The other day I had an email from Amazon:
Hello,
Our records indicate that you have previously installed the Amazon App for Windows Phone from the Microsoft App Store.
We will be retiring the app you currently have on your device, meaning its contents will no longer be updated. You will still have access to the app until 15 August, 2016.
We encourage you to visit Amazon.co.uk on your mobile browser where you will have access to our newest shopping features and customer experience.
We look forward to seeing you again soon.
Regards,
Customer Service Department
What does this mean? Is Amazon going to focus on delivering a dynamic, adaptive website which works well on all mobile web browsers - or is this the beginning of the end of app development for Windows Phones?
I'm not surprised at Amazon's decision. They have never really supported Windows devices, but it could be the first in a long line of developers deciding to kill off their work for Windows.
Even Microsoft-owned Skype will no longer work on Windows 8.1 devices from autumn 2016!
Microsoft keep on shooting themselves in the foot: They create a version of Windows which becomes unsupported after a couple of years. App developers are then forced to start from scratch each time.
Windows 10 is supposed to resolve this problem, yet things still seem to be following the same trend.
I have heard (anecdotally) that some web developers will be ceasing app development (for all platforms) due to the expense required - This money could be better spent on writing adaptive websites, which does make sense.
But, some people still insist on having apps (even if they barely use them), and whilst there are smartphones, people will want apps. I just hope that Microsoft realise that Windows apps are also supposed to work on all of their Windows devices - not just phones.
