of apps is a major turn-off for you?

Source: Just Accept It: The Microsoft Lumia 950 Is Just Not Likeable

Xiaomi Mi Pad 2 With Windows 10 Will Be Available For Order On Jan 26th For 1200 Yuan

Xiaom's Mi Pad 2 with Windows 10 is now going on sale on Jan 26th. For those wondering, the Mi Pad 2 is thinner than its predecessor (8.5mm) with a thickness of 6.96mm. The device weighs in at only 322 grams, which is 38 grams lighter than the original Mid Pad. The device packs a […]

Read more at Microsoft News

Source: Xiaomi Mi Pad 2 With Windows 10 Will Be Available For Order On Jan 26th For 1200 Yuan

Microsoft Lumia 650 announcement allegedly delayed to mid-February

Recently a report published by Windows Central claimed Microsoft was going to announce the Lumia 650 on February 1. However, the website has come up with a new report now, claiming that the announcement has been delayed.

Apparently, Microsoft has found some issues with the software for the device and needs some time to fix those issues before launch. The delay could also possibly allow Microsoft to minimize the gap between announcement and availability of the handset. The latest report adds that Microsoft is using laser cutting for the metal edges on the smartphone, which should give it a premium appearance.

The decision to announce the Lumia 650 by mid-February through their official blog likely confirms Microsoft not having any interest in having a presence at the Mobile World Congress this year.

Finally, the latest report claims the Lumia 650 will be the only Lumia branded handset to launch this year, which means the recently leaked "Lumia Phone X" isn't likely to be released. The Lumia brand itself may be phased out in the future, although this is far from confirmed currently.

Source: Windows Central

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Source: Microsoft Lumia 650 announcement allegedly delayed to mid-February

Starbucks Mobile Ordering Expands Throughout The UK

The service is only available on iOS and Android, giving Windows Phone users yet another reason to question their choices.

Orders are immediately sent to the chosen Starbucks and users of the app are given an approximate collection time. Introducing #MobileOrderandPay, now available nationwide.

Starbucks has now extended its Mobile Order and Pay service for coffee to Android devices.

Starbucks is now turning its digital investment to China, its second largest market, where it's planning a full roll out of Mobile Order and Pay. However, "China is here to stay" according to Johnson and it will continue with plans to increase its number of stores from 2,000 to more than 10,000 by 2019.

The Seattle company reported a record $5.4 billion in revenue last quarter, up 12 percent from previous year, and earnings per share of 46 cents - both of which were right around what analysts expected.

Starbucks announced today that all its company-owned stores around the United Kingdom now support its Order and Pay feature that allows parched customers in need of a hasty caffeine fix to skip the queue altogether.

Source: Starbucks Mobile Ordering Expands Throughout The UK

Microsoft Announces 1TB, Core i7, 16GB RAM Surface Book And Surface Pro 4

Microsoft today announced the availability of the most powerful versions yet of Surface Book and Surface Pro 4.  It feature 1TB of storage, 6th Generation Intel Core i7 processors and 16GB of RAM for ultimate performance. Both these devices are now on sale in the United States and Canada. This new Surface Book will be […]

Read more at Microsoft News

Source: Microsoft Announces 1TB, Core i7, 16GB RAM Surface Book And Surface Pro 4

15 Windows 10 Tips from A Fanatic

"I enjoy using a PC just as much as some people enjoy using their iPhone." Saying that aloud in front of certain crowds is like declaring that you're insane. People usually assume that Windows can't be that great, that the guy declaring his appreciation for most of Microsoft's products – including Windows 10 – may have some deep issues.

It's not that I love everything about Microsoft or Windows 10; there are some things that I simply can't stand about them both. What I do appreciate is the amount of customizing that you can do and how far reaching the tendrils of Windows and its core services are at this point. My Windows 10 machine is just is good as any Mac, once I've made some changes to the way it works and behaves.

I'm not promising that you too can love Windows 10 if you make the same changes to your device that I have. I do think you could find yourself able to tolerate Windows 10, at the very least.

Turn on Device Tracking

My journey with configuring a Windows 10 PC always starts with security. Windows 10 has built-in virus protection that I choose to use instead of third-party solutions. This is also the first version of Windows that comes with some basic tools to help you retrieve your lost or stolen device.

