Microsoft officially announced that they will cease to support Windows Phone after December 10, 2019. The company also recommended that all Windows Phone users migrate to Android or iOS devices.
“With the Windows 10 Mobile OS end of support, we recommend that customers move to a supported Android or iOS device.
Microsoft’s mission statement to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more compels us to support our Mobile apps on those platforms and devices”.
This news has been coming for some time now, as Microsoft's ambitions to dominate the smartphone market was crushed in its early stages. Windows Phone was launched more than 2 years ago by Microsoft. With competitors like Google refusing to support their platform, lukewarm adoption from developers and Microsoft's own consistent rebooting of their mobile platform, Windows Phone was never able to take off as a serious contender to iOS and Android.
According to the support page, support ends on June 11, 2019, and “security updates, non-security hotfixes, free assisted support options, or online technical content updates from Microsoft” will end on Dec. 10, 2019. This gives current Windows Phone users a short window to switch to a different platform to stay up to date and secure.
Microsoft has noted that Windows 10 Mobile version 1709 will be the last update for Windows Phone users. After this update, Microsoft will no longer monitor the platform for vulnerabilities or provide support.
Microsoft is rumored to be working on a Surface Phone running yet another version of Windows, better optimized for modern smartphones. But there has been no official information,
Will you be switching to iOS or Android? Let us know below
The mobile phone market is extremely dynamic and has been growing rapidly over the years. The Indian market itself is a good example of how the market has grown, and is expected to continue to grow in the years ahead. Gadget research website 91mobiles has put together their own study of emerging trends in the Indian smartphone market, and compiled some infographics predicting what we can expect in the coming months.
As per their predictions, phone launched in India this year are expected to increase by around 50 percent. Indian companies like Intex and Micromax have been largely responsibly for the number of product launches in the country this year, offering an affordable selection of products to compete against global brands like Samsung, HTC and Sony.
91mobiles has many other facts of interest regarding the Indian smartphone market, which you can go over in detail in the following infographics.
Both the Microsoft Lumia 640 and the Microsoft Lumia 640 XL are being offered at discounted prices over at Expansys USA. The Lumia 640, originally $209.99 can now be purchased for $179.99 (17% off) while the larger Lumia 640 XL, originally $289.99 can now be purchased for only $199.99
The Lumia 640 features a 5 inch display with a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 8GB of internal storage which can be expanbded through microSD, an 8MP rear camera, a 1MP front camera, a 2500mAh battery and a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with Adreno 305 graphics and 1GB of RAM.
The Lumia 640 XL has been a hot seller for Expansys USA over the past several weeks. The phone has out sold many of the top selling Android models during this time period, which is something that should continue given the price cut.
The Lumia 640 XL features a 5.7 inch display with a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 8GB of internal storage which can be expanbded through microSD, a 13MP rear Zeiss camera with f/2.0 aperture, a 5MP front camera, a 3000mAh battery and a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with Adreno 305 graphics and 1GB of RAM.
Both handsets run Windows Phone 8.1 out of the box, and will be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 10 Mobile later this year. With the Windows platform, you get access to Live Tiles, Microsoft Office, Xbox games and the digital assistant Cortana.
If you're looking to snag the Lumia 640 or Lumia 640 XL at a great price, Expansys USA might have the deal you're looking for. Since the price cut is permanent, you could start saving up for the phone now, and pick it up eventually.
The Windows Insider Team has released a new Windows 10 Mobile Preview Build 10166 to Insiders on Fast Ring. The latest preview build may not offer any major new features, but includes lots of small changes, feature tweaks and improvements over previous build.
In the official blog post, Microsoft has stated that all known issues from build 10149 have been fixed in this release of Windows 10. An issue where the post-upgrade migration status screen was missing has also been fixed. This issue caused the lockscreen to appear frozen without the date and time for up to 10 minutes.
Another bug where the user was unable to unlock your phone after entering your PIN, and allowed you to continue typing even after entering the correct PIN has also been fixed. Additionally the colors in apps should now appear correctly, including the titlebar in the Outlook Mail app which should no longer be orange. Microsoft has also removed the old Store app, and made several improvements to the new Store.
