HTC exec claims Q109 for first Windows Mobile 7 phones?

If you're apt to believe it, supposedly a regional HTC GM by the name of Kevin Chen flapped his lips about the first Windows Mobile 7 devices launching in Q109 -- so between six and nine months from now. We reached HTC, which had no (further) comment on the matter, but everything we've seen about 7 so far kind of leads us to believe that 7-based devices launching before next year's Mobile World Congress sounds a bit premature, even if that doesn't necessarily jibe with the MWg roadmap (which promised devices possibly even later this year).

[happy_penguin @ Jun 15th 2008 11:47PM]

"flapped his lips" LOL :D :D

[Erik @ Jun 15th 2008 11:48PM]

I could see them pushing the release date up to get to market around the same time as Android.

Unfortunately, I could also see the early release impacting the quality of the OS (I still shudder to think about WM5).

[Mam00th @ Jun 15th 2008 11:55PM]

Why are some people so excited about Android?

Just curious, no offenses meant.

[Erik @ Jun 16th 2008 12:01AM]

I think it's mostly due to the whole open Mobile OS thing and being backed by Google.

A great big meh from me, as I don't really need a smartphone.

[Rod Munch @ Jun 15th 2008 11:59PM]

That left pic really hurts my eyes :(

[Darkroom @ Jun 16th 2008 1:03AM]

the microsoft copying apple for the millionth time really hurts my eyes.

[Namarrgon @ Jun 16th 2008 2:15AM]

OK, you're trolling, but some of us need the features that WM delivers (and Apple hasn't), yet would still like some of teh Apple sexy.

When Apple gives me copy+paste in a smartphone, all will be right with the world.

[w @ Jun 16th 2008 7:38AM]

it's not like apple doesn't steal ideas and features.

there's a lot of things to complain and hate about microsoft, but i dont think bringing good features to their products is one of them.

[Hawkman @ Jun 16th 2008 8:48AM]

Meh, it'd just be nice if 90% of new features these days weren't copied straight from the iPhone. There are plenty of other undiscovered cool things out there, and we're less likely to see them if people just copy instead of innovate.

[dj-kenpo @ Jun 16th 2008 9:22AM]

namarrgon:
well put.
I hate seeing ms rip off apple constantly it's like saying apple is god and no one can think of anything better, which is BS, plus I just hate seeing shit stealed and copied.

but your point is well taken and makes me think differently. you're the first intelligent comment on that issue ina long time.

hell, the authors of this blog have never put it so well and non highschool bullyish.

[Garst @ Jun 16th 2008 3:50PM]

@Darkroom
What has Microsoft copied from Apple? The virtual keyboard design? I personally like WinMo's old keyboard design more than Apple's. Who had the first virtual keyboard is hard to find, but I'm certain they were on desktop PC before handheld devices. Letter's popping up as you scroll? That's not an Apple original concept; Toshiba had that first as far I know. Flick scrolling and multiple touch interface? The iPhone/iPod Touch were in development at the same time as Microsoft's Surface PC, so you can't really say anyone copied the other there. And it's not like either was the one that came up with concept of a multiple touch interface seems how the University of Toronto came out with one in 1982. While "flicking" has been around since the late 90's. I'm sure you can recall candystand.com with all it's flash games, many of which required you to flick the mouse forward to determine how high your player went.

[ericdano @ Jun 16th 2008 12:08AM]

Trying to create hype when there is none.
Stupid really, if people start believing this, the next 6-9 months they will not be selling anything.......

[Hamidxa @ Jun 16th 2008 12:34AM]

Not necessarily true.

Many a WM5 device is now compatible with WM6 thanks to communities such as XDA-developers for one -- provided that the carriers themselves didnt release an updated ROM.

Also, most WM6 devices have already started receiving WM6.1 updates from the carriers.

So, it stands to reason that one way or another (be it through official channels or through community based sites such as the aforementioned XDA-devs), WM6/6.1 devices should be flashable to a WM7 ROM when the time comes.

At any rate, this news doesnt dissuade me in the least bit from purchasing the soon to be King of Phones, the HTC Touch Pro.

[Troy @ Jun 16th 2008 12:30AM]

Will current and future phones that run WM6 be upgradeable to WM7? I imagine not, since WM7 will have lots of extra features like accelerometers, multitouch, etc, but I've been holding my breath for the Xperia X1, and I'll be damned if I waited 9 months for a phone only to have a new OS come out that is incompatible with it.

[Mike @ Jun 16th 2008 6:58AM]

I am actually wondering about the same thing.

Will the Diamond and the Xperia which are really similar in hardware be upgradable to WM7 ...

