Microsoft: Windows Phone isn't our focus this year

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Microsoft unloaded a heady mix of exciting announcements, new technologies and developer news at its first Build 2016 conference keynote today. The company is pushing productivity and creativity, putting the Pen front and centre of the experience and getting ready to make Windows 10 even more universal.

One thing that seemed to be missing was any mention of moribund Windows Phone. The company, who kept mentioning Android and iOS in its demos, is apparently putting mobile on hold. The Verge's Tom Warren quizzed Windows and devices head Terry Myerson about this and the response doesn't sound good.

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Video: Windows 10 Continuum demoed on a Lumia 950

By Gadjo C. Sevilla

One of the most compelling features of the new Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL is that they can function as desktop PCs running Windows 10 provided they're connected to Microsoft's Display Dock. I got to see this feature demoed firsthand earlier this evening during a Microsoft Device Night where a Lumia 950 was tethered to two monitors, a keyboard and a mouse.

When launching the Continuum app on Windows 10 Phone, the Lumia projects a full Windows 10 desktop experience on to the monitor. Once connected, the display of the Lumia can be used like a trackpad plus you can also access phone functions (i.e. calls, messages, certain apps) without disturbing the desktop. You can even launch desktop versions of Office applications and work on them just as you would on a notebook or desktop.

Fan made renders of upcoming Lumia phones list all the desired features

Render by Geo Hutchings

The world is getting new Microsoft Lumia flagship smartphones next month and they will be able to run Windows 10 (even on desktop mode via the Continuum feature). While Windows Phone devices have fallen off the radar for the past months (year?), Lumia fans are drumming up excitement for the upcoming Lumia 950 XL plus all the known specs and features coming to the platform. The renders are up at Windows Central and viewable in various Lumia-esque colours.

Source: Windows Central

Is this Microsoft's upcoming Windows 10 flagship smartphone?

With all this talk about Windows 10 being able to run on 'all devices' as well as the Continuum feature which can turn a powerful smartphone into a desktop PC (given a dock, keyboard, monitor and mouse), there hasn't really been any hardware coming out of Microsoft that could demonstrate this ability. Until now.

The leaked photo above seems to belong to a 5.2-inch prototype Windows Phone which is said to be sporting a USB Type-C connector. It is hinted that this has a 20 megapixel PureView camera as well as a Snapdragon 808 processor and 3GB of RAM. Hopefully this device will be launched in time to ride the wave of interest that Windows 10 is enjoying right now. 

Source: WindowsCentral