When something become a main stream it is no longer a niche
Microsoft has shut down its Windows Phone MVP program; they will reopen it as more consumer-focused group. I don't know all the reasons for that, and I would appreciate if they could rearrange the group without retire all mobile MVPs, but I think that there is something else that this news tells us. Windows Phone is not a niche, it is part of something bigger, and the client/consumer device story is changing. We consume information through our PC, Phone, Slate device, TV, Xbox. All of them are part of our everyday user interface, and in many cases for the same server side application like office 365, or Gmail.
This is also the sign that if you are a user interface/client side developer, you should not focus on mobile device development, or PC user interface development only. You should target your development skills to be able to develop for all of them. The Microsoft development story provides you the ability to use almost the same tools and language to develop across all devices UI including the PC and Xbox. Apple gives you the same experience for the iPhone and the iPad, Android O/S runs on Phone and Tablet too.
HTML 5 provides you the ability to develop cross platform for all platforms, and soon also for Windows 8 (but I am quite sure that HTML for Windows 8 will be Microsoft bound development tools and API).
So focusing on more consumers oriented MVP group is not a bad idea, and I hope that many of the old Windows Phone MVP will be part of this group; after all they have got their MVP for what they are and what they are doing. Of course, it they don’t like the new Windows Phone and the new Windows 8 running on slate device, they can't promote and evangelist Microsoft, Microsoft will not choose them…