Remember the Windows Phone? If your memory is a little hazy, Windows Phone was Microsoft's way of dipping a toe into the mobile market until it wrapped everything up in 2017. Since then, it has left a Windows Phone-shaped void in the hearts of those who liked it, to the point where our Editor-in-Chief Rich Woods posted an article on the greatest Windows Phones of all time, simply because he could.

Despite being gone for years now, people still hanker for the Windows Phone They can't help but imagine what life would have been like if the Redmond giant hadn't given up on its mobile offerings, and it doesn't help that even Microsoft's CEO regretted canning the Windows Phone. And this desire for a new Windows Phone isn't just based on a vibe, either; people have been doing everything to re-imagine what Windows would look like on a mobile phone, from making concept art to just straight-up stuffing Windows 11 on an iPhone. So, here are some ways people still crave the sweet blessings of the Windows Phone.

People are imagining what Windows Phone would look like in the current year

A glimpse into an alternate timeline

People really like imagining what specific operating systems would have looked like on specific hardware, and the Windows Phone is no exception. We previously saw one creative design images related to what they thought Windows Phone would look like in 2024, going into huge detail such as Copilot on the lock screen and how you'd navigate the imaginary operating system.

Also, back when Windows 11 24H2 was being referred to as "Windows 12," someone made concepts of what a Windows 12 would look like. Part of the imagining included a mobile version, complete with its own fake announcement video that you can watch above. It's a wild amount of effort put into imagining what could have been if Windows didn't drop out of the mobile race.

People are squeezing Windows 11 onto phones

Like shoving an elephant into a car

While some people are happy with simply imagining what a Windows Phone in 2024 would look like, some would prefer to make it as much a reality as possible. This involves taking an operating system that some fully-blown PCs don't have the hardware for and stuffing it into a tiny phone.

Fortunately, there is someone who can achieve this feat; NTDev, the developer of Tiny11. They've been hard at work cutting down Windows 11 to its bare essentials, which makes it easier for systems to run. To put that to the test, he installed Windows 11 onto an iPhone 15 Pro.

So, how did it go? Not so well. NTDev reported slow performance, including a 20-minute boot-up time. But it was still a cool peek into what Windows 11 would look like if it was still developed for mobile devices.

People are even installing the Windows Phone OS onto other devices

A little peek into what could have been

To top everything off, people are still playing around with the Windows Phone operating system. Take the above video, for example; someone took the time to get the Windows Phone OS up and running on a MacBook, a feat they claim may be the first instance of the mobile operating system making its appearance on one of Apple's products. And the kicker? It worked well.

The operating system quickly made a new home for itself within the MacBook, even going so far as to accurately detect that it had been installed onto a laptop and show the correct battery level. People in the comments lamented about how smart this system was, and what could have been if Microsoft had just stuck to its guns and continued producing more Windows Phone systems. They have a great point; imagine what the tech world would have looked like if the Windows Phone had been able to quickly adapt itself onto any tablet, phone, or laptop as it did with that MacBook.

Windows Phone has closed out the call, but its fans refuse to hang up on it

Was Microsoft's shuttering of Windows Phone a huge mistake? It's impossible to say for sure. We have no idea if Windows Phone would have gone on to become a major competitor versus Android and iOS, or if it would have been relegated to the third-wheel position. Regardless of what it may have become, people are still thinking about how Windows Phone would have looked in the current year. And until Microsoft gives us a proper mobile OS, the re-imaginings will likely continue for years to come.