Future of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile

[NickHetrick]

     I am having a really hard time trying to figure out if ESRI has ended development on ArcGIS for Windows Mobile. I don't see a 10.3 version or can I even find the status of this product. We assumed it is being replaced by collector but I am still using it and would like to know the status so we can plan migrating off of it. Maybe someone from ESRI could chime in?

[JoshuaYoung]

This is what I have heard and this is from a post back in July 2014:

"Currently there are no updates planned for the ArcGIS for Windows Mobile program but we encourage you to test out our other mobile applications such as Collector for ArcGIS, Explorer for ArcGIS, and Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS."

Here is a link to the post: ArcGIS for Windows Mobile version and download

I really do not understand why Esri is being so silent on their mobile plans for the Windows platform. I asked about their mobile plans for the Windows platform at the 2013 User Conference and no one from Esri would give me any kind of an answer.

[NickHetrick]

Yea I found that too. Its just surprising that a company provides no info about a project people are actively using. Yet they still have info on there page about purchasing it etc.... Also the constant name changing of products is really getting irritating. We have unfortunetly invested in windows tablets and not having a real solution other than mobile or building out a custom app using the .net api is really a joke. We are leveraging collector as well but we can't just throw out all of our windows hardware and start over. I heard the same thing about the conference they were hiding the info on the future of windows platform mobile solutions.

[DavidColey · Accepted solution]

Hi Nick - In talking to customer support yesterday, I was told that ArcGIS for Windows Mobile for 10.3 is due for release in late January.  My guess is that I don't think ESRI is trying to force everyone to collector, rather the Windows Mobile team probably didn't know or otherwise couldn't update Mobile until desktop was out - but again I'm just guessing. 

In the meantime, after upgrading my desktop to 10.3 I discovered that the CreateMobileCache_mobile desktop tool from the 10.2 mobile install does still function and produces a valid cache.   However, the latest python 32-bit idle (2.7.8) will not run the command. I have not tested the SyncronizeMobileCache tool.

I have not tested anything yet with the Mobile Content Server or Mobile Project Center but my guess is they will be unaffected.

Word to the wise- do not re-install or attempt a repair of the mobile 10.2 install after installing desktop 10.3 - you will lose the desktop tool functionality-

David Coley

Sarasota County GIS

[NickHetrick]

Good to know. I would prefer to move to collector which should be pretty easy but I was hoping for one more release of mobile with some maintenance fixes. Such as supporting the windows location api for onboard gps and fixing the screen resolution bug.

[DavidColey]

I completely agree - I have no great love for the mobile project center and the workflows involved, but like you need time to migrate existing projects/workflows/methods to collector

[JuanLuera]

Hola all,

This is Juan of Support Services. I just wanted to pass along, where David is correct in the next step for ArcGIS for Windows Mobile. We will be releasing mobile 10.2.1 which will be compatible with ArcMap 10.3 by the end of January. In regards to the future of the product, within Support Services we have not heard if any further development will be done. This would be up to the Product Engineers and the developers of the product but as you are all discussing, the move for our current users, is to migrate over to
Collector.

Thanks, All!!

Juan

[DavidColey]

Hello Juan-

Do you have a status update as to the release of mobile 10.2.1?

Thanks

David

[JuanLuera]

Hi David,

I reached out to one of our developers yesterday, and they mentioned the timeline has been pushed back a few weeks on the release date. We see this quit often within Support Services, but on the upside. The developers typically put out a blog on the web, when these products have been updated and available to all of our users.

I would say by the end of February, would be a good timeframe for this release of ArcGIS for Windows Mobile 10.2.1.

Gracias, David!

Juan

[NickHetrick]

Thanks for the update.