The size of the battery icon has also been increased based on user feedback, and several other apps have been improved to reflect user feedback.
How to install the Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview (build 10166)
If you are already running the Windows 10 Mobile preview, you can get the latest version by heading to Settings > Update & Recovery > Phone update. New users can follow these steps:
Join the Windows Insider Program
Download the Windows Insider app from the Windows Phone Store
Open the app and select 'Check for update'
Select the 'Fast Ring' when prompted and follow the onscreen instructions.
Once completed, head over to Settings > Update & Recovery > Phone update and wait for the update to be downloaded.
Keep in mind that this is a pre-release build of Windows 10 Mobile and should only be used on a secondary device. If you come across too many issues, you can check out our guide on how to downgrade Windows 10 Mobile to Windows Phone 8.1 for help.
Expansys in the US is offering the Microsoft Lumia 640 XL for just $199.99, just days after the handset was launched on AT&T for $249.99. Its interesting to see this handset being offered at a discount so quickly, given that it was scarcely being around for a month.
The Lumia 640 XL is the larger variant of the Microsoft Lumia 640. It features a 5.7 inch display with a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 8GB of internal storage which can be expanded through microSD, a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera, 4G LTE connectivity, a 3000mAh battery and a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor with 1GB of RAM.
This mid-range smartphone runs Windows Phone 8.1 with Microsoft Office, OneDrive, Cortana, HERE navigation and Xbox games. The Lumia 640 XL will be among the first to be updated to Windows 10 for phones later this year.
If you are interested in purchasing the Lumia 640 XL on Expansys, we recommend doing so quickly while the deal lasts by following the source link below. The handset is available in black, white and orange, and the model in question offers dual-SIM connectivity.
The Microsoft Lumia 640 is a mid-range Windows Phone which is offered with optional LTE and dual-SIM connectivity. Despite offering the handset at an affordable price, the Lumia 640 also comes with a decent camera. Let's now take a deeper look and see if the Lumia 640 is a phone you may consider picking up.
PROs
CONs
Affordable with a $130 price
multiple color options for a more personalized experience
Good call quality
Decent camera quality
low internal storage
plastic build
Snapdragon 400 is not great for high end gaming
Ever since Microsoft purchased Nokia's smartphone division, the company has continued to release affordable Windows Phones into the market, without any attempt to compete in the high end segment. With the rise of popularity in mid-range devices like the Motorola Moto G, Microsoft is attempting their own entry into a new category with the Lumia 640 and its larger sibling, the Lumia 640 XL.
The Lumia 640 is essentially offered as three different models. The base model offers two SIM slots and 3G connectivity, but there are LTE-enabled versions with single or dual SIM slots. Besides the connectivity options, all three models have the same features.
HARDWARE
Design
Unboxing the device itself was not that exciting, as the packaging contains very little. Besides the phone, you get the usual guides, manuals and a charger with a detachable microUSB cable. As expected, you won't find a headset packed with "an affordable" smartphone.
The Lumia 640 itself feels somewhat tall for a 5 inch smartphone, which is surprising considering the lack of hardware keys below the display. It's a little disappointing to see how wide the bezels on the device are, considering how compact the phone could have been. Still the Lumia 640 is easy to handle and feels comfortable in the hand.
The 5 inch glass panel on the front device has Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection for scratch resistance, while the rest of the body is made of polycarbonate (aka plastic) which wraps around the device. This shell has either a matte or glossy finish, depending on which color you pick. Colors range from Cyan, Orange, White, and Black.
The entire colored cover of the device can be detached for access to microSD, SIM cards and your battery. These covers don't feel as premium as the more expensive Lumia devices, but are still fairly durable and don't feel cheap.
Above the display you have a 1MP camera which captures video at 720p. This may not be the best for selfies or Skype video, but its adequate for well lit situations. The top also features a proximity sensor, which automatically turns off the display during calls. You also get an ambient light sensor which automatically adjusts the display brightness based on its surroundings.
The only hardware buttons on the Lumia 640 can be found on the right side, built into the phones shell. You get a volume rocker, and the power button, but the camera shutter continues to be omitted.
