Windows 10 Mobile

Windows 10 Mobile is the fourth and final version of the discontinued Windows Phone operating system. Unlike the regular Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile was meant to run on phones and tablet computers with screen sizes of 8 inches or smaller. These mobile devices used the ARM or IA-32 processor architectures.

Windows 10 Mobile

Version of the Windows NT operating system
Screenshot of the phone version of Windows 10 Mobile
Developer	Microsoft
Released to manufacturing	November 20, 2015; 6 years ago
Latest release	10.0.15254.603 (KB4535289) / January 14, 2020; 2 years ago
Update method	Firmware over the air
Platforms	ARMv7, IA-32
Kernel type	Hybrid (Windows NT)
Preceded by	Windows RT (2012) and Windows Phone 8.1 (2014)
Official website	microsoft.com/mobile/windows10
Support status
Version 1511 November Update: Unsupported as of January 9, 2018 Version 1607 Anniversary Update: Unsupported as of October 9, 2018 Version 1703 Creators Update: Unsupported as of June 11, 2019 Version 1709 Fall Creators Update: Unsupported as of January 14, 2020 Extended Security Updates (ESU) for version 1709 support ended of January 10, 2023.

Microsoft ceased providing security updates on January 14, 2020, the same day as for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008/R2. On December 29, 2019, Microsoft announced it will be offering a 'free' extended security updates up to three year, until January 10, 2023, the same day as of Windows 8.1.

Version history

See also: Windows 10 Mobile version history and Windows Phone version history

First release (version 1511)

Microsoft announced Windows 10 Mobile during their January 21, 2015 event "The Next Chapter". The first Windows 10 Mobile build was rolled out on February 12, 2015, as part of the Windows Insider Program to a subset of mobile devices running Windows Phone 8 and 8.1. As with the desktop editions of Windows 10, this initial release was codenamed "Threshold", it was part of both the "Threshold 1" and "Threshold 2" development cycles. Windows 10 Mobile launched with the Microsoft Lumia 550, 950 and 950 XL. The rollout for Windows Phone 8.1 devices started March 17, 2016.

Anniversary Update (version 1607)

On February 19, 2016, Microsoft restarted the rollout of full builds for the first feature update, officially known as the "Anniversary Update" or "Version 1607", codenamed "Redstone 1". Like the start of the previous wave, the first builds were not available to all devices that were included in the Windows Insider Program.

Creators Update (version 1703) and Fall Creators Update (version 1709)

The Creators Update (named after the equivalent update to Windows 10 for PC), also known as Redstone 2, was first previewed on the Insider branch on August 17, 2016. and began deployment on April 25, 2017. It features mainly minor feature additions, including an e-book reader within Edge, the ability to turn off the phone screen when using Continuum mode on an external display, SMS support in Skype, SD card encryption, and other changes. Despite the platform's synergy with Windows 10 for PCs, some of its features (such as Night Light and Paint 3D) were excluded. Around the time that the Creators Update was finalized, Windows Insider users began to be issued updates on a branch known as feature2. Microsoft stated that there were no plans to move Windows 10 Mobile to be in sync with the other Windows 10-platforms just yet; media outlets considered this decision to be a sign that Microsoft was beginning to wind down active development of Windows 10 Mobile beyond maintenance releases, as development was no longer directly in sync with the PC version.

The Creators Update was only offered to eleven existing Windows 10 Mobile devices, of which nine would later receive the Fall Creators Update:

• Alcatel Idol 4S and 4S Pro
• Alcatel OneTouch Fierce XL
• HP Elite x3
• Lenovo Softbank 503LV
• MCJ Madosma Q601 †
• Microsoft Lumia 550
• Microsoft Lumia 640 and 640 XL †
• Microsoft Lumia 650
• Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL
• Trinity NuAns Neo
• VAIO Phone Biz (VPB051)

† indicates a phone that is incompatible with the Fall Creators Update.

In early June 2017, a private build, briefly deployed by accident by Microsoft, revealed work on an updated interface for Windows 10 Mobile known as "CShell" ("composable shell"), an implementation of the Windows shell across device classes using a modular system. The build featured a Start screen, Action Center, and Continuum desktop interface that were nearly identical in functionality and appearance to their equivalents on Windows 10 for PC. However, this iteration of the operating system was no longer backwards compatible with Windows Phone Silverlight apps.

Discontinuation

On October 8, 2017, Microsoft executive Joe Belfiore revealed that the company would no longer actively develop new features or hardware for Windows phones, citing its low market share, and the resultant lack of third-party software for the platform. Microsoft had largely abandoned its mobile business, having laid off the majority of Microsoft Mobile employees in 2016, sold a number of intellectual property and manufacturing assets (including, in particular, the Nokia feature phone business) to HMD Global and Foxconn (which began producing Android-based smartphones under the Nokia brand) focused software efforts on providing apps and services compatible with the incumbent Android and iOS instead, and having since released dual-touchscreen Android smartphones under the Surface Duo brand. Development of Windows 10 Mobile would be limited to maintenance releases and patches. By December 2018, Statcounter had reported Windows 10 Mobile's market share to be 0.33%.

In January 2019, Microsoft announced that Windows 10 Mobile would reach end of life on December 10, 2019, after which no further security updates will be released, and online services tied to the OS (such as device backup) have begun to be phased out. However, Microsoft quietly moved the EOL date to January 14, 2020 (aligned with the EOL date for Windows 7, Windows Server 2008/R2 and Internet Explorer 10) with one additional security update released.

Extended Security Updates

Microsoft announced an Extended Security Update (ESU) service in 29 December 2019 for Windows 10 Mobile devices, lasting until 10 January 2023, on an annual pricing plan (aligned with the EOL date for Windows 8.1). Windows 10 Mobile ESU will be available to individual consumers as well.

Regarding pricing, annual pricing doubles each year. For businesses, per device, the pricing will be $40 for the first year, $80 for the second, and $160 for the third. Device using a cloud based update management solution such as Microsoft Intune will get a 25% discount. For education users, per device pricing is $1 for the first year, then $2 and $4 for each subsequent year.