Can anyone with more knowledge or ROMs speculate?

[Jon Doe. @ Jun 16th 2008 12:40AM]

iPhone fanbois complaining about the screenshots ripping off Apple's scrolling in 5..4..3..2..

[Darren @ Jun 16th 2008 12:49AM]

WinMo users should thank Apple for giving Microsoft much needed inspiration and direction for the tired WinMo platform.

[phanbouy @ Jun 16th 2008 12:53AM]

because it's better when someone trolls in favor of Corporation A over Corporation B

[CB17 @ Jun 16th 2008 12:54AM]

And the keyboard too.

[BChau @ Jun 16th 2008 12:44AM]

There will always be a newer version, unless the software is end-of-life. For now, I am looking forward to Touch Pro when it is released in Australia. And I have no doubt that when WM7 comes, developers from XDA will try their hardest to make it work with WM7.

[Kento @ Jun 16th 2008 1:04AM]

....... a copy of iPhone os??

[Astrostream @ Jun 16th 2008 1:41AM]

Exactly my thoughts.
BTW, I am getting my first iPhone on July 11 (Canada)

[mike @ Jun 16th 2008 1:11AM]

Awaits Ballmers...

"doesn't work as an email device because it doesnt have a keyboard" spiel...

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 16th 2008 1:14AM]

@Mam00th

People find Android so exciting, because in short, the perception is that this is really the first time that Google has gone out an written some application software that will be in the wide public arena.

Google has done some very interesting stuff recently with their spreadsheets. We all see where they are going with this.

Google Maps, for many was a real cut above the rest and put Yahoo way out in left field.

Google Earth, though I think an aquisition initially, demands superlatives.

So, when we are going with this is a company that is
1. Presenting an Open Architecture
2. Demonstrating a reall commitment to non-resident applications.

I have a question though for all of you "Smart" phone users out there; I work and live in Japan at the moment. Here is probably the most "aggressive" use of cell phones for text input. What I see from the users here is that they EXCLUSIVELY use one thumb for navigation and input. The second hand is not used at all. From the look of the current crop of phones coming out, they don't really lend themselves to this mode. (One hand holds the other touches ?)

I think that Asia is a big target market for these new phones.

On the assumption that others in Asia use the same mode of operation.

Do you think that these phones companies are missing the mark for this continent ?

BTW, if you look at Cnet Asia, at the most popular phones, the Apple 3G is second from top. How did it get there ?

Anybody out there know what they are talking about here. :-)

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 16th 2008 1:20AM]

Even us "Apple Hating", Windows lovin', Bunny bashing, Wife Beaters are excited about the Android software.

Everybody knows that this kind of development is gonna be good for everyone. It is not about being first, it is about the leap frogging technological advances that are finally bringing technology to the feet of the users.

The tail may even one day stop wagging the dog.

[happy_penguin @ Jun 16th 2008 1:42AM]

Competition fuels excellence. Everyone benefits.

[Johan S @ Jun 16th 2008 2:07AM]

It's not necessarily copying Apple. If they were copying an Apple invention, they would have to pay Apple royalty payments or risk getting sued (Apple has billions in the bank so they could easily afford to sue Microsoft).

So either they are paying royalties (which is reasonable) or they aren't copying Apple.

How come nobody says Apple is copying the idea of

1. camera phone
2. cell phone technology
3. having a web browser on a cell phone
4. accelerometer based flipping of view (MyOrigo phone (finland) had it back in 2003)
5. Having a touch capable interface
6. Adobe reader for PocketPC had capability of zooming into a PDF document and then being able to scroll horizontally left or right in it (though more cumbersome with a scroll bar, drag scroll was there too in Layout mode but not with the iPhone physics (being able to flick etc))


Apple allowed to take those concepts .. but God forbid somebody do anything Apple does first. How do you know those ideas wouldn't have evolved pretty soon independently?

[Astrostream @ Jun 16th 2008 2:38AM]

You must be kidding.

[c|ak @ Jun 16th 2008 3:02AM]

It's Apple execution of all of these features on the first attempt that raises the bar for all of these manufacturers, who will continue to struggle with their fragmented vision of the mobile phone platform.

HTC -unrivalled innovation? Gimme a break.

[phytonix @ Jun 17th 2008 12:56AM]

You can't be serious. Many things you mentioned are pure feature that came from hardware. Steal camera???

[Sri @ Jun 16th 2008 2:27AM]

Yes, there will be WM 7 phones in Q109, March-April to be specific and also a beta of WM7 in Nov.

[Mike @ Jun 16th 2008 7:10AM]

How do you know that there will be a beta in November???? !!! :))))

[Astrostream @ Jun 16th 2008 2:36AM]

I'll never buy anything but Apple.