Go into the Settings app and tap or click on Update & Security. Look for the Find My Device menu option. Turn this on to let you track your device through Microsoft's website if you should ever need to. Note that it uses internet connections to pinpoint where your device is, unless your device has built-in GPS technology.

Enable Cortana Always Listening If You're Going to Use Her

The single best feature of Windows 10, is Cortana, the digital assistant that first came to Windows Phone before expanding into Windows, iOS and Android this year. She's my scratchpad and encyclopedia. Having her in Windows and syncing to my iPhone makes every day run a bit smoother. Once I've got security nailed down, I move on to enabling her.

Click or tap on the Cortana icon to the left of the Windows button on your Taskbar. After agreeing to Microsoft's Terms & Conditions, go into her Notebook and explore her settings. Enable Always Listening so that you can give her commands whenever you need to. You may want to tell her some information about yourself too.

Read: How to Use Hey Cortana with Windows 10

Change Time Zones Automatically

Windows has been able to change its own clock for to adjust for daylight savings time for years. One of the few features Microsoft added in the Windows 10 November Update was the option for Windows to manually adjust for changes in Time Zone. I traveled a lot last year. Sometimes didn't remember to adjust my Surface Pro 4 accordingly.

Enable Time Zone adjustments by tapping or clicking on the clock in the Taskbar. Then tap or click on Date and Time Settings.

Install Microsoft Companion Apps on Your iPhone or Android Device

Using a Windows Phone for years allowed me to get access to the same apps and services of Microsoft's from anywhere. When I switched away from Windows Phone a few years ago I thought I was leaving all of Microsoft's services behind. I did ditch some of them, but not all of them.

OneDrive, Outlook, Cortana, Groove Music, OneNote, Word, PowerPoint and Excel are available in the iTunes Store and the Google Play Store.

Get Microsoft Office For Free or With Office 365

Millions of businessmen, craftsmen and computer lovers the world over swear by Microsoft's Office suite of productivity apps. With Windows 10, Microsoft introduced new versions of the primary Office apps that are better suited for touch and casual users.

The first thing that I do productivity-wise on Windows 10 PCs that have a free trial of Office 2016 or Office 365 installed is uninstall them. I go to the Windows Store and replace them with the always saving, always connected, light-weight Word Mobile, OneNote Mobile, Excel Mobile and PowerPoint Mobile apps.

Read: How to Get Free Microsoft Office in Windows 10

You do need an Office 365 account to enjoy them, but that's well worth the $69.99 investment each year. Devices with screen-sizes smaller than 10 inches get access to the Office Mobile apps for free.

Flip One Switch and Add Some Color to Windows 10

Drab and gray, that's what Windows 10 looks like by default. I inject a bit of personality and color into the operating system by adding the accent color to the Taskbar and Start Menu. Usually, it's to complement whatever color Surface Type Cover I'm using at the moment.

Go to Settings app. Tap or click on Personalization. Now choose Colors from the menu on the left. There's switches for adding your accent color to the Action Center, Taskbar and more. Also note that you can have Windows choose an accent color that's inspired by your Desktop picture.

Add a Home Button and Home Page to Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge, Microsoft's new web browser and replacement for Internet Explorer outside of businesses, does two things so wrong by default that I immediately change them. First, it lacks a Home button to take you back to the site you start out at. Second, Microsoft uses a page filled with links to the Windows Store and MSN as the default for new tabs and a home page.

Open Microsoft Edge and click or tap on the three dots on the right side of your screen. From that fly-out menu, select Settings. From here you can explicitly set a Homepage for Edge. Clicking or tapping on the Advanced Settings button lets you add a Home button back to the interface.

Also take note that Internet Explorer is still around if you prefer to use it. Microsoft has it tucked within the Windows Accessories folder in your list of installed apps on the Start Menu/Starter Screen.

Create Multiple Desktops and More with TaskView

This isn't a setting, but rather a tip. On your Taskbar there's a button beside the search bar that allows you to easily switch between different apps and get a complete look at what you have open. It's called TaskView and definitely use it if you're one of those people that has a ton of open apps and programs to manage like I usually do.

You can also open TaskView by pressing the Tab and Windows keys at the same time.

