Leaked image shows the Lumia smartphone that could have been

Microsoft has dropped out of the mobile hardware space with its Lumia 550, 650, 950 and 950 XL as the last models a few years ago. A leaked image of a Lumia prototype gives us a glimpse of where Microsoft was headed. Outfitted with a Snapdragon 820 processor, 23 megapixel camera and an aluminium unibody the prototype, outed on Baidu, shows a departure from the Lumia design playbook.

Word has it that Microsoft hasn't given up on its own mobile devices, specially now that the Surface brand is gaining ground in notebooks and tablets, it may be a good time to introduce a new Windows 10 smartphone.

Source: WindowsCentral

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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Microsoft ending several Lumia mobile apps in preparation of Windows 10 on phones

As Microsoft moves towards a post-Nokia direction with Windows 10 on phones, it has decided to deep-six to get rid of various, once-innovative Lumia apps. So, we pour one out for Lumia Storyteller, Lumia Beamer, Photobeamer, Lumia Refocus, Lumia Panorama and Video Uploader which are no longer going to be available.

Moreover, these apps will no longer have online services available and will no longer be supported after October 30, 2015. While none of these apps will be forcefully dissapeared from exisitingd devices, the fact that they are dead to Microsoft simply means that they are just taking up space, so it is best to move on.

Too bad, though. These were some of the apps that made Windows Phone really special and different, but I guess they have no place in a world where Nokia can no longer make a plea for them to exist.

Source: Thurrott.com

New Microsoft beta app allows users to answer phones just by picking them up

Microsoft is making it easier for owners of certain Lumia phones to answer phones just by picking them up. The new Gestures beta app applies only to Lumia 530, 630 and 635 models. Aside from simply picking up to answer a phone, you can mute the mic by placing it face down even as you're on speakerphone. 

Source: Engadget