Windows Phone facts for kids
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| Company / developer | Microsoft Corporation |
|---|---|
| Programmed in | C, C++ |
| OS family | Windows |
| Working state | Unsupported |
| Source model | Closed-source |
| Initial release | |
| Latest stable release | Windows Phone 8.10(8.01.10211.204) / December 20, 2012 |
| Available language(s) | 25+ languages |
| Package manager | Zune Software, Windows Phone App, Windows Phone Store, xap on Windows Phone 8 and later |
| Supported platforms | Qualcomm Snapdragon (based on ARMv7) |
| Kernel type | Monolithic (Windows CE) (Windows Phone 7) Hybrid (Windows NT) (Windows Phone 8) |
| Default user interface | Graphical (Metro UI) |
| License | Commercial proprietary software |
Windows Phone was a special computer program, called an operating system, made by Microsoft. It was designed to run on mobile phones. Think of an operating system as the main software that makes your phone work, letting you use apps and connect to the internet.
Windows Phone was first released in October 2010. It was Microsoft's attempt to compete with other popular phone operating systems like Android (made by Google) and iOS (made by Apple). However, Windows Phone was not as popular as Android or iOS. Microsoft stopped supporting Windows Phone in 2017, meaning it no longer gets updates.
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What Was Windows Phone?
Windows Phone was a mobile operating system that helped smartphones do everything from making calls to running apps. It was known for its unique look, which used a design style called "Metro UI." This design featured large, colorful "Live Tiles" on the home screen. These tiles were not just icons; they could show live information, like new messages or weather updates, without you even opening the app.
Key Features of Windows Phone
Windows Phone had several features that made it stand out:
- Live Tiles: As mentioned, these were interactive squares on your home screen that showed real-time information.
- Hubs: Instead of separate apps for everything, Windows Phone grouped related things into "hubs." For example, the "People Hub" combined your contacts, social media updates, and communication history in one place. The "Music + Video Hub" was where you could find all your music and videos.
- Microsoft Services: It was built to work well with Microsoft's own services, like Microsoft Office Mobile for documents, Xbox Live for gaming, and OneDrive for cloud storage. This made it easy for users of other Microsoft products to use a Windows Phone.
- Cortana: Later versions of Windows Phone included Cortana, Microsoft's digital assistant, similar to Siri on iPhones or Google Assistant on Android phones. Cortana could help you set reminders, answer questions, and even tell jokes.
Why Did Windows Phone Stop?
Even though Windows Phone had some cool features, it faced tough competition. Most people were already using phones with Android or iOS, which had many more apps available. Developers often chose to make apps for Android and iOS first because those systems had more users. This meant that Windows Phone sometimes lacked popular apps, which made it harder for new users to choose it.
Because it couldn't gain enough users, Microsoft eventually decided to stop developing Windows Phone. The last major version was Windows Phone 8.1, and support for it ended in 2017. Today, you won't find new phones running Windows Phone.
Images for kids
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The Music + Video Hub on Windows Phone.
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Microsoft Office Mobile on Windows Phone 8
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A test notification of an "update available" pop-up in the Windows Phone emulator.
See also
In Spanish: Windows Phone para niños
