A Second Life For The Windows Phone

It is no secret that Windows Phone has lost its significance nowadays. The once popular and emerging mobile operating system has been reduced to a niche market in recent years.

After Microsoft's efforts with Windows Phone 7 and 8, the final version of the mobile operating system was released in 2015. Windows 10 Mobile brought many new features to the OS but failed to gain traction. This could be due to the limited number of phones released by manufacturers; Microsoft only launched four new devices when introducing the new OS. However, some old Windows Phones were eligible for updates, allowing a portion of existing devices to access new features.

After 2016, news surrounding Windows Mobile remained absent until the plug was pulled in 2019.

A Second Life through the Community

Nevertheless, Windows Phones remain popular within certain online communities. Users continue to appreciate the user interface and overall experience, which some believe cannot be found on Android or iOS. Users can share photos of their devices and self-made applications, giving many Windows Phones a second life. These devices are repurposed as media players, cameras, navigation systems, weather stations, or even gaming consoles.

Users also share applications and tricks that modify or bypass certain device functions. For instance, on Windows Phone 8 devices, applications could not be installed from sources other than the official app store, except through a paid Developer Unlock. This became even more challenging when Microsoft shut down the activation servers after the end of support, rendering the devices as useful as bricks.

In the meantime, various tools have been released to address this issue, and the relatively small community helps keep the devices functional.

I have been a Windows Phone enthusiast for years, and without a doubt, I can say that Windows Phone is my favorite operating system. The user experience and a certain level of personalization cannot be found anywhere else. I have been fortunate to benefit from the ongoing support of the community, so last year, I chose to make a new contribution.

WPAppInstall

I came up with the idea of reading device properties and installing applications on a Windows Phone from a computer. I designed and developed WPAppInstall during the holiday season.

The device needs to be connected via a USB cable, after which application files for Windows Phones can be installed, and the device can be read and manipulated. Of course, the fruity colors familiar to Windows Phone enthusiasts couldn't be missing.

https://github.com/jetspiking/WPAppInstall

Phone Drawer

Is it fair for so much old equipment to end up in a drawer or cabinet when support from the manufacturer is discontinued? Old devices can often take on more roles than initially thought, which can even save the need for new equipment.

Don't forget to search for hidden hardware, you might be able to recycle it.