Joe Belfiore clarifies Microsoft's position on Windows phone

While one might assume Microsoft’s treatment of Windows Mobile to be a strong indicator of where the product stands in terms of priorities, others still have required something stronger and more explicitly from an official source, not settling for innuendo and implication. Today, former face of Windows Mobile and budding hair model Joe Belfiore took to Twitter today to answer the questions of a few mobile fans.

Belfiore had a few things to say about bringing a live-tiles esque interface to Android,

A lot of people asking about this. It would be tough to do, since we'd need the APPS to support their own tiles. https://t.co/sFG5FtSisA

— Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017

Belfiore also addressed questions about Windows Mobile (addressed as Windows phone in the question) posed by fans. This time, Belfiore did not shy away from answering or dodge the question with a vague but noncommittal reply but brought some frank honesty to the table.

(1/2) Depends who you are. Many companies still deploy to their employees and we will support them! … https://t.co/LKQBL3w7gA

— Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017

(2/2) As an individual end-user, I switched platforms for the app/hw diversity. We will support those users too! Choose what's best 4 u. https://t.co/LKQBL3w7gA

— Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017

Of course we'll continue to support the platform.. bug fixes, security updates, etc. But building new features/hw aren't the focus. ? https://t.co/0CH9TZdIFu

— Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017

We have tried VERY HARD to incent app devs. Paid money.. wrote apps 4 them.. but volume of users is too low for most companies to invest. ?? https://t.co/ePsySxR3LB

— Joe Belfiore (@joebelfiore) October 8, 2017

So there you have it, a clear, cold, realistic assessment of Windows Mobile status right from someone who helped build it up. Windows Mobile’s most dedicated fans have long since held on hope that Microsoft would be planning something for mobile soon, but as Belfiore clarifies here, new features and hardware isn’t on Microsoft’s plan for mobile at the m0ment. As a strategy, this is the right one to take. Windows phone was never on a path for growth when Satya Nadella took over, Microsoft’s prior mistakes in the market had doomed them. Unless they could disrupt the market with something (and they tried), there would be no victory here, and nothing to gain but a perpetual participation trophy.