Windows Mobile 7 screenshots (or mockups, or something) leaked?

The past few days have seen the alleged leaks of a couple batches of Windows Mobile 7 screenshots, suggesting Microsoft's already hard at work on the successor to 6.5 -- something we've heard in the past, and given the state of 6.x, a rumor that isn't difficult to believe. To say the leaks look sketchy, though, would be an understatement; most prominently, none of them match, with different styling elements applied to every capture. Best case, we figure these are mockups -- not functional shots from an actual device or an emulator, but early, off-the-cuff stabs at a design language from a usability expert's late-night Illustrator session somewhere deep within Redmond. We like some of what we're seeing -- there are definitely at least a few elements here that look thoroughly modern -- but if there's any basis in reality to these, we're worried about the ill-conceived idea of putting battery strength and volume (or signal strength, depending on the shot) at the bottom of the display. Needless to say, there are very good reasons that kind of information gets consolidated to the top, not the least of which is that your thumbs aren't transparent. At least ours aren't, and if yours are, you should probably get that looked at.

Read - First batch
Read - Second batch

[Justin B @ Mar 28th 2009 2:24PM]

So Windows Mobile is now Windows Media Player?

[iphonerulez @ Mar 28th 2009 5:28PM]

They better roll out something to throw up against OSX Mobile Software 3.0. Windows Mobile is up to 7, so it should be at least twice as featured as Software 3.0.

[Ray @ Mar 28th 2009 6:36PM]

@iphonerulez

You just might have the worst logic ever.

[GroovDude @ Mar 29th 2009 2:34AM]

Agreed with Ray:

WIndows Mobile 6.1 already does more then what iPhone had to release in the first place.

[Shagin099 @ Mar 28th 2009 2:28PM]

I think this is WM Standard (ie. not touch screen) if anything, so that would explain why the bars can go at the bottom without issue.

Just a thought

-Dan

[Surur @ Mar 28th 2009 4:09PM]

MS increased the height of the softkeys to make them more finger-friendly, and then used the extra space for something, in this case being volume and signal strength indicators. They also made the top bar narrower, and by moving some indicators downwards made it less cluttered.

There is a logic to what they are doing, even if you don't agree with it.

[Sean @ Mar 28th 2009 4:22PM]

They havent even come fully out with 6.5, why are they making screen shots of 7.

[RoboDan @ Mar 28th 2009 2:31PM]

The only way I would buy a phone with Windows Mobile 7 is if Windows Mobile 7 = Windows 7.

[shravan @ Mar 28th 2009 3:09PM]

Exactly is it so hard to replicate that ? I mean, i just love winmo for its customizability. But come on gimme that juicy win7 interface and add in capacitive support. Put it on a touch diamond2 type thing or touch HD or omniaHD and see the iPhone retire to its rocking chair. I just dont understand why its so tough for the world's largest software maker to come up with a mindblowing interface. Dwindling interest in the Winmo dept maybe ? I hope not.

[ChillyCat @ Mar 28th 2009 7:55PM]

@ shravan

"Dwindling interest in the Winmo dept maybe ? "


No.......... actually, just the opposite.

More phones than ever being released with WiMo. The big
Mfg's have jumped in head first. Being a long time user,
i'm quite happy to see a re-emergence. My newer Omnia
is as close to perfection as any WiMo device i've ever used.
I'd expect this to continue.....way beyond our expectations.

[Shank @ Mar 28th 2009 8:42PM]

@chillycat
Sounds like winmo users have low expectations.

[KarlW @ Mar 29th 2009 9:40AM]

Wow, I know haters exaggerate, but chillycat just turned the truth on its head.

Microsoft can't keep a hold on their manufacturers, who are all defecting to try out other systems:

- Palm (WebOS)
- Sony Ericsson (Symbian)
- Samsung (Symbian)
- HTC (Android)
- LG (Android)
- Motorola (Android)

There's even talk of Nokia doing internal Android testing. As you can see, these OSes are where the momentum is - they're the systems that are gaining massive manufacturing customers.

[Alan Strangis @ Mar 29th 2009 11:24PM]

@ KarlW: what do you mean by all 'defecting'?

Most are planning on releasing new phones on multiple OSes.

HTC is by far the #1 WinMo manufacturer volume wise, and they're not defecting. They're diversifying. That's their nature, even making the phones for other companies on multiple OSes.

None of the rest were major WinMo companies except Palm, and they're obviously going to push their own OS.

The rest, volume wise, are only minor players. And the sooner Moto leaves the better. They made one of the worst WinMo phones ever.

[LiQuiD_FuSioN @ Mar 28th 2009 2:31PM]

Zune integration sounds nice.