Snap Apps To Every Corner of Your Screen

Another tip instead of a setting, Snap apps to the sides and corners of your screen by dragging them with your mouse or finger. They'll automatically resize. Windows 10 will also list other apps that you have open and may want to multitask with.

Reconfigure Your File Locations to Sync Everything to OneDrive

Microsoft neutered the OneDrive syncing client for Windows. Why that is remains a mystery, but one of the things that drive me crazy in recent years is how you need to do a bit of trickery to get all of your files onto OneDrive if you don't want to have to manage them yourself.

You're better able to manage your local storage and what's on OneDrive if you configure the app to sync entire folders down to your PC. Do this by clicking or tapping on the cloud icon in the Taskbar on the right. Select all the folders that are important to you to sync.

I also map my personal folders to companion folders in OneDrive so that everything saves to the service by default. You can do this by right-clicking on folders like Documents, Music and Video and changing their file location to folders in your OneDrive.

In the System area inside the Settings app under Storage there's an option for deciding where your files are saved. Don't hesitate to take advantage of this option too.

Turn On Windows Hello or Passcode

Not all Windows 10 devices have it, but there's a feature called Windows Hello that makes it crazy simple to login without just a gaze or a swipe of you finger.

Go into the Settings app and choose Sign-In options from the Menu on the right. If your computer is compatible, go ahead and setup Windows Hello. All Windows PCs can be configured with a passcode too. If you don't have Windows Hello, go for a passcode instead. Both keep me from having to retype my very long and complicated real Microsoft Account password.

Read: How to Login with Windows Hello in Windows 10

Add Your Game Links to the Xbox App

Microsoft says that its Xbox for Windows app is a one-stop shop for playing games inside and outside of the Windows Store. The company is right; the app does let you record video and take screenshots from games, plus other cool stuff.

When you install a game inside or outside of the Windows Store, it'll surface in the Xbox app on your Windows 10 PC. You can manually add games that don't show up there by default. I add all of my games here for mental clarity. It also helps that it keeps me connected to Xbox Live when I'm away from my Xbox.

Read: How to Use Xbox on Windows 10

Switch In and Out of Tablet Mode Automatically

Windows 10 2-in-1s have a feature that lets them switch in and out of Tablet Mode when a keyboard is detected. Manufacturers decide whether this switch happens automatically or if users should be asked if they'd like to switch. I turn this feature on by default so that the entire experience is a bit more seamless. If I've removed my keyboard I clearly want to be in a more touch-friendly environment.

Turn this on from the Settings app. It's listed in System under Tablet Mode.

Read: How to Use Tablet Mode in Windows 10

Add Shortcuts to the Action Center That Make Sense for Your Device

The Action Center offers quick shortcuts to what Microsoft has determined are most used settings. Thankfully, you can go beyond this and add some settings to it of your own.

Listed in the Settings app under System are the Actions and Notifications options. Choose which settings you'd like to quickly have access to from there.

Turn On Battery Saver at 30% and Make Some Exceptions for Your Crucial Apps

The last thing I do is take a hard look at storage and battery life. Storage is pretty easy to get a grasp on, Microsoft has analyzer in the System area that lets you get a quick look at what apps, programs and games are taking up the most space on your system.

Battery life takes some time though. Use your Windows 10 device for a few days, then dive into the Battery Saver area from the Settings app under System. Windows 10 provides a detailed breakdown of what apps and services are consuming the most power. From there you can choose to uninstall or not use the apps affecting your device's battery life the most.

Read: How to Get Better Windows 10 Battery Life

Don't stick to just making these changes. Explore the settings and options that are in Windows 10 to tailor it more to your style. There ae enough toggles and switches for popular features that you should end-up with a Windows 10 that's more tailored to your needs specifically.

Good luck.

Source: 15 Windows 10 Tips from A Fanatic

Microsoft update: Windows 10 Mobile release delayed, list of Lumia handsets to get it

Microsoft update: Windows 10 Mobile release delayed, list of Lumia handsets to get it

Microsoft update: Windows 10 Mobile release delayed, list of Lumia handsets to get it

Finally the cat is out of hat. If you were among millions of people awaiting the arrival of Microsoft's Windows 10 Mobile update on your Lumia devices, it will definitely come as a shock.

