Microsoft has announced that its Windows Marketplace for Mobile website and My Phone services are to be shut down. Windows Mobile 6.x device owners will not be able to browse, buy and download applications from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile website from July 15 onward. Along with that Microsoft’s cloud-based My Phone service will stop saving content from Windows Mobile 6.x phones.
Last month we had reported about Microsoft’s plans to stop accepting new apps for the Windows Mobile platform. The software giant has officially started bidding adieu to its decade old Windows Mobile platform. Starting in mid July Windows Mobile 6.x users won’t be able to get applications from the Windows Marketplace for Mobile website
Users will apparently have to depend directly on respective application developers for support.
Microsoft had launched cloud server based data backup services for Windows Mobile 6.x devices, dubbed ‘My Phone’, back in early 2009. Starting August 7, the My Phone service will stop syncing and taking backup of content from Windows Phone 6.x devices.
However, the company will move all user data from My Phone to Windows Live SkyDrive, the free online storage service of Microsoft. Users will be able to access their backed up content, such as contacts, calendar entries, text messages, photos, documents and other files from SkyDrive using a Windows Live ID.
In a way, Microsoft is slowly shutting down the Windows Mobile platform. Current Windows Phone 6.x users will be left with whatever apps they have from the Windows Market, and they cannot expect to see new ones.
Windows Mobile 6.x users will be left with no option but to dispose with or sell their devices. After that users will have to choose from among Windows Phone 7, iOS, Android, BlackBerry or Symbian.