Mirosoft ends support for Windows Phone, advises users to switch to Android or iOS

Microsoft Windows Phone users will stop receiving security updates after December 10, 2019.

Microsoft Lumia phone unveiled at Mobile World Congress 2015 Barcelona. (HT Photo)

Microsoft has asked its users to switch to an Android or iOS device as it announced the end of support for Windows 10 Mobile.

In an "End of Support" page, the company told users that Windows 10 Mobile will stop receiving new security updates after December 10, 2019.

"With the Windows 10 Mobile OS end of support, we recommend that customers move to a supported Android or iOS device. Microsoft's mission statement to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more, compels us to support our Mobile apps on those platforms and devices," the company wrote in the support page.

Back in October 2017, Microsoft had announced it would no longer roll out new features for Windows 10 Mobile. The company continued to roll out security updates though. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) also reportedly scrapped as many as 36,000 Windows phones and replaced them with iPhones after previous acknowledgment that Microsoft mobile support would be ending. As for existing Windows 10 Mobile users, Microsoft has recommended switching to either Android or iOS platforms.

Microsoft introduced its Windows 10 Mobile platform back in 2015 with the Lumia 550, 950 and 950 XL smartphones. The mobile OS soon lost popularity to the rising presence of Google's Android and Apple's iOS.

In related news, Microsoft also acknowledged Cortana's defeat to the likes of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella spoke about Cortana's future plans which will primarily involve in helping out other assistants like Alexa. Microsoft also demonstrated Cortana and Alexa working together at Build 2018.

With inputs from IANS.