The Windows 10 Mobile update is not coming this week or even next week. A report in the SlashGear says that the release date for Windows 10 Mobile for older handsets has been further delayed. The leading technology blog claims that the update will not arrive before February.

It must be added here that the update was originally planned to be released in December, and people hoped they will get the update in the first or second week of the last month. Now when the first month of the new year is coming to an end we are told the Windows 10 Mobile release for Lumia devices has been further delayed.

People's enthusiasm for the new update is based on the rich features with which it comes. There are major differences between previous Windows Mobile versions and the latest OS update. The most important aspect is the fact that while the versions running on your handset will be optimised for a smaller screen it's still just considered Windows 10. This means that apps and features will look almost similar on your phone to on your desktop. You get the full versions of Office, Word and PowerPoint and they will look and operate much the same as the desktop versions.The first report about the Windows 10 delay is based on a report from France. French carrier Bouygues Telecom has said that the release of Windows 10 Mobile has been delayed until late February "the earliest," which means that Microso ft either has discovered a major bug in the operating system at the very last minute, or the company has more work to do before shipping it to Windows Phone devices. So wait gets longer for older Lumia handsets who were assured quick update launch once Windows 10 Mobile was out.

A few weeks ago T-Mobile Germany said that the updates will be available for the following handsetsMicrosoft Lumia 950 01078.00027.15506.02027 Windows 10 mobile build 10.0.10586.29Nokia Lumia 930 02540.00019.15234.50007 Windows 10 mobile build 10.0.10586.29Nokia Lumia 635 02040.00021.15235.50002 Windows 10 mobile build 10.0.10586.29Microsoft Lumia 535 02074.00000.15234.28001 Windows 10 mobile build 10.0.10586.29Nokia Lumia 830 02177.00000.15184.36004 Windows 10 mobile build 10.0.10586.29Microsoft Lumia 640 XL LTE 02177.00000.15184.36001 Windows 10 mobile build 10.0.10586.29Microsoft Lumia 640 LTE 02177.00000.15184.36002 Windows 10 mobile build 10.0.10586.29

Source: Microsoft update: Windows 10 Mobile release delayed, list of Lumia handsets to get it

NYPD to get special Translator app for their Windows Phones

Way back in October 2014 we reported that the NYPD would be securing as many as 31,000 Windows Phones for their local police force, funded by $160 million confiscated from presumed criminals.

A year later we reported that the roll-out appears to have gone well, with police officers already using the handsets to help solve and prevent crimes.

Now a Politico reporter on Twitter has posted some news about the latest development of the project.  Above is a slide taken from a public New York City meeting showing a typical NYPD smartphone screen, with a new app, the Translator app, which can translate up to 50 languages.

We assume the app is based on Microsoft technology, though of course there is no guarantee of this. Given the whirlpool of nationalities in New York we expect this feature will get a lot of use.

While Windows Phone has not done very well in the consumer market, it is doing much better in Enterprise, especially in Europe.  It is good to see a good level of development also occurring in USA.

Source: NYPD to get special Translator app for their Windows Phones

Lumia 950 XL Release Date, Review, Specs: Snapdragon 810 Octa-Core Makes Processor Easy?

Youtube/Cnet ChannelMicrosoft Lumia is one of the first who started mobile phone production in the industry. With its Lumia 950 and 950 XL, surely users will have a hard time to choose as both are excellent in telecommunication.

Microsoft Lumia is one of the first who started mobile phone production in the industry. With its Lumia 950 and 950 XL, surely users will have a hard time to choose as both are excellent in telecommunication. However, Microsoft want to thank the user by presenting the so called "Microsoft's Window Device Recovery Tool" to support the user in updating smart phones.

Microsoft on their website states the importance of Microsoft Windows Device Recovery Tool in detecting problems to a smart phone. Therefore, the team would want to release it as early as possible to the market to help users in maintaining good communication.

Report by Christian Today says that the tool will allow someone to use an app that will help in retrieving previous data from other mobile phones using an operating system that makes compatibility of smart phones possible.

On the other hand, latest about Microsoft Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL suggest that a firmware version from AT&T will allow for both to improve its telecommunication performance.

When it comes to specs, both have a 32 GB capacity of internal memory with 3 GB of RAM that enables for large data storage. In addition, it's built in 200 GB makes it up for more free space for storage.