[phanbouy @ Jun 16th 2008 2:43AM]

Sorry, they don't make tampons

[Hamidxa @ Jun 16th 2008 3:12AM]

lol

[kccboy2004 @ Jun 16th 2008 3:20AM]

I feel the same about Oldsmobile. I will never buy anything but an Oldsmobile. Can't wait for my 6 year lease to end. Buying anyhitng else is un-American.

I will also only ever vote for a Republican. I am was sorry "innocent civilians" had died in Iraq, but I am still certain the invasion was the right thing to do.

There you go, truthiness.

[Quikboy @ Jun 16th 2008 3:18AM]

I just wish more phone manufacturers that make WinMo phones would think along the lines of bigger screen with touch input. It's really the way to go, and would be a nice option from the "usual" WinMo phones. Though it's great to see HTC and Sony working on that kind of stuff.

What's always bugged me about WinMo was that the OS tries to accomplish a lot of tasks and programs, in a design that seemed really squashed on the screen. With a small non-touchscreen, you have to pack a bunch of stuff so that it can fit by doing extended menus (which gets really ugly), having to press around the buttons a lot to get from place to place, and having a bunch of other stuff so cramped in that it's kinda disorganized.

If MS could just get those hardware makers to focus on bringing out more phones with big-enough touchscreens and better specs, then maybe MS could really work on improving the UI so that it looks better, responds better, and has a much better mobile experience. QWERTY keyboards and other buttons can still be options of course, but most people seem to be looking towards touch input as well as better viewing space.

[Astrostream @ Jun 16th 2008 3:21AM]

Why do you wish for things? Just get a new iPhone!!!

[Mic2000 @ Jun 16th 2008 6:27AM]

I just have my HTC Touch Daimond, but Windows Mobile 6.1 is really slow. I wondered, my HTC is above 500 mhz. In the early days when we used Windows 3.11, we where running it on 25-50 mhz, and it worked perfectly. What the hell is Microsoft doing wrong??

[Glen @ Jun 16th 2008 8:25PM]

It isn't Microsoft doing anything wrong... they only provide the OS to the hardware manufacturer... which means HTC is not providing worthwhile hardware - mainly processor speed.

[Mic2000 @ Jun 16th 2008 6:28AM]

I just have my HTC Touch Daimond, but Windows Mobile 6.1 is really slow. I wondered, my HTC is above 500 mhz. In the early days when we used Windows 3.11, we where running it on 25-50 mhz, and it worked perfectly. What the hell is Microsoft doing wrong??

[Mic2000 @ Jun 16th 2008 6:28AM]

I just have my HTC Touch Daimond, but Windows Mobile 6.1 is really slow. I wondered, my HTC is above 500 mhz. In the early days when we used Windows 3.11, we where running it on 25-50 mhz, and it worked perfectly. What the hell is Microsoft doing wrong??

[computer.dude.28 @ Jun 16th 2008 8:36AM]

Why do these comments seem to be getting more repetitive..

[BChau @ Jun 16th 2008 8:50AM]

It is repetitive because if you say it a few more times, you may think it is true. That is called marketing.

[Scott @ Jun 16th 2008 5:22PM]

Maybe he wrote it using a Windows Mobile device and his screen hasn't updated to see it was posted the first time because he had to go out to Task Manager and end some processes. ;)

[Togarth @ Jun 16th 2008 7:05AM]

Iphone Winmo the only GUI's for smart phones!
What planet do you people live on?

Sony Ericsson has had a fully developed mature Symbian GUI with proper HW recognition for years! with as many features as winmo and so many more than Iphone I cannot be bothered to type out the list!

The Iphone is a little kid that has still not yet reached puberty, so makes a lot of noise and delivers very little! Whilst Winmo is the elderstatesman for the US market where Symbian is perhaps a little too challenging for the users!

[Andrew @ Jun 16th 2008 2:15PM]

you obviously never use an iphone in your life, but hey, who's counting.

[Glen @ Jun 16th 2008 8:32PM]

The fact of life is... there will be more phone's sold in the coming finanical year running Windows Mobile than iPhone's.

There were 5 times the number of WM based phone's sold last year, to iPhone's.

While there were just over 10 times the amount of Symbian based phone's sold to iPhones.

The other fact of the life; the iPhone is missing so many normal features that even a cheap Nokia, Samsung, or heaven forbid Motorola has had for years.

Only when Apple actually provide "normal features" with the iPhone can it be taking truly seriously in the world.

Of course, to use many people's definition of copying, this means Apple will be copying Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, HTC, Sony, etc etc etc. We couldn't have that could we?!