On the top of the device, you will find the 3.5mm universal audio connector
Below the device Microsoft has put in a microUSB 2.0 port for syncing and file transfer with your computer.
Display
The Lumia 640 comes with a 5-inch ClearBlack IPS LCD display which has a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. While this panel is OK for general day to day use, its not ideal for heavy media conception or reading as it lacks the sharpness and detail for it.
Camera
While Lumia devices are generally known for offering great cameras, the Lumia 640 specs are quite humble in that aspect. You get an 8MP camera on the rear with a 1/4" sensor, an f/2.2 aperture lens and a single LED flash. In the front you have a 0.9MP camera for selfies for video calls which is as basic as you can expect.
The Lumia camera app can be found with the same style and layout we are familiar with from past devices. You can even slide the on-screen shutter key to the left to reveal the detailed manual mode, which lets you adjust focus and shutter speed for each photo.
The photo quality is pretty decent overall to store and share memories online. Just not the type of device you would use for editing photos. The color department is where the Microsoft Lumia 640 impresses the most, as shots typically have a natural, slightly vivid appearance. Using its Rich Tone mode, it’s able to compensate contrasting areas where hard lighting blends with darker areas of the scenery, but in the process, it’s obvious that it favors an extremely artificial looking composition.
Low light photography on the other hand may not be ideal, as you will see smudgy details and bland colors.
The camera is also capable of 1080p video capture. While the quality is decent, it doesn't offer the best results we've seen. We also noticed that the microphone doesn't pick up audio as well as we would have liked during video capture.
Call Quality
For the most part, the Lumia 640 handles phone calls with reasonable quality – so voices have enough emphasis on our end, while our callers experience something similar on their end. Our only complaint, though, relates to the slightly low volume output of its speakers, which can prove to be troublesome under noisy conditions.
Battery
The Lumia 640 comes with a 2500mAh battery, which easily takes it through a day of normal use. While this is ideal for average users, power users, will find themselves recharging it frequently if they intend on getting through a work day with it.
Processor and Storage
By in large, Windows Phones have been known to be responsive, so we’re not all that surprised to see the Lumia 640 falling into the same boat as well. Ticking under the hood is a quad-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 chip with 1GB of RAM – the kind of thing we’d expect to power this extremely affordable smartphone. Sure, it’s pretty smooth with its performance just navigating across the platform, but there are times when apps take some time to load. Putting it through some intensive stuff, such as 3D gaming, the phone’s performance clearly crumbles.
Packaged with 8GB of internal storage, it’s hard not to complain about its capacity, especially taking into consideration its pricing. Luckily, though, there’s a microSD card slot to help ease things.
Connectivity
The GSM unit we reviewed works well on AT&T’s network domestically, but it’s assured to work with other GSM networks as well. Its other connectivity features include aGPS with Glonass, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, and also NFC.
SOFTWARE
The Lumia 640 runs Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim, which means it’s accompanied with Cortana integration and the entire suite of Lumia branded apps. Purists of the platform will find it familiar, naturally, seeing that the experience is identical to every other phone running this version of Windows Phone. We won’t get into the specifics of it all, but we can simply say that it’s always a work in progress – in the way that it’s still reaching, or catching up to its peers, but it definitely has that base functionality to compete.
Regardless, it has its perks to appease a wide array of users. On the productivity side, it’s preloaded with Microsoft Office to ensure we can edit and create documents and spreadsheets while on the road. Best of all, it’s on tap to receive the Windows 10 update when it comes out – so there’s peace of mind that ensures that owners won’t be left in the dust when the newest version of the platform is launched.
Internet Explorer serves its purpose well here with the Lumia 640. Combining its LTE connectivity, ample sized screen, and responsive navigational controls, it has all the elements necessary to deliver a pleasant web surfing experience. It might not have Google Chrome’s depth, but it serves its purpose on a superficial level.
Multimedia
When it comes to music, we have two options to choose from – the usual Xbox Music app or MixRadio. Both handle the task of playing music, as they both employ Windows Phone’s Modern UI design style. Unfortunately, the audio quality from its rear speaker is pretty shrill in tone, almost as if it’s straining. And it’s somewhat underpowered at 68.7dB. Interestingly, though, the quality can be enhanced through the MixRadio app because it features plenty of equalizer settings to choose from.