On the other hand, Microsoft Lumia 950 has a Snapdragon hexa- core processor while the Lumia XL has a Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor which makes it a lot easier for processing.

When it comes to camera, both uses the Windows 10 mobile version 10589.0 which is capable of giving a clearer image for captivating moments.

Source: Lumia 950 XL Release Date, Review, Specs: Snapdragon 810 Octa-Core Makes Processor Easy?

Free Windows 10 Upgrade: What You Need to Know Now

It's been nearly a year since Microsoft first unveiled the free Windows 10 upgrade. Six months have passed since the company began letting users download its decidedly modern take on what Windows can be. Battles over the Start Menu have been won and lost. Charges of Microsoft using the operating system to lure users into paying for the upgrade later have been dismissed. The company recently confirmed that over 200 million people either took advantage of the Free Windows 10 Upgrade Offer or purchased devices that are now running the operating system.

Those are some pretty lofty download numbers for sure. The Free Windows 10 Upgrade Offer definitely helped in that. So too did positive reviews of the operating system in general. We found the operating system to be every bit the equalizer that Microsoft promised it would be. Windows 10 manages to find a delicate balance between offering items for touch and mice.

With the Windows 10 launch in the history books and tons of updates already available, it's time to take another look and reassess the upgrading  and Windows 10 in general.

Who is the Free Windows 10 Upgrade For?

Generally speaking, who the Free Windows 10 Upgrade Offer is for hasn't changed. If you're a person that has a notebook, desktop running a fairly recently version of Windows, Microsoft's wants you to upgrade. Available operating systems hasn't changed either, Windows 10 is available free for users at home that have Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 installed on their notebook, desktop or tablet. The upgrade offer still doesn't apply to devices that came with Windows XP or Windows Vista installed.

Windows 10 itself is for users that might have liked where Microsoft was going with Windows 7, only to find themselves let down by Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. the upgrade restores the Start Menu and windowed apps for users that have a keyboard connected. Every app that Microsoft makes is mouse, keyboard and touch friendly instead of being one or the other. Store apps can run in the Desktop. You can resize them and multitask with them just like you can with any other app downloaded over the web. Every option and area has an on-screen button for you to click. There are no hidden gestures involved.

Read: Windows 10 Review – A Love Affair

There are some big improvements for notebooks, tablets and desktops. The Task View button lets you see every app that you have open and create multiple desktops if you're not in Tablet Mode. Cortana, the personal assistant from Windows Phone, is integrated directly into Windows 10. Microsoft has unified its different stores, giving you one place to shop for music, movies, TV shows, apps and games. Xbox Live's multiplayer, Xbox Live Achievements and Xbox Live social networking are all built-into Windows 10.

Lately, Microsoft has started extending the Free Windows 10 Upgrade beyond users at home. Small business users are the company's next target. PCs with Professional versions of Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 that belong to an Active Directory and are setup to receive updates directly from Microsoft will start seeing the Free Windows 10 Upgrade Offer soon.

Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8.1, Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Pro for Students machines are all eligible for the Free Windows 10 Upgrade Offer, Microsoft says on its Windows 10 Specifications page.

Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 8.1 users all get Windows 10 Home. Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8.1 Pro and Windows 8.1 Pro for Students users get Windows 10 Professional. Besides domain joining and BitLocker Encryption, the biggest difference between these two versions of Windows 10 is updates. Windows 10 Home users get automatic updates that they can't delay. Windows 10 Pro users can delay updates, but only for so long.

Where to Get the Free Windows 10 Upgrade?

Chances are that if you're running Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 you're getting asked to download and install Windows 10 now. If you go into the Control Panel app and open Windows Update, you should be prompted about the Free Windows 10 Upgrade Offer. If not, look for a special button in your PC's notification tray on the bottom-right corner of your screen. Those who don't have Windows installing updates will need to turn them back on.

In place upgrades, which are the only kind that can be prompted through Windows Update, allow you to keep your stuff exactly where it is. Note that some programs might need to be uninstalled. Windows 10 will run a compatibility check to make sure that your PC will work with Windows 10 before it installs any upgrade.

Those with limited storage space and advanced concerns should investigate the company's Windows 10 Upgrade Tool. You'll need this tool and a flash drive if your device doesn't have enough free storage to manage the upgrade on its own.

