Microsoft's Windows 10 Mobile Creators Update is limited to only 13 smartphones, and apparently, that translates to about 40 percent of owned Windows phones getting left out of the deal.
To put that into perspective, it means only 60 percent of these devices are eligible to receive the significant update.
40 Percent Windows Phones Not Getting Creators Update
Windows monitoring network AdDuplex got to the bottom of things and disclosed the figures. To be exact, 39.2 percent aren't getting the Creators Update, while 60.8 percent are.
As a quick refresher, the remaining Windows phones that Microsoft is going to continue supporting are the Lumia 550, Lumia 640 and 640 XL, Lumia 650, and Lumia 950 and 950 XL. Other handsets in the list include the Alcatel IDOL 4S and OneTouch Fierce XL, HP Elite x3, MouseComputer MADOSMA Q601, SoftBank 503LV, Trinity NuAns NEO, and VAIO Phone Biz.
In other words, Microsoft is giving the cold shoulder to even popular Lumia phones, such as the Lumia 535, Lumia 540, Lumia 730, and Lumia 930.
Not The End Just Yet, But Pretty Much Dead
Owners of unsupported Windows phones can still sign up for the Release Preview and install the Creators Update, thanks to the Windows Insider Program.
The thing is, they won't exactly get a stable build here, and to be clear, they aren't going to get official support from Microsoft, even though the software is technically "official."
On that note, this comes across as sort of throwing a bone, and it's far from enough to keep Windows phones alive.
9.8 Percent Windows 10 Machines Installed The Creators Update
In other related news, AdDuplex also provided numbers on how many Windows 10 machines installed the Creators Update or version 1703, tallying the total to 9.8 percent. As for the rest, 82.1 percent are running the Anniversary Update or version 1607, 6 percent are powered by version 1511, 1.8 percent are on the original RTM, and 0.4 percent on Redstone 3 or RS3 (Insiders).
It's worth mentioning that Microsoft is rolling out the Creators Update gradually, making sure users won't run into major issues when they install it.
"Blocking availability of the update to devices we know will experience issues is a key aspect of our controlled rollout approach. We decide what to block based on user impact, and blocking issues are a high priority for us to address as quickly as possible. During the time it takes to address an issue, we want to limit the number of customers exposed to that issue," Microsoft says.
For instance, Microsoft found out that select Broadcom Bluetooth radios have a reconnection problem, and it's thanks to the feedback program it implemented.
The Bottom Line
To boil things down, Microsoft is leaving only two options to upgrade for owners of unsupported devices: buy an eligible phone or join the Windows Insider program.
That means the company is essentially pulling the plug on nearly half of the handsets in the wild, and in turn, Windows phones are arguably as good as dead.
With all said and done, feel free to hit us up in the comments section below and let us know what you think of Microsoft's recent moves.
