Windows 10 ARM On Lumia 950 XL Is One Step Closer To Full Usability
Once upon a time, Microsoft had a dream that many of its fans wanted as well. But just like the Courier dream, Microsoft eventually killed it, leaving its faithful users wondering what could have been. But thanks to the hard work of some developers, they may no longer have to wonder. Efforts to a run a full Windows 10 version on the Lumia 950 XL has reached another milestone now that it has a working driver for the cellular modem.
Microsoft gave Lumia fans a parting gift when it released a tool that let them unlock the phone's bootloader. That then opened the door for developers to install other ROMs on it. One of those happens to be Windows Mobile's closest cousin, Windows 10 on ARM.
It hasn't even been a year but the Windows 10 on ARM on Lumia 950 XL has made enough strides that would almost make it feature complete. Touch screen, Wi-Fi, audio, and even Bluetooth are reported to be working. It has even come at a state where it's possible to run the 20-year old original Fallout game from that tiny screen.
Two things still need to be done. Or rather, one and a half now. Gustave Monce recently showed off on Twitter how the project can now turn on the phone's cellular modem and read the SIM card. While there's still no data going through, it was a critical step that needed to be solved first.
Here's a short update on Cellular for 950 XL:
We got a Mobile Broadband Driver running. It is able to read the SIM slot, turn on the Modem, read the SIM card, start the Modem firmware, turn on or off the radios at will (I've checked), communicate w/ OS, but no Data working yet. pic.twitter.com/9pkr971Gn7
— Gustave Monce 🦉 (@gus33000) April 11, 2019
Now all that's left is for the camera to work, which may not exactly be that high a priority in the grand scheme of things. Still, if even that starts working, then the Lumia 950 XL, despite having reached its end of life, will have become the first true Windows 10 phone.