The rise of the Microsoft Windows phone was like watching a plucky underdog in a sports movie. Microsoft, already a titan in the PC world, decided to throw its hat into the smartphone ring, aiming to take on the likes of Apple and Android. Armed with a quirky, tile-based interface that looked like a digital quilt, and a belief that people really wanted a phone that doubled as a tiny Windows PC, Microsoft marched into the fray. For a brief moment, it seemed like this dark horse might have a shot—until the competition casually revealed their new features, like “apps people actually use” and “an interface that doesn’t make you squint.”

But the fall of the Windows phone was a slow-motion tumble off a cliff, with Microsoft bravely waving its tiny, semi-transparent Live Tiles flag all the way down. Despite some solid hardware and the valiant efforts of Nokia’s bright, candy-colored devices, it turned out that consumers were about as interested in a third mobile ecosystem as they were in a new operating system for their refrigerators. The app gap was real and gaping, leaving users feeling like they’d been invited to an exclusive party only to find the punch bowl empty and everyone else at the cool club across the street. By the time Microsoft finally decided to pull the plug, it was less of a shock and more of a mercy, ending the saga of the Windows phone with a quiet, dignified fade into tech history.