Bitpay to Launch Bitcoin Wallet App for Windows Phone Market

Leading bitcoin payment processor Bitpay has announced the development of their bitcoin wallet app for Windows Phone users. With Windows accounting for less than 1% of the total smartphone market share, the array of mobile cryptocurrency applications available to Windows smartphone users has been very limited, as many developers have opted to focus their attention on the Apple and Android smartphone markets.

Although Bitpay has catered to the Windows phone market since 2015 in the form of the Copay wallet, Bitpay is excited to integrate Visa debit and other functions not currently available via Copay into its Windows products.

Bitpay and Microsoft have partnered previously. In 2014, Bitpay partnered with Microsoft to allow customers to make purchases using bitcoin in the Windows store. When announcing Bitpay’s plans to offer its full wallet services to Windows Phone users, the company stated that “Microsoft’s continued commitment to blockchain technology and interest in smart contracts makes our bitcoin wallet platform – the foundation of many exciting smart contract projects – a powerful addition to the Windows Phone app ecosystem”, suggesting the likelihood of future partnerships between the companies.

Many within the bitcoin community do not share Bitpay’s enthusiasm for Microsoft’s explorations into cryptocurrency technology. The recently announced global public-private partnership ID2020 illustrates Microsoft, Accenture and Avanade’s willingness to leverage the blockchain for the purposes of centralization.

The project plans to leverage Accenture’s Unique Identity Service Platform to manage sensitive data such as fingerprints, iris recognition, and biometric data via the blockchain. Although the project is ostensively designed to better assist in the management of refugees and displaced peoples, many within the cryptocurrency community are concerned that said technology could be utilized for more Orwellian purposes.

Despite reservation from some within the bitcoin economy regarding Microsoft’s involvement in the ID2020 project, bitcoin adopting Windows Phone users are welcoming the collaboration.

What do you think of the parnership between Microsoft and Bitpay? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!