Should You Download the Free Windows 10 Upgrade?

Whether you should take advantage of the Free Windows 10 Upgrade offer is a personal decision, that I wouldn't take lightly.

Windows 7 users are in for some pretty sweeping changes if they decide to make the move. Windows 10 starts faster and has tons of features and apps that weren't available when Windows 7 made its debut. It also kills off some features, Windows Media Center and desktop gadgets are just two of them.

Windows 8.1 users can expect an experience just as different. The Charms Bar is gone and the Start Screen only opens if you manually turn it back on or don't have a keyboard attached to your device. Cortana now sits on the Taskbar, waiting for your every command. Every Microsoft-made app has big improvements in Windows 10. No app automatically takes over your entire screen and forces you to perform gestures.

Unlike with early upgrades, lately Windows 10 has become a bit more stable. I don't necessarily think its bug-free by any means, but I feel a lot safer suggesting that users upgrade than I did in September when I encouraged users to not take the leap.

Source: Free Windows 10 Upgrade: What You Need to Know Now

Lumia 950 XL Review: Microsoft's first Windows 10 smartphone is difficult to recommend

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

The pin-sharp 2K display shines through the dull industrial design

Pros – Great 5.7" Screen, Brilliant 20MP Camera, Windows 10 Syncs Between Mobile And Desktop, Expandable Storage via MicroSD Card, Windows Hello,

Cons – Dull and Plasticky Design, Slow To Boot-Up, Mediocre Battery Life, Windows 10 Mobile Still Lacks A Compelling Selection of Apps

Windows 10 is currently taking desktop and tablet users by storm, with more than 200million activations worldwide.

Express.co.uk praised the OS in our review, saying it marked "a brilliant start to the next chapter for Microsoft Windows." 

And now, Microsoft has released the first smartphones to ship with Windows 10, the Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL.

The US technology firm has coupled its latest mobile operating system with some stellar specs, including a Quad HD display, a 20MP rear camera with Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) and a SnapDragon 810 processor.

But has Microsoft done enough to ensure its first Windows 10 smartphones can stand toe-to-toe with the competition?

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

For a £449.00 flagship smartphone, the plastic case feels uninspired and cheapDesign

The Lumia 950XL doesn't feel like a £449.00 smartphone. 

Truthfully, Microsoft's latest flagship handset feels a little cheap, thanks to the somewhat spongey buttons on its side and the removable plastic case. 

It certainly doesn't feel like a gadget that carries the same price tag as most people's first car.

Microsoft hasn't managed to match the premium feel of its closest rivals. And in a year which saw the release of the jaw-droppingly beautiful Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge – the Lumia 950XL looks very, very bland.

Windows 10 Mobile is an incredibly stylish operating system, with its pin-sharp angles and bright block colours – it's a shame this vibrant OS has been packaged into such a dull, corporate, plasticky rectangle of a phone.

The removable plastic case does hide a number of benefits, including a microSD card slot to expand the bundled 32GB of internal storage, as well as an interchangeable battery pack.

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

At 8.1mm thick and weighing just 165g, the Lumia 650 XL is comfortable in the hand

As more and more flagship smartphones are ditching their expandable storage and removable backs (Google's Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, Samsung's Galaxy S6 Edge and Note 5) the decision by Microsoft to include both should help it appeal to power users. And that is exactly the audience who will get the most out of this Windows 10 smartphone.

Plus, the support for memory cards up to 200GB will help anyone who recently burned when Microsoft hastily removed unlimited cloud storage for OneDrive customers.

At 8.1mm thick and weighing just 165g, Microsoft's flagship phablet never feels cumbersome to use in one-hand.

The most noticeable feature of the Lumia 950 XL is the bump for the rear camera, which the Redmond technology firm says builds on the staggeringly impressive PureView legacy left by Nokia, which it acquired back in April 2014.

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

The Lumia 950 XL builds on Nokia's excellent PureView technology

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

The Lumia 950 XL has a brilliant 20MP rear camera, with LED flashCamera

Microsoft might have dropped the Nokia moniker from the name, but the Finnish firm's fingerprints are all over the smartphone's standout rear camera, which builds on the stellar PureView technology.