To compete on the iPhone/Palm Pre level, though, they still need to work extra hard on the GUI.

[mynk @ Mar 29th 2009 11:11AM]

am i the only one that doesn't like the iphone GUI?
like i understand its simplistic and what not...
but just the whole icons and everything, it doesn't seem to look that amazing.
not to mention the default scheme of bars, text etc for safari, ipod and app store... etc.

in comparison.. i love the zune GUI :/

[stephen @ Mar 30th 2009 5:04AM]

played with 6.5 and yes they've in my opinion made it nearly as easy as the ipod touch to navigate (that is if you have a windows home button, keyboard) also they have made the interface more quick even with the memory problems, but that will be fixed with windows mobile 7 because of the memory structure (it will be more like a computer less like a phone)

[loocas @ Mar 28th 2009 2:32PM]

iLike!

[zzz @ Mar 29th 2009 7:45AM]

Funny thing is, El Xampanyet is a nice bar in Barcelona. Wonder where did they get that from.

[culbeda @ Mar 28th 2009 2:35PM]

What about the rest of us? Can we still downvote your comment on its (lack of) merits alone?

I'm not a big fan of WinMo. I'm forced to use a 6.1 device for work and I think it makes a pretty horrible phone unless you throw some other front-end on it and you don't install anything else on it. And I still think you comment was pathetic.

[DeoWulf @ Mar 28th 2009 2:39PM]

Only the third one looks any good. It also looks a lot like the Zune interface. The first two look kind of like my 2-year-old bottom-end Verizon phone.

[Adam @ Mar 28th 2009 2:41PM]

well it looks like it will be easy to use, but I am sure the final version will look a lot better!

[KarlW @ Mar 28th 2009 2:47PM]

Not sure I like those battery/volume indicators either.

Signal strength and battery are device status information. Having them together makes sense. Having them at opposite ends of the screen doesn't.

Also, we read from top to bottom. It's easy to ignore information at the top of the screen, but information at the bottom is much more irritating in use (I felt the same about Vista's explorer windows and the details bar at the bottom).

Battery status isn't something that changes often (as in, not every few minutes). Having it out of the way at the top makes sense. Volume is something that you change manually, so you have an idea of what level it's at and don't need a constant reminder. Besides, these new indicators use much more screen space and don't communicate any more useful information.

[Zak @ Mar 28th 2009 3:19PM]

I have to disagree,

I think placing battery and signal strength at the bottom would be a refreshing change.

Additionally, Steve Ballmer is constantly pressing the idea of blurred barriers in regards to mobile devices and personal computers, and the last time I checked, my battery indicator was at the bottom of the screen.

[KarlW @ Mar 28th 2009 3:26PM]

It's certainly a change, but I wouldn't call it a refreshing one.

When Ballmer talks about blurring the lines between phones and computers, I think he was talking about features and sharing information, not about battery indicator location.

But if you do want to take that argument, my point is that all your other status icons are also at the bottom of the screen. They're grouped together. With this mockup, signal strength is at the top and battery/volume is at the bottom. It's an annoying change.

I actually don't like most of this new UI. It looks too plasticky. Plastic is so 1999. Clean, simple and professional is the new look.

[jorgemsousa @ Mar 28th 2009 2:52PM]

Whoa, look at the signal strength on the first picture, that's either a fake photo or a phone definitely not from AT&T.

[Lando Calrissian @ Mar 28th 2009 2:59PM]

I get 5 bars on 3G when I use my V3xx all the time. I don't really know of anywhere I don't get good coverage. Also, AT&T has a 3G tower on one of the light posts of my high school's football field, so I always get great service.

[Michael LaFramboise @ Mar 28th 2009 2:57PM]

Shitty fonts on the desktop OS. Even shittier fonts on the Mobile OS...

[Lando Calrissian @ Mar 28th 2009 3:00PM]

I find the fonts in Vista and 7 to be really nice looking and appealing, and the fonts in these screenshots (or whatever they are) look pretty nice as well.

[The Dude @ Mar 28th 2009 3:07PM]

^Androgynous name. Even more androgynous avatar...

...

But srsly. What's so shitty about Segoe UI and Calibri?

[Michael LaFramboise @ Mar 28th 2009 3:35PM]

@The Dude,

The problem with the fonts aren't the fonts themselves even, but rather how they're rendered by the OS. Where you can either get no antialiasing at all and be stuck with horrible looking pixelated characters as you had in Windows 3.1, or you can enable "ClearType" and you get these over-contrasted dreary looking things which are a pain in the ass to read.

