Topic: Windows Phone 10, Developer Account, Store Briefly Accepted Bitcoin Payments (Read 995 times)

Well, seems the end result of all that is this.  You can add money to your Microsoft wallet via $10 increments of Bitcoin.  That can then be spent on Microsoft items and in the Windows store.  It is there for both Desktop and Mobile.  We will see how long this sticks, been in there a couple weeks now.

Yes we don't get crashes but sometimes the apps tend to hang on me and I don't know why this is happening. I have used both Nokia-produced Lumias and new original Microsoft Lumia phones that came with stock Windows 10. Still no crashes but I get the occasional freeze sometimes.

You're right, I don't use anything that has the word Micro$oft on it.

You have obviously never used windows phone before.. The OS is very very stable and fast.

You don't get regular crashes like on android, everything simply does what it needs to do. The biggest issue is still and will likely remain the apps, and now more recently a reduction in the amount of development due to Microsoft firing half of their windows phone team..

I still hate that I am now being forced to go back to android because of this, as windows phone has truly been a great experience overall.

Yes interesting. All the  solutions to Microsoft problems suggests you should restart the system and when you restart often a blue screen error appears. Lol   

Microsoft makes a phone?  They can't even make an OS that doesn't crash, who would trust them with their important calls?  Let me guess, the phones screen color is blue with white lettering.

there are a couple, but none of them connect and share with the ones that i use online or the PC, that means running around with three different balances and three different accounts that i do not need.  i have enough different accounts right now just to serve one purpose or another

I know that, but I mean that the payment page should link to your bitcoin wallet with an address to send the coins to. Because it is not possible to scan a QR code on your phone with your phone, something like that is required.

Are there any good working bitcoin wallets on windows phone by now? I have given up a year ago to look for one.

Maybe microsoft will release their own wallet or in store wallet to accomodate a payment option like this. That would be really awesome!

actually, what i really want is a fully integrated tablet that is connected to the mobile network, not for calls, but simply a tablet that connects to the internet with the same coverage as my phone and without a secondary device, lol

I never got chances to play with Windows Phone, but would like to try it out and see the difference. The only thing for me would be the fact that I have so many apps already installed from Google and few I even paid for.  I wish there will be a way to get the best of both worlds.  I actually picture myself getting a Windows phone and still carrying the Android for my favorite apps on there. A company should try this concept for a fully functioning phone lol.

a wallet would have to be a connection only wallet, no way that the blockchain would fit on the phone and leave real space to spare, plus the OS is very restrictive in programming about how the space can be used

I'm totally with you here. The windows phone OS is very nice and stable to use. Been using it for over 2 years now and haven't had major troubles.

The market share of windows phone has dropped significantly over the last years though, from between 5-10% to under 1%! This news, together with them firing thousands of employees on the windows phone platform were my signal to give up and make the switch to android again.

Real shame, as I love the windows phone OS. It's just simple, refined and instinctive to use.

A bitcoin payment option would be really cool, I wonder how it would be implemented though. I'm not sure if there are any good trusted bitcoin wallets available on the phone, so I can imagine payments will be a hassle to make.

Yeah, I just use it because it integrates well with the office PC's and accounts, plus I do like the fact that background apps are actually there when you switch back and ready to go.  I had a huge problem with Android and switching apps.  As a company owner, I am constantly going from email to SMS to web browsing and even using the phone at the same time.  I found that Windows does this much more smoothly than Android.  Although I have become addicted to a game called "crack attack" and if you leave the game in mid-puzzle and come back, you lose the level and the a life and that is simply unacceptable. So, if you call me, text me and do not get an immediate response, I am waiting to be between levels, lol.

This would be awesome, except for the fact that no one uses Windows phones.

I actually think Windows phone OS is decent, but their app store is just so far behind other companies. 
If they could somehow work out a deal with Google and take the best parts of each platform, they would crush Apple. 
But I don't think that would ever happen in my lifetime.  

i really wish i had ordered something, i am curious whether they are developing their own system or using an established API like coinbase.

if they operate like Google, whatever third party company they choose to use, they will buy it a few years later, lol

Well it is a start.
Nice news to hear that a large corporation like them are accepting bitcoin even for a limited time.

i played with an older Windows Phone just now and here is how anyone can try pre-builds, maybe you guys will see it too.

1. Through the store download the app "windows insider", it is a quick and easy install.

2. Open the app and you will be asked to choose between a couple tracks of options.  There is fast, slow and release and each has its own explanation.  I will let you read those, rather than mis-quote something and get you messed up.

3. Pick the one that you think fits your needs and choose it.

4. After that, the "Insider" app is not touched.  You use your normal method of checking for and installing updates.  Make sure that before any large update that your phone is plugged in and charging the whole time.  There are several restarts for some updates. 

I personally have been Beta testing Windows 10 mobile for about six months and have not had any major issues.  As of late, there was an issue with SMS and contact updating that could be the OS or could be cache crowding.  It was kind of fun, but could end a marriage.  Overnight, my existing SMS messages were getting linked to the wrong contacts.  I would text my girlfriend at night and go to bed.  In the morning, opening that SMS message and continuing the thread would text someone else.  It was crazy and easily solved by deleting all the SMS messages and forcing a sync through the accounts.  I can picture someone else having some serious issues with that bug, sending an SMS to the "other woman" that was meant for the wife or vice versa, lol.  I really like the newest Windows 10 mobile and I REALLY LOVE that Bitcoin even touched it for a moment.  If Microsoft takes Bitcoin, that is a huge amount of revenue/funds moving through the chain.  Plus, many people that dabble in BTC consider it to be fun money or disposable and that means more money for Microsoft.

The only real fear here is the fact that address and your microsoft profile creates tracking, plus, if Microsoft sees Bitcoin as viable and sets up a huge mining farm, they could get a major controlling portion of BTC.  God knows they could put together the resources and even build a more efficient ASIC and never release it to the public.  It would be like Microsoft had their own USD printing machine, as if they did not have enough market control.

Well, assuming that you're telling the truth, there might be a pretty big announcement coming up in a few days. I'm not sure if they would have released something like that as a pre-build on purpose, but some more information or other similar things would be great information to have, since there isn't really much to verify this.

Adding the Windows Phone store to the list of places that accept Bitcoin would be a pretty big win in my opinion.

I am part of the Windows Phone developer core.  I do not work for Microsoft, just Beta test.  My phone gets pre-builds at random times, based on what they are testing at the time and yesterday the update to the "Store" app came in and I was tinkering and noticed that I could pay for apps with Bitcoin.  The app updated again today and the option was gone.  I did not know what to buy and that the option would leave so quickly or I would have tried it out.  Figured I would today and poof it was gone.  I will keep my eyes open and try it when it when it comes back and let you guys know.

I am not sure if it is the Store app or the Wallet app, as both changed together both times, since they work together so much I assume they have to be changed together when it comes to payment options versus search options or form options.  Anyway, it moves forward.  Also, I have no idea how long it takes for these build updates to make it to public.  Anyone can try them, if you have a Windows Phone and don't mind taking some chances.  I think outside the Beta group you can search for and install "Windows Insider" and get some preview builds, although I do not how to set it up.