More than capable of handling video playback, you’ll want to make sure you’re looking at the display straight on due to the distortion that pops up at various angles. It’s not terrible, but can be a distraction with its washed out looks.
CONCLUSION
The Microsoft Lumia 640 is an entry level handset meant for basic use. Priced at just $130 as a prepaid option courtesy of Cricket Wireless, its a great option for someone looking for a regular smartphone that will get things done for you. Its a great alternate to folks disappointed with what Android is offering in the budget market, and is gives you all the basic functionality of a smartphone without making too many compromises.
When Microsoft first announced the Microsoft Lumia 640 XL, AT&T was one of the first U.S. carriers to announce that it will be offering the smartphone on its network. Now AT&T has announced that the Lumia 640 XL will be available on its network on June 26 for $249.99 without a contract. The Lumia 640 XL is a larger variant of the Microsoft Lumia 640. It features a 5.7 inch display with a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution, 8GB of internal storage which can be expanded through microSD, a 13MP rear camera, a 5MP front camera, 4G LTE connectivity and a quad-core Snapdragon 400 processor with 1GB of RAM.
This mid-range smartphone runs Windows Phone 8.1 with Microsoft Office, OneDrive, Cortana, HERE navigation and Xbox games. The Lumia 640 XL will be among the first to be updated to Windows 10 for phones later this year.
If you're are interested in the 640 XL, you can find more details through AT&T by following the source link below. If you'd like something a little smaller, you should also check out the newly-released Lumia 640, which is available through T-Mobile and Cricket Wireless.
After recently offering the voice calling feature to its beta users, the Facebook owned company has finally brought voice calling to WhatsApp for Windows Phone. The iOS and Android versions of WhatsApp have already received this feature, and now Windows Phone users can finally join in
You can download the update directly on your device through the Windows Phone Store or by using the following link
Download
Price
Free
Requirements
Windows Phone 7.5; Windows Phone 8.0; Windows Phone 8.1
Press the Search button on your Windows Phone, tap Vision and then scan the following barcode by pointing your device camera toward it
The voice calling feature was first announced back in April, a couple of months after Facebook acquired WhatsApp for a sum of over $20 billion. Despite a strong development team, the Windows Phone version has continued to lag behind its iOS and Android counterparts.
WhatsApp's voice service has to compete against services like Skype and Viber which are well established in the field. The addition of voice calling for Windows Phone is definitely a step in the right direction. The new version 2.12.60 also adds the ability to send audio files to those running Windows Phone 8.1.
Verizon Wireless in the United States is offering the budget friendly Microsoft Lumia 735 with Windows Phone 8.1 for $79.99 with a new two-year contract or $192 outright.
The Lumia 735 features a 4.7 inch HD display, 16GB of internal storage which can be expanded through microSD, a 6.7MP rear camera, a 5MP wide angle front camera, a 2200mAh battery and a 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM.
With Windows Phone 8.1 you get access to the digital assistant Cortana, Action Center to manage your notifications, the Swype style Word Flow keyboard, and more. It will also be upgradeable to Windows 10 Mobile too when its released later this year.
Verizon is currently offering the black color variant of the Lumia 735 handset. The handset comes also with wireless charging capability right out of the box and a variety of wireless charging back covers will also be available for purchase ($24.99) – in orange, green, white, red, and cyan.
The Microsoft Lumia 640, the company's newest budget-friendly Windows Phone handset is now available in the US on the T-Mobile network. You can now purchase the Lumia 640 from the T-mobile for $0 with equal monthly payments of $5.41 per month on a 24-month plan.
The full retail price of handset is $129.84. The carrier is also offering free overnight shipping in time for Father’s Day, which ends on June 17. This handset will be available on ‘Ship to (direct fulfillment)’ system. This means that you have to order the handset online or through telesales. The product will then be shipped to a supplied address or local T-Mobile store.
The Lumia 640 features a 5 inch display with a 1280 x 720 pixel resolution, 8GB of internal storage which can be expanded through microSD, an 8MP rear camera, a secondary camera for video calls, a 2500mAh battery and a 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 1GB of RAM.
