Xbox is discontinuing support for Windows Phones: Microsoft has announced that it will be discontinuing the support of Xbox functions for Windows Phone devices. The announcement made in a message on an Xbox application.
This is a bad sign for the remaining members of the shrinking Windows Phone community and is yet another step taken by Microsoft to stop service for the Windows Phone operating system.
Windows Phone was first released in 2010 to become an alternative for mobile phones against iOS and Android. Windows Phone overtook Blackberry’s market share in 2013, beating Blackberry 10 OS. Which was a newcomer to the market and expect to become a real competitor in the smartphone market.
It is noteworthy that Microsoft bought Nokia for $7 billion US in its plan to expand. However, the demand for Windows Phone had declined by 2016, as iOS and Android increased their market share. Windows Phone lost 1percent market share during that year, and Microsoft stopped development on Windows Phone in 2017.
The demise of Xbox features will impact every version of the Windows Phone operating system, including Windows 10 Mobile. The end of Xbox LIVE services begins on May 16, simultaneously affecting every Windows Phone product.
Xbox is discontinuing support for Windows Phones
Games that incorporate Xbox LIVE features can no longer save accomplishments or other types of progress on players’ Xbox profiles. And other features such as cloud-based saving will cease to work.
Games that don’t depend upon Xbox LIVE features (such as ones that offer offline saving) will continue to function even though Microsoft cannot guarantee that this will happen. However, they have stated the possibility that “some games may still be playable on your phone.”
It’s unlikely to be a shocker for those who know the background of Windows Phone. With Microsoft stopping support for the platform in the latter half of 2019 and releasing an update to security that finalizes a year afterward.
It is possible that Microsoft’s support to Xbox for Windows Phone was generous. And the company has been keeping the platform in use for as long as was possible. In recent years Microsoft has focused on creating apps compatible seamlessly with Android and iOS and has recently announced speculations of Android apps supporting Xbox consoles.
Today, Windows Phone had become an old-fashioned relic from the 2010s. Which harkens back to when Blackberry and Nokia competed in the smartphone market. This announcement will mark the end of an era for those who were a fan of Xbox functions on Windows Phone.
