NYPD Moves Away From Windows Phone, Switches to Apple
NYPD Moves Away From Windows Phone, Switches to Apple, Roughly 16 months ago, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) began issuing Windows Phone devices to its officers. The goal was to give officers the ability to track 911 calls and access databases of criminal activity, and let officers give their own phone numbers to individuals so they could call the officer directly instead of being routed through a switchboard first. It was a surprising move, given that the Windows Phone ecosystem was already on life support at the time, and it was one of the few high-profile wins for Microsoft in the waning days of its platform. And now it’s going away. The NYPD is moving away from Microsoft devices and offering officers the option of either an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus to use for work. Issues driving the change include a need for security updates and overall performance, as well as the fact that Microsoft isn’t investing in Windows Phone or Windows 10 Mobile any longer. The devices being used in the program weren’t new, even 18 months ago — the Nokia Lumia 830 launched in 2014, while the Microsoft Lumia 640 XL was a 2015 device. Photo by the New York Daily News
NYPD Moves Away From Windows Phone, Switches to Apple, Roughly 16 months ago, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) began issuing Windows Phone devices to its officers. The goal was to give officers the ability to track 911 calls and access databases of criminal activity, and let officers give their own phone numbers to individuals so they could call the officer directly instead of being routed through a switchboard first. It was a surprising move, given that the Windows Phone ecosystem was already on life support at the time, and it was one of the few high-profile wins for Microsoft in the waning days of its platform. And now it’s going away. The NYPD is moving away from Microsoft devices and offering officers the option of either an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus to use for work. Issues driving the change include a need for security updates and overall performance, as well as the fact that Microsoft isn’t investing in Windows Phone or Windows 10 Mobile any longer. The devices being used in the program weren’t new, even 18 months ago — the Nokia Lumia 830 launched in 2014, while the Microsoft Lumia 640 XL was a 2015 device. Photo by the New York Daily News