Xbox is discontinuing support for Windows Phones

Window Phone Image Credit

Microsoft will discontinue Xbox services for Windows Phone in May.

Xbox is discontinuing support for Windows Phones, with Microsoft confirming that Xbox functions would no longer be available on the failed mobile platform.

Microsoft has stated that Xbox functions will no longer be supported on Windows Phone devices. The news was given in an informal style as a notification in the Xbox app. It's awful news for the dwindling Windows Phone ecosystem, and it's just more move by Microsoft toward ending support for its mobile operating system.

Windows Phone was first released in 2010 as a competitor to iOS and Android in the mobile industry. In 2013, Windows Phone surpassed Blackberry in market share, overcoming then Blackberry 10 OS, which appeared to be a serious challenger in the smartphone space. As part of their strategy, Microsoft purchased Nokia for roughly $7 billion US. By 2016, however, interest in Windows Phone had waned as iOS and Android gained traction. That year, the platform's market share fell to 1%, and Microsoft stopped actively developing Windows Phone in 2017.

All versions of the Windows Phone operating system, including Windows 10 Mobile, will be affected by the removal of Xbox features. On May 16, Xbox LIVE services will be decommissioned, affecting all Windows Phone models at the same time. Games with Xbox LIVE integration will no longer record achievements or other forms of progress to players' Xbox accounts, and features such as cloud saving will be disabled. Games that do not rely on Xbox LIVE capabilities (such as those that support offline saving) should continue to work, though Microsoft can not promise this. "Some games may still be playable on your phone," it says.

The news will come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Windows Phone's history, as Microsoft will discontinue support for the platform in late 2019 and provide a final security update a year later. Microsoft's continuing support for Xbox on Windows Phone was somewhat generous, as the corporation appears to have supported the platform for as long as it was practical. Instead, for years, the business has focused on developing apps for Android and iOS, with more recent reports of Android app support for Xbox consoles.

Windows Phone has become somewhat of a relic of the 2010s, harkening back to a period when companies like Blackberry and Nokia were still in the smartphone game. Nonetheless, this statement signifies the end of an era for gamers who loved Xbox functions on their Windows Phone.

h/s

Read More: Nintendo 3DS and Wii U Eshops Support are being shut down.