2014 was a big year for the Windows Phone platform. This year, Nokia’s Devices and Services business officially joined Microsoft, Microsoft entered the personal assistant race with Cortana, and the company ended 2014 with a list of top apps that almost rivals Apple and Google.
But, despite all its promise, Windows Phone also took a few hits. From Snapchat to Microsoft itself, here’s a recap of the app developers that snubbed Windows Phone users this year.
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In the three years since it launched, mega-popular selfie app Snapchat never released a Windows Phone app. This wasn’t such a problem, until the company had all third-party Snapchat apps pulled from the Windows Phone store due to the “Snappeneing” nude photo hack. Meanwhile, Snapchat continues to tease Windows Phone users with this poll, requesting votes for where Snapchat should launch next.
Microsoft
Microsoft frustrated a lot of Windows Phone fans this year when its experimental lab, Microsoft Garage, launched two Android-only apps in October — one called Next Lock Screen, and another titled Journeys and Notes. Similarly, a few days later, Microsoft announced a Lumia/Fitbit partnership after enticing us with its own fitness wearable. As usual, we’re left scratching our heads.
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Google continues to ignore the Windows Phone platform, although Microsoft is trying to compensate for this with in-house app shortcuts that link to Google’s mobile sites.
Nokia
Nokia — the part Microsoft didn’t acquire — didn’t pull any of its official apps yet (as far as we know), but the company apparently doesn’t plan to release new updates for its HERE maps app on the Windows Phone platform. Ouch.
Zillow
Real estate discovery service Zillow pulled its app from the Windows Phone store this year. This wasn’t too surprising, though, as Zillow had neglected the platform for a few years.
Tinder
Windows Phone has Timber and 6tin, but it doesn’t have red-hot mobile dating app Tinder. Although Tinder reportedly planned to release a Windows Phone app earlier this year, it never arrived in 2014.
Third-party Twitter app developers
Makers of popular third-party Twitter apps like Mehdoh and Rowi pulled their offerings from the Windows Phone store over the last year. Luckily, Twitter has long maintained its own official Windows Phone app. It’s noteworthy, of course, that Twitter’s collection of third-party clients has been on the decline for a long time.
What other app developers snubbed Windows Phone this year? Let us know if we missed something in the comments below.
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Big thanks to @OhMDee, @mehedih_, and @thekenyeung for contributing to this list!
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