The handset runs Windows Phone 8.1 with Lumia Denim, and is eligible for the Windows 10 Mobile update later this year. With Windows on phones, you will get access to Microsoft Office, Xbox games and Skype. Microsoft is also offering customers 30GB of cloud storage for free on OneDrive.
If you are interested in the Lumia 640, you can grab one for yourself by following the source link below.
The official universal Dropbox for Windows app has been updated to version 3.4 on the Windows platform and version 2.1 for Windows Phone. The update brings improvements to UX, performance, accessibility, along with couple of bug fixes.
You can download the update directly on your Windows device through its respective app stores or by using the following links:
Download
Price
Free
Requirements
Windows 8.1, Windows Phone 8.0, Windows Phone 8.1
The updated Dropbox for Windows app has the following new features and improvements:
Improved accessibility: compatibility with the ‘ease of access’ text size on phone settings
Videos are now included in gallery view
New share menu
Improved UX
Bug fixes and performance improvements
Dropbox for Business account also received some love in today’s updates:
Share folders with teams
Email suggestions to your colleagues, even if not listed on your device
The new Dropbox app on Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone lets you access your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. The app offer access to the core Dropbox features, like automatic photo backups, offline access to your favorite files, and multi-account support for people who have a separate work and personal account to maintain on a single device
Lara Croft: Relic Run is the all new action adventure for nostalgic Lara Croft fans. When a shadowy conspiracy threatens the world, only Lara Croft is equipped to unearth the truth. Collect clues to uncover ancient relics. run, swing, drive, and swan dive your way through beautiful and challenging environments.
You can download the game directly on your iOS, Android or Windows Phone through its respective app stores or by using the following links:
Android
iOS
Windows Phone
Free
Free
Free
Android 2.3 or greater
iOS 7.0 or greater
WP 8.0; WP 8.1
Lara Croft: Relic Run for Windows Phone requires a device with more than 512MB of RAM due to high demanding graphics. Also note that while the game is free to download, it offers in-app purchases.
Lara Croft: Relic Run has the following features:
Make your way through multiple ancient locations – each filled with secrets and danger
Power up Lara’s weapons and engage in frantic combat
Use Parkour moves to create death-defying last minute escapes
Fast-paced vehicles like ATVs and motorcycles give Lara more ways to conquer the terrain
Epic Boss Fights – including the return of the infamous T-Rex!
Swap and upgrade equipment to give Lara the edge
Earn bragging rights on the leaderboards
Outsmart and sabotage your friends by Cursing their Relic Run
You will have to be enrolled in the WhatsApp beta program in order to enable WhatsApp calling. The updated app will bring a new Call Tab that keeps a track of the recent call history, including the incoming, outgoing and missed calls.
WhatsApp calling is is already available on Android, iOS, Blackberry and Tizen, giving users the ability to do voice calls with their contacts utilizing data instead of cellular minutes. Now WhatsApp beta users with Windows Phone handsets can also join in.
There's no word on exactly when the full Voice Calling feature will be rolled out to public users of WhatsApp on Windows Phone. Seeing as it now only spreading out to the beta group it is safe to say we are likely a few weeks out before things are finalized.
Angry Birds Go! for Windows Phone has been updated to version 1.8.0.0 which brings new content from commercial partners. The update pays tribute to the late Grand Prix driver Ayrton Senna, a driver who was killed in an accident while leading the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. In the game, Chuck turns out to be Senna. Each racer has his own special powers that can help lead the way to victory.
You can download the update directly on your device through the Windows Phone Store or by using the following link:
Download
Price
Free
Requirements
Windows Phone 8.0; Windows Phone 8.1
Press the Search button on your Windows Phone, tap Vision and then scan the following barcode by pointing your device camera toward it
The Angry Birds Go! for Windows Phone update is around 98MB in size and is available for Windows Phone 8 and Windows Phone 8.1 handsets. You will compete on racetracks, off-course roads, stunt-roads and air courses. Unlike other games in the franchise, Angry Birds Go! is a little different because of its racing aspects.
