You might remember that earlier this year there were a lot of rumors about Verizon receiving an exclusive Windows Phone device. In February the Lumia Icon was exclusively launched on Verizon and it later became in other markets as the slightly modified Lumia 929. A new report suggests that Verizon might be retiring the device even before it has been one full year since it was launched and a tweet from one of Verizon’s own accounts seems to corroborate this.
In this particular case retiring would mean that existing stock will be sold both online and through retail stores but once stock runs out the device will not be restocked. In response to a query on Twitter the Verizon Wireless Support account did say that “the Icon is being retired.”
One widely believed reason whenever products like these are not restocked is that a successor might be in the works but so far there have been no rumors about a new Windows Phone device that could take the Icon’s place as a Verizon exclusive. Recent Windows Phone devices that Microsoft has released are geared towards the mid-range market and don’t measure up to the Icon in any way.
Meanwhile Verizon is yet to release the Windows Phone 8.1 update for Lumia Icon users and because of this those users are still not able to take advantage of features like Cortana, notification center and much more that comes as part and parcel of WP8.1.
When asked by ZDNet a spokesperson for Verizon only said that Icon is in stock and is being sold “actively,” but didn’t even touch on the subject of retirement. So this remains somewhat of a mystery for now.
Filed in . Read more about Lumia Icon, Verizon and Windows Phone 8.1.