The entire vision behind Windows 10 cross platform apps was inspirational. Code once run then across phone, tablet, desktop, and Xbox. And Hololens... I guess.
The implementation was terrible and was saddled the failing Mobile division.
I think Microsoft finally got it right around Windows 10, but the damage had already been done. Windows 8 and Windows Phone 7/8/10 had caused too much damage to the brand.
Now, Samsung Dex is doing what Microsoft wanted to do, but very few people know about it. That probably has to do with how uncommon USB-C docks are, and how many of those docks use DisplayLink instead of a normal standard to do video. It's a real shame, because a modern phone is more than powerful enough for most people's computer work.
Indeed. I have a Nokia 950 and in many ways WinPho was a really nice phone OS; Microsoft's endless jerking about of developers as it went 6.5 -> 7.x -> 8 -> 10 did it no favours.
Absolutely, as soon as developers and customers found a nice place - they would pull the rug from under them. I got into the WinPho around Win 8/8.1 and it was pretty cool and the update to Win10 showed to much promise that vanished the instant they stopped working on the hardware. To be fair if I was in Nadella's position, even though I loved the Lumia line - I would have done the same.
I have said that in technology one step ahead is an innovator, two steps ahead is martyr. Windows phone was Martyr.
The implementation was terrible and was saddled the failing Mobile division.