Microsoft has finally admitted what many already knew: that its Windows Phone platform is dead.
On Twitter Sunday, Microsoft's Joe Belfiore, Corporate Vice President in the Operating Systems Group, revealed that the software giant is no longer building new features or hardware for Windows 10 Mobile. Going forward, the mobile operating system will only receive bug fixes and security updates.
"Of course we'll continue to support the platform.. bug fixes, security updates, etc.," Belfiore wrote. "But building new features/hw aren't the focus."
Belfiore also admitted that he has personally moved on from Windows Phone. "As an individual end-user, I switched platforms for the app/hw diversity," he wrote.
A major factor contributing to the demise of Windows Phone is that developers were never very keen to support the platform.
"We have tried VERY HARD to incent app devs," Belfiore wrote. "Paid money.. wrote apps 4 them.. but volume of users is too low for most companies to invest."
Though Microsoft is just admitting this now, Windows Phone has been dead for a while. The platform fell below 1 percent of the smartphone OS market during the first quarter of 2016, prompting many to declare its demise. Last May, Microsoft cut 1,850 jobs in an effort to scale down its smartphone hardware business.
Meanwhile, with Windows Phone now on the back burner, Microsoft is ramping up its efforts to support Windows 10 users on iOS and Android. Just last week, the company announced plans to bring its Edge browser to iOS and Android devices. Along with that, Microsoft introduced a new Android launcher app, which lets you customize your phone's home screen.