The Windows 10 Mobile Insider Program is an extension of the PC Windows 10 Insider Program. It is a preview platform that allows users to pick up features and updates before general release. In return, Microsoft gets beta testers to provide feedback on those features and updates. Since the Windows 10 Insider Program, the company has enjoyed success with the model. Insider programs have opened for several Microsoft services, including Office and Azure. Brandon LeBlanc, Senior Program Manager the Windows Insider Program Team said the company will maintain the Windows 10 Mobile branch: Microsoft has already said it will continue to support the platform. While we know that means no new features, Windows phone users will get patches and updates. The cynical side of me sees this as Microsoft essentially wanting to maintain a base of beta testers in exchange for very little.
Turning the Lights Off
Last month Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President of Windows, took to Twitter to confirm Microsoft cannot keep adding features to Windows 10 Mobile. He explained the company can no longer justify feature support when the app gap remains a problem. The executive says Microsoft has consistently tried to entice developers, but investment in the platform has been lacking. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella later expanded and said the company will focus on software through rival platforms. “We absolutely do not have the share to have our smartphone hardware, that’s a real consumer choice. That’s the reality of it. (…)The reality is that we cannot compete as a third ecosystem with no share position and attract developers.”
