Oh no, you're thinking, yet another cookie pop-up. Well, sorry, it's the law. We measure how many people read us, and ensure you see relevant ads, by storing cookies on your device. If you're cool with that, hit “Accept all Cookies”. For more info and to customize your settings, hit “Customize Settings”.

Review and manage your consent

Here's an overview of our use of cookies, similar technologies and how to manage them. You can also change your choices at any time, by hitting the “Your Consent Options” link on the site's footer.

Manage Cookie Preferences
  • These cookies are strictly necessary so that you can navigate the site as normal and use all features. Without these cookies we cannot provide you with the service that you expect.

  • These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.

  • These cookies collect information in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our sites. If people say no to these cookies, we do not know how many people have visited and we cannot monitor performance.

See also our Cookie policy and Privacy policy.

This article is more than 1 year old

British banks chuck smartphone apps out of Windows

UWP – now slightly less Universal than before!

The UK's largest retail bank, Lloyds, has withdrawn its app from the Windows Store, and the bank's web page now redirects to a 404. TSB's Windows mobile app has also disappeared.

Although the Windows Store has mobile apps for Barclays and RBS's NatWest – both have around 18 per cent market share – Lloyds is far and away the market leader for individual current accounts. Satander and HSBC have a combined share of 22 per cent. Totting up the numbers, we reckon that leaves two-thirds of British current account holders stranded.

Chatbots and nerd goggles get all the love at Microsoft these days, not phones. Although there's a case for killing off the mobile platform completely, it lives on as an afterthought.

But this raises the question – what does the "U" in "Universal Windows Platform" actually stand for? Microsoft's strategy is designed to create portable apps that run across its different platforms, but the number of platforms is effectively diminishing. In reality, it's Windows on Intel... and Xbox.

"We're going to continue to invest in ARM and cellular," Terry Myerson, executive vice president of the Windows and Devices Group at Microsoft, told Mary Jo Foley recently. "And while I'm not saying what type of device, I think we'll see devices there, Windows devices, that use ARM chips. I think we'll see devices that have cellular connectivity".

If you read the full quote, you'll find a man trying very hard not to say the word "phone"... and succeeding. ®

Similar topics

Similar topics

Similar topics

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like