Windows Mobile is even worse. There it looks like they're taking almost normal fonts, and just squishing the hell out of them horizontally while stretching them vertically.

[Pies @ Mar 28th 2009 3:44PM]

@Michael: I have to disagree, it's a matter of personal preference. I like font rendering on Vista easier on the eyes than what I see on MacOS, where the fonts are rendered too heavy for my preference. I also like Consolas a great lot, best programmer's font I've used.

[str1f3 @ Mar 28th 2009 6:23PM]

I have to agree. They are going against the iPhone and palm pre with this? It's not even out yet and it looks old. Microsoft should seriously think about where they are going or windows mobile will continue to sink. Changing the funhouse-mirrored fonts would be a start.

[chickenator @ Mar 28th 2009 7:14PM]

i have to agree with michael.

[chrisk1590 @ Mar 28th 2009 3:09PM]

This looks like ass. I hope they're just fakes. The font is terrible and the gradients are pretty unattractive. The only thing I do like are the status bars at the top/bottom. But the font kinda ruins that, too. X(

[insignificance @ Mar 28th 2009 4:35PM]

and its got spotlight.

yay

[TheSuburbanWhiteBoy @ Mar 28th 2009 3:11PM]

Windows Mobile = Fail

[insignificance @ Mar 28th 2009 4:40PM]

TheSuburbanWhiteBoy = dumbass

[JS @ Mar 28th 2009 3:28PM]

The map looks like crap. They seriously need to have 3D maps and decent turn by turn navigation.

I will bet the next iPhone will have it, and if even it doesnt .. well MSFT should.

[jakem @ Mar 28th 2009 3:44PM]

There are more GPS navigation options for Windows Mobile than any other phone platform.

[Ruben @ Mar 28th 2009 4:03PM]

That has to be the most uninformed comment ive ever heard.

Windows Mobile has had a multitude of turn by turn navigation software before the iPhone was merely a thought. Unlike the iPhone, there is no restriction on what we can do with our devices, and we dont need Apples blessing to conduct the simplest tasks.

Hell, even Live search for winmo does turn by turn, just no sound. For that, I use iGo, or I can use Tom Tom, or I can use Garmin, etc etc etc.

[Pies @ Mar 28th 2009 3:29PM]

Looks like they're showing off customizability to handset makers. I didn't understand the "transparent thumbs" joke, though.

BTW I love the subtle (and probably unintentional) joke with "Dirty Jobs Video" on the 1st screenshot from the right.

[Shank @ Mar 28th 2009 3:39PM]

Yes , iPhone os killer !!

NOT!!!!!!

[Pies @ Mar 28th 2009 3:48PM]

Our mobile operating systems can't possibly coexist! THIS MEANS WAR!!!

[loof @ Mar 28th 2009 3:40PM]

Looks to me like they're all slight variations on the same layout.

I think battery/volume on the bottom works fine. Since neither of those are connected to the call phone information and it allows for more info at the top. How often does anyone really look at those anyway? I'm perfectly capable of moving my thumbs an inch to the left if I want to see that info.

I don't know what all the complaints are about WinMo7 isn't going to be out for awhile yet. If this is the direction they're going with it then there is more than enough time for them to tweak it.

[Chris Gram @ Mar 28th 2009 3:50PM]

First of all shame on all of you who piss on the WinMo name, sure the stock carrier roms suck but if you spend a little effort into customization like put a different rom or other endless visual, etc. upgrades LIKE YOU WOULD ON A COMPUTER... you will find that it is good.

Second of all if this is the real windows mobile 7 then I don't want to upgrade. Its offensive to all 5 senses.

[Shank @ Mar 28th 2009 3:52PM]

Let's see iPhone os is on 1 handset. Winmo on over 300 models. Who is the underdog ?
Should we root for the underdog? Does underdog have a chance?

[Ruben @ Mar 28th 2009 4:15PM]

This is no different than the PC world. OSX is on a few devices, while Windows is on hundreds. Its a winning model. Why wouldnt they do the same in the mobile world? WinMo sold more than the iPhone in 08. Sure, you could say that its one against a hundred, but consider the current state of WinMo, in terms of its consumer friendliness.

I would say WinMo beating the iPhone in sales is kind of embaressing for Apple.

[Shank @ Mar 28th 2009 4:31PM]

This just in, iPhone won smartphone of the year by engadgeters ,again! Also gadget Of the year . Engadgeters are a smart bunch n they have spoken,.agree?

[superhobo @ Mar 28th 2009 4:38PM]

"Engadgeters are a smart bunch"

HAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Decoy @ Mar 28th 2009 4:45PM]

DFTT