The 20MP rear camera, complete with Carl Zeiss optics and OIS, or Optical Image Stabilisation, is almost always able to snap a decent photo – even in the most challenging light conditions.

Details are crisp without being aggressively sharp, like Samsung's Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, and pictures are pleasingly warm, unlike the cool results produced by the LG G4.

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

The 20MP rear camera is the standout feature of the Lumia 950 XL

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

Even when confronted with tough light conditions, the 20MP can salvage a decent snap

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

Equally as impressive as the camera, is the Windows 10 app that controls it

The Windows 10 Mobile Camera app is a masterclass in software design. It appears simple enough when you first launch the app, but sliding the camera icon to the left reveals a series of rings which act as sliders to manually adjust everything from the ISO, white balance, shutter speed, to exposure. You can also toggle the focus from automatic to manual.

It's a nifty trick – and a dream for anyone who wants to take back control of the stellar 20MP shooter. For everyone else, the automatic settings are more than capable of producing a solid photo. Windows 10 will also tweak your snaps with some subtle image processing, too.

There's also a dedicated shutter button on the Lumia 950 XL, useful if you plan on taking pictures while wearing gloves. And Microsoft has added support for 4K video, which is clear and crisp with good sounds, thanks to the four-way background noise cancelling microphones above the rear camera.

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

The Lumia 950 XL has great visibility outdoors, thanks to Microsoft's ClearBlack coatingDisplay

The Lumia 950 XL has a phenomenal multi-touch Quad HD AMOLED display, with an eye-watering 2560 x 1440 resolution, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4.

That display works out at an awesome 518 pixels-per-inch, and it really shows. The Lumia 950 XL's display is pin-sharp with great viewing angles and solid visibility outdoors, thanks to Microsoft's ClearBlack coating.

However the 2K display does lack the punch of some of the other flagship smartphones from the last year, notably the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium and Samsung Galaxy S6, and when compared side-by-side, it's obvious the Lumia is not quite as vibrant as its competitors.

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

Microsoft's new flagship smartphone packs an eye-watering 2560 x 1440 resolution

Microsoft has also included a useful feature, dubbed Glance.

This allows the Lumia 950 XL display to show some basic information – time, date, battery and notification indicator – while the smartphone is asleep. It's a great addition to the 950 XL and incredibly useful if you make a habit of leaving your smartphone next to you at your desk, or on the dinner table.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has ditched double-tap to wake for the Lumia 950 XL, which forces you to fumble for the power button, which is sandwiched in-between the volume controls for some (insanely irritating) reason.

Related articles Battery Life

Microsoft claims up to 11 hours of battery life for web browsing over wifi, or video playback – but that seems very generous. Although the Lumia 950 XL got us through the day, there was never much left in the tank at the end of it, which isn't something you'd expect from a phablet with a 3,340mAh capacity.

Having the brightness on that beautiful 2K display cranked up clearly takes its toll, accounting for a staggering 49.5 per cent of the battery usage during daily usage.

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

Despite its size, battery life on the Lumia 950 XL is mediocreWindows 10 Mobile 

Microsoft's mission to build an operating system that works well on smartphones, tablets, two-in-one hybrids, sprawling desktop set-ups and video game consoles is a lofty one. But those unconvinced by the success of Windows 10 should try both the Lumia 950XL and Surface Pro 4 side-by-side.

Microsoft has created a coherent and enjoyable experience on both mobile and desktop. 

For example, the settings panel carries the same layout on both desktop and mobile devices, so if you use a Windows 10 computer at home or work, navigating around the Lumia 950XL for the first time can feel eerily familiar.

That familiarity – something that was sorely missing in its Windows Phone OS – is a huge win for Microsoft and means the Lumia 950XL could be the perfect first smartphone for traditional desktop users, or Windows power users.

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

Windows 10 Mobile has a useful dropdown mode for one-handed use

Powering the coherent cross-device experience are Microsoft's new Universal Apps – applications that re-size to fit either the smartphone display, tablet or desktop to hand. This new approach to apps has allowed Microsoft to unify its App Store across mobile and desktop, which means your purchases and favourite apps transfer between devices.

Universal Apps are a brilliant idea – data, preferences and even in-app layouts move seamlessly between your screen sizes and devices to create a unified Windows 10 experience. 