The Microsoft Store in the US is offering a free Lumia 635 on AT&T (no-contract) with every purchase of the Fitbit Charge smartband. This bundle deal will be available till July 5th.
The Lumia 635 features a 4.5 inch display, 8GB of internal storage which can be expanded through microSD, a 5MP rear camera, a 1830mAh battery, 4G LTE connectivity and a 1.2GHz quad-core processor with 512MB of RAM. The smartphone would usually cost you at least $49 when you purchase it from AT&T without the contract.
The Fitbit Charge Wireless Activity+Sleep wristband promises all-day activity monitoring with up to 10 days of battery life. You get a display to keep track of the time and your activity, which also shows call notifications when paired with your smartphone. The Fitbit Charge also monitors your sleep automatically and you can set a silent alarm, so make sure you are awake on time. All your information is wirelessly synched to leading smartphones and computers.
The Fitbit Charge is available in the Microsoft Store for just $129 and comes in four colors - black, slate (gray), blue, and burgundy. If you are interested in taking advantage of the offer, follow the link below to the Microsoft Store, but keep in mind that it is only valid while the offer lasts.
To show developers how easy applications can be built using its Azure services, Microsoft constructed a website called How-Old.net on Azure. Using its new face detection APIs, the app allows users to upload a photograph and watch as the API guesses the gender and age of the people posing in the picture.
Microsoft figured that PC users shouldn't have all of the fun, so it has turned the site into a free Windows Phone app that is now available in the Windows Phone Store. The name of the app is Microsoft How-Old, and the API is even pretty good at getting gender right, but a lot of improvement is needed on the age-side.
You can try the app out for yourself right now by downloading the app directly on your device through the Windows Phone Store or by using the following link
Download
Price
Free
Requirements
Windows Phone 8.1
Press the Search button on your Windows Phone, tap Vision and then scan the following barcode by pointing your device camera toward it
The How-Old.net site debuted during BUILD 2015. You can watch it play out starting at the 9:45 mark on the video below.
The Nokia Lumia 1020 for AT&T is now receiving the Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1, which includes Lumia Denim enhancements. The update for the AT&T model comes a month after the firmware update was cleared for the Lumia 1020 in North America. Canadian carriers Rogers and Telus have already pushed out Lumia Denim update for their variants of the handset.
The Lumia 1020 is known for its 41MP PureView camera, which includes Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and an f/2.2 aperture.
The update is being pushed out to the AT&T Lumia 1020 in stages, so it may be a few days before it is available for your device. You will receive a notification when the update is available for download, but you can also manually check for the update by heading to Settings > Phone Update > Check for Updates and follow the on-screen instructions.
Once you receive the OTA notification, make sure you install the Lumia Denim update using a strong WiFi connection. It is also recommended that your ensure your battery is appropriately (at least 50%) charged before you install the update.
The Windows Phone 8.1 Update 1 with Lumia Denim, brings several new features and improvements to handsets, including the ability to activate Cortana by saying "Hey, Cortana." The update also includes live folders for your live tiles on your Start screen, and adds MSN Weather and MSN Health data to your Glance (lock) Screen. After installing the update, users will also be able to browse over a virtual private network.
Circle Stopwatch for Windows Phone is a simple, fast and elegantly designed stopwatch app. Its easy to use and also run in the background, so you don't have to worry about losing track of time if you quickly need to check email or Twitter in the middle of the activity.
You can download the app directly on your device through the Windows Phone Store or by using the following link:
Download
Price
Free
Requirements
Windows Phone 8.0; Windows Phone 8.1
Press the Search button on your Windows Phone, tap Vision and then scan the following barcode by pointing your device camera toward it
When you open Circle Stopwatch for Windows Phone, you will notice that it automatically adjusts to suite your phone's theme color. You have a big circle representing the time. Tap the circle to start the stopwatch. Tap again to stop it. Hold down to reset.
Circle Stopwatch can also record lap times. There are three ways to record them. You can tap the plus icon at the bottom or press the camera button while the timer is running. Swipe to the right to see lap times. You can also tap the add button to add more lap times.
You can watch a video of the app in action courtesy of Windows Central