HP ditches the Elite X3, the last Windows Phone in town

HP HAS canned the last major Windows 10 smartphone, the Elite X3, effectively ending the whole sorry saga.

The HP Elite X3 was designed around the much-flaunted Continuum feature in the operating system, which allowed users to plug in a display, keyboard, and mouse and use the device as a laptop or desktop.

The company hasn't exactly been backward about coming forward with its analysis of whose fault the failure was.

At the Canalys Channels Forum in Venice, Nick Lazaridis, EMEA HP Showrunner told El Reg: "X3 was going to bifurcate, there were going to be a number of products."

He means there was going to be a range, but he swallowed a dictionary, seemingly.

He continued: "Microsoft, as all companies do, decided on a change in strategy and so they are less focused on what they thought they would be focused on today.

"Given that, we also had decided that without Microsoft's drive and support there it doesn't make sense. If the software, if the operating system ecosystem isn't there then we are not an operating system company."

Related: Microsoft will kill off its bork-ridden Surface line-up by 2019, apparently

The news comes after an adamant denial earlier in the year that the X3 was in jeopardy. It was understood to have a roadmap into 2019. Now, that will be cut back to a promise of support until 2019, but no new devices.

In fact, it's safe to say that this marks the end of HP's commitment to Windows Mobile, and as such, the effective end of Windows Mobile.

Microsoft had already put nails in the coffin with the end of the Lumia range, signalling the end of the line for thousands of former Nokia employees, culled at the end of the failed experiment.

It is thought Microsoft may still have ambitions for a Surface Phone, but hopefully, that will stay a rumour.

Kevin, the Last Windows Mobile User in the world wasn't available for comment, but we've noticed that the garage door is shut, which is a worry as there seems to be an engine running. µ

Source: HP ditches the Elite X3, the last Windows Phone in town