The position of any live tiles in your Start Menu will even transfer to the Home Screen on your new Lumia 950XL device.

Speaking of the new Home Screen, Microsoft has finally added full support for custom background wallpapers in its mobile OS, which – unbelievably – it has lacked up until now. Granted, Windows Phone 8.1 allowed your images to peer through some Live Tiles, but in Windows 10 your handpicked snaps fill the background of the phone and bleed beautifully through the translucent Live Tiles, which refresh with previews of the latest information and updates from within the application.

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

Windows 10 Mobile looks stylish, and has some stellar features, like Windows Hello

Microsoft has also added a tweak for Lumia 950XL users who struggle with the hefty 5.7inch display. Holding on the Windows logo drops whatever is on your screen half-way down the display, letting you easily reach something which was previously out of your reach. Apple introduced a similar system in its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. 

Both solutions look a little clunky, but work well.

Finally, the Lumia 950 XL supports Windows Hello – a nifty new security feature, which unlocks the smartphone by checking your identity against a quick scan of your iris.

And it really works. Windows Hello unlocked the phone consistently, even when we were outside, or wearing glasses.

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

Windows Hello is a solid alternative to a fingerprint scanner

Granted, it's not quite as reliable as the fingerprint sensors included on other flagship smartphones – but that's forgivable, especially since Microsoft still lists Windows Hello as a Beta feature.

Cortana

Microsoft's proactive voice assistant, Cortana, has also been improved in Windows 10 Mobile.

Cortana can identify a song that's playing a la Shazam, track the latest flight information, summon local cinema, restaurant, sports and maps information. Weirdly, the digital assistant struggled when we reeled off a string of simple sums – kicking us to a Bing search, rather than work it out herself.

But this is a minor quibble in an otherwise solid voice assistant that easily stands toe-to-toe with rival solutions. And if you have upgraded your home computer or work laptop to Windows 10, you'll get more benefits from Cortana since she will learn your habits, sync the reminders you set from your desktop to your smartphone and vice-versa. 

Cortana will also proactively nudge you when you need to the leave the office to make your next calendar appointment, based on the latest traffic and weather information. And she can also launch any app you ask for, too. 

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

The four-way microphone system keeps your calls and 4K video sound in-checkDisplay Dock

Express.co.uk has not yet had the chance to test out the Display Dock accessory, which lets users connect the Lumia 950 XL to an external display, keyboard and mouse and run full-screen Windows 10 universal apps, including Word, Excel and Netflix. We will be testing out the technology in the coming weeks, and will update this review accordingly.

EXPRESS NEWSPAPERS

Windows 10 still has a frustrating app problemFinal Verdict

The Microsoft Lumia 950 XL is a solid smartphone, thanks to its beautiful Quad HD AMOLED display, consistently great rear camera and smooth performance from the SnapDragon processor and 3GB of RAM.

Windows 10 Mobile is a towering achievement that brings a synchronicity and coherence between your work or home computer, tablet and smartphone previously only seen in the Apple ecosystem. Windows 10 is fast, reliable and stylish.

Windows Hello is a brilliant security feature and the 20MP shooter – and included Camera app – are staggeringly good.

But despite all of this – the Lumia 950 XL is difficult to recommend.

Related articles

Windows phones are still a second-class citizen when it comes to apps, and Lumia 950 XL owners will face a lengthy wait before they can get their hands on the latest apps and games taking Android and iOS users by storm.

It's worth double-checking to see whether your bank, favourite photo editor, password manager, video on-demand service, carrier or cloud-storage provider has released an app for Windows Phone before considering the Lumia 950 XL.

And even when the top-tier apps do appear, they often lack the same polish and performance. For example, Facebook-owned photo sharing social network Instagram, which boasts more than 150 million users worldwide, has been in BETA since November 2013. And that's if developers even bother to release their app on Windows 10 at all.

Coupled with its bland plastic design and mediocre battery life, and that £449.00 price tag starts to look a little high.

Fans already invested in the Windows ecosystem will find a lot to like here, but those simply looking to buy a solid flagship smartphone should be aware that their money will go a lot further on rival Android and iOS devices.

Source: Lumia 950 XL Review: Microsoft's first Windows 10 smartphone is difficult to recommend