We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more .

2019 marked the official end of Windows Phone, the death of books in the Microsoft Store, and the end of several Microsoft apps and services, but as Dumbledore said, "Do not pity the dead. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love." While these products have passed on, we had the pleasure of using them during their time. Before marching ahead into 2020 and the thrilling future of xCloud, Windows 10X, and one of the most exciting hardware lineups from Microsoft that we'll ever see in a single year, let's take one last look back at the Microsoft apps and services we lost in 2019.

Windows Phone

Source: Windows Central

Source: Windows Central

One of the Xbox's most popular titles inspired the name of Cortana, but in 2019 Microsoft ended Cortana support for the Xbox One. People can no longer use Cortana for voice commands over Kinect or headsets to control the Xbox One or their TVs. Instead, people can use Alexa, Google Assistant, Cortana over external speakers, or revert to the original locally-processed commands. While these new assistants work well, are useful beyond the Xbox One, and don't require a Kinect, it's a bit sad that you can't call for Cortana when using an Xbox anymore. How to use an Amazon Echo with Xbox One for voice commands Cortana on Xbox One is survived by Alexa and Google Assistant. Books in the Microsoft Store

Source: Windows Central

With Kindle book support on Windows 10 being so poor, Microsoft tried to deliver a reading experience for Windows 10 users by selling books through the Microsoft Store. The idea never really gained traction, and Microsoft decided to stop selling books through the Microsoft Store. Taking it one step further, Microsoft revoked access to any books that people purchased through the Microsoft Store and issued refunds. Books in the Microsoft Store are survived by a terrible Kindle app built for Windows 7 and Freda. Streaming music through Groove Music from OneDrive

Source: Windows Central

Groove Music lost one of its final useful features this year, the ability to stream music from OneDrive. Groove was in decline since Groove Music Pass ended in 2017, but losing the ability to stream music from the cloud was the final blow for many people on the service. Groove Music still functions as a music player for local files, but that's about it. Best iOS and Android apps for streaming OneDrive music Streaming music through Groove Music from OneDrive is survived by Spotify, CloudBeats, and CloudPlayer. Wunderlist

Source: Windows Central

Technically, Wunderlist doesn't die until May 2020, but its replacement is entirely in place, and Microsoft is moving on. Microsoft acquired Wunderlist in 2015 and quickly began migrating features to a spiritual successor, Microsoft To Do. It took longer than expected, but Microsoft To Do caught up to Wunderlist and continues to receive updates. Kill the past: It's time for Wunderlist users (and its founder) to move on Wunderlist is survived by its successor, Microsoft To Do, and its founder Christian Reber, who wants to repurchase the app from Microsoft. Looking ahead