The Lumia 950 and Lumia 950 XL, once heralded as Microsoft’s flagship smartphones nearly a decade ago, have found new life through the ingenuity of hackers and developers. Initially launched as some of the last devices to feature the Windows Mobile operating system, these smartphones were discontinued just two years later. However, their legacy continues as enthusiasts have tirelessly worked to install alternative operating systems, including various versions of Android and even full desktop iterations of Windows 10 and 11.
Reviving the Lumia Experience
Despite the challenges posed by aging hardware—specifically, the Lumia 950’s Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor and the Lumia 950 XL’s Snapdragon 810 chip—the Lumia WOA Project has made significant strides in optimizing these devices for modern use. The recent release of Lumia Drivers BSP Version 2502.03 on February 1, 2025, marks a pivotal moment, introducing support for hardware-accelerated graphics when running x86 applications on these ARM-based smartphones.
These drivers enable DirectX 11 compatible applications, originally designed for x86 architecture, to utilize the GPUs of the Lumia 950 series. The Lumia 950 is equipped with a Qualcomm Adreno 418 GPU, while the 950 XL boasts an Adreno 430 GPU. Prior to this update, the devices could only support hardware-accelerated graphics for apps compiled natively for ARM32 or ARM64 architectures.
While the mobile GPUs were impressive at the time of the phones’ launch in 2015, they are no longer cutting-edge in 2025. Users should temper their expectations regarding performance for gaming or demanding graphics applications. Nonetheless, this update is anticipated to enhance graphics performance and potentially improve energy efficiency and battery life by allowing the GPU to handle tasks that would otherwise burden the CPU.
It is important to note that the Lumia WOA Project remains an unofficial endeavor, maintained by a dedicated team of volunteer developers. As such, certain hardware features may not be fully supported, including cameras, phone calls, SMS or MMS messaging, and dual SIM functionality.
via ITHome and LumiaWOA Telegram Group
