Skip to main content

Microsoft To Kill-Off Lumia Smartphones By The End Of 2016


The Redmond company is expected to replace the Lumia smartphones with a Surface-branded Windows 10 Mobile phone.
Microsoft is looking to kill-off its under-performing Lumia smartphone line and is expected to replace it with a new Surface Phone brand.



An anonymous Microsoft employee told WinBeta that the company is planning to “end sales” of the Lumia line by the end of the year, which likely means it will halt production of the Lumia handsets by December.

It is rumoured that the Lumia brand, which consists of four models, will be replaced with a smartphone line that makes use of Microsoft’s Surface brand. However, such speculation has yet to be confirmed, though Microsoft is expected to announce a new Windows 10 Mobile focussed smartphone in early 2017.


 Lumia final days



If the WinBeta‘s source is correct, it will come as no surprise that Microsoft has finally decided to put an end to the its Lumia range.

Acquired from Nokia in September 2013, Microsoft has not had huge success in reinvigorating the Finish company’s smartphone business, to the extent that it was forced to write-off $7.6 billion related to the acquisition in 2015.

But Microsoft’s Surface range of hybrid tablets has been well-received, so reworking its smartphones to fit under the Surface brand may be a good way for the Redmond company to shake-off some of its misfortunes with the Lumia line.

Microsoft has noted it is still committed to Windows 10 Mobile in the face of lacklustre Lumia sales, but such a commitment equally alludes to the company looking to rework it smartphone line into one that has more appeal to consumers and businesses alike.

Laura Butler, one of Microsoft’s engineering directors, took to Twitter to fan the flames of speculation by saying: “Surface Phone not NOT confirmed. :-)”

When high-ranking employees of major technology companies play a part in churning the rumour mill, then there is some credence that the rumours may indeed be substantial. Time will tell if the rumours come to fruition, but we suspect Microsoft to reveal a surface phone in the near future.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Security Alert; Bart Ransomware Bypasses Corporate Firewalls

A new ransomware variant has emerged that’s similar to widespread threats such as Dridex 220 and Locky Affid=3, but uses a security-evading technique that may allow it to attack organisations protected from other malware, according to computer security researchers. Ransomware has spread quickly in the last few months, as a number of payouts have attracted cyber-criminals to the technique.
Post a Comment
Read more

Floods Leave Many Dead in Southern Ghana

Four days of heavy and steady rain has left at least 10 people dead in the south of Ghana. The streets of Accra have been left under water after the torrential downpours caused widespread flooding earlier this week. The nation's capital was hit bit 185mm of rain on Sunday, which is more than they would expect for the entire month of June. This is the wettest month of the year with an average rainfall of 178mm. Since the weekend a further 50mm of rain has fallen exacerbating the severe problems already faced. President John Dramani Mahama has surveyed the areas concerned. He was reported to have driven through several neighbourhoods on a motorcycle. Heavy downpours were also recorded 150km to the west of Accra in the Central Regional capital, Cape Coast where 10 people died in floods,  Sandy Amartey, regional coordinator of the National Disaster Management organisation, told AFP. "In all we have 10 to 12 who lost their lives during this rainy season." The rain...
Post a Comment
Read more

Etisalat Has Launched Its Mobile (4G LTE) Services In Nigerian

The Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher, who announced the new service roll-out, said the latest offering demonstrates the telco’s unwavering commitment to deliver superior customer experience to its subscribers.
Post a Comment
Read more