Windows 10 finally goes mobile
Windows 10 isn’t just big news for PCs. This was meant to be the upgrade that would unify Microsoft’s operating system across desktop PCs, laptops, tablets and phones. Instead of the full-on software on your computer and limited, sort-ofcompatible apps on your mobile devices, you’d have the same thing everywhere. It’s obviously the way things should be.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite what we’ve got. When Windows 10 arrived for PCs and tablets, it didn’t work on phones. Now, after a short delay, there’s a distinct mobile edition. This phone, under the Lumia brand name that Microsoft acquired when it took over Nokia, is the first to run it. More models from Microsoft and others are sure to follow.
There’s no fingerprint sensor to wake up the Lumia 950, but you can set up Windows 10’s ‘Hello’ feature to recognise your face when you peer at it. Once the screen comes on, it looks more like an updated version of Windows Phone 8.1 than a phone version of Windows 10. As before, your home screen is filled with Live Tiles that you scroll through vertically.
However, thanks to Microsoft’s new Universal Apps system, everything does feel very consistent with the PC version of Windows 10. And the underlying promise is that app makers can write a single program that adapts to all devices. This is demonstrated in the Photos, Mail and Calendar apps, which feel familiar but are nicely reworked for the phone display.
Microsoft Office didn’t convince us, though. You get special versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint – known as Office Mobile – with a user interface designed for small touchscreens, which means you have to relearn where everything is. Unlike Apple’s equivalent apps, these aren’t free: you’ll need an Office 365 subscription to use all the features. Not many other apps have been redesigned for Windows 10 Mobile yet. Maybe it’ll catch on, but the history of Windows Phone suggests maybe it won’t.
In an unexpected twist, you can use the phone as a desktop PC. A feature called Continuum lets you plug a monitor or TV into the Lumia (with an adapter), add a Bluetooth keyboard, and pretend you’re using a PC. Apps scale up for the big screen. You use the phone as a trackpad. It’s a clever way of doing something we’re not sure we’ll ever want to do.
Even though the Lumia 950 has a decent processor, Windows 10 Mobile sometimes feels juddery. The battery can charge wirelessly, which is handy, but lasted us only 10 hours of video playback. The sharp AMOLED screen has good colour reproduction, but doesn’t go bright enough. You get a reasonable 32GB of storage, plus a microSD card slot for up to 200GB more. And the best feature is the stabilised 20-megapixel camera, which takes pictures with exceptional subtlety. Video, at up to 4K resolution, is also good, although you can’t lock exposure for more professional results.
The camera in the middle of the rear panel has a metallic porthole – the only decorative feature on an otherwise minimalist exterior. Elsewhere, the matt black or white plastic finish doesn’t feel top of the range. The awkwardly tilted Windows logo is apologetically small, and you could easily mistake the word ‘Microsoft’ on the front for a label saying ‘Microphone’. If this had been designed by satirists to suggest a corporate dinosaur out of touch with consumer fashions, they couldn’t have done a better job.
VERDICT
For £120 less than an iPhone 6s, this is almost an excellent phone, but only consider it if you’re a big Windows 10 fan who doesn’t already use iOS or Android.
SPECIFICATIONS
5.2in 2560x1440-pixel screen • 32GB flash storage • 20-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel front camera • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.1 • 3G/4G • microSD card slot • USB Type-C port • Windows 10 Mobile • 145x73x8.2mm (HxWxD) • 150g • One-year warranty