People like to mock Windows Phone, but it was a great OS. The only problem I had with it was it's lack of apps and that wasn't Microsoft's fault, but the fault of the closed tech ecosystems we have been forced to accept.
I kinda wish MS just released an open source version of it so development could continue instead of ending the project completely.
I liked the OS, too, but Microsoft didn't do themselves many favours by resetting the dev platform several times and not having upgrade paths between major versions. What momentum they had cratered every few years.
You're right that didn't help, but that wasn't the big problem.
Time and time again I saw independent developers making fantastic third-party app replacements for the most popular Android/iPhone apps, like Snapchat. Time and time again I saw them deleted from the Windows Store via a takedown by multimillion/billion dollar companies that didn't want to make a WP app.
I'm sure money was a consideration, but malice was a much bigger factor, and I wouldn't be surprised if Google money played a role in it. A lot of people did not want to see a third mobile OS platform and did what they could to ensure it failed.
Yeah, that definitely didn't help, either. Snapchat's one I can't really blame them for not allowing third-party apps for given its use, but some others were definitely playing games.
It might have survived one of these issues, but both was crippling. Poor app support and constant churn of APIs can't end well.
One of the reasons MS can't do this, even if they wanted to (ha ha!) is the patent encumbrance. There are so many patents in this field, it's kinda crazy.
I kinda wish MS just released an open source version of it so development could continue instead of ending the project completely.