Windows Mobile 7 roadmap elucidated, starts with MWC 2010 demo
By Vlad Savov 
posted January 27th 2010 2:17AM
posted January 27th 2010 2:17AM
You know, January is all but expired now. Gone are the heady (or is that headless?) days of CES 2010, and we're nearly past the rumor euphoria of the decade, so what do we have to look forward to? According to CNET's sources, WinMo 7. This year. Sure, we heard as much from DigiTimes, but it's always good to put a more legitimate source to what is quite the juicy forecast. Confirmation that Microsoft is planning to finalize all code by this summer also meshes with an earlier leak of an LG Windows Mobile 7 handset set for a September release, while the latest Pink phone rumors are also reiterated. At any rate, it all kicks off in Barcelona come February 15, with Microsoft also circling its MIX 2010 web development conference a month later as the time it'll start dishing the dirt on how to code for the new OS. So there we have it, new consumer phones and a long overdue WinMo overhaul all coming to you within the next few months.
ok can people please STFU about that Apple Tablet for at least 1 post? is a freakin Windows Mobile article!
Yeah Engadget! That's right look to the next latest and greatest... before the really really next latest and greatest has even hit.
Their demo should be interesting. MS mobile OS has been behind the times for a while. Since this is not going to come out for a while they need to blow everything else out of the water. I can see all the blogs/news after the demo "it's nice, but iPhone/BlackBerry/Android will be 10x more awesome in September". I hope they have used the UI people from the Zune division. There are only two things that I want from WinMo, a full browser and multitouch (thanks Apple for showing the world how to do it on mobile phones). I've had 3 generations of WinMo, those two have only been my only "I wish I had this". I've never had a need for an app that did not exist, Google is my friend when finding WinMo apps. So, I guess, Google is the WinMo "app store" for me.
I presume, since Windows Mobile upgrades tend to go along with new phones for consumers, Microsoft has not had the traditional qualms it would have if it were upgrading an OS for a computer.
Taking that in consideration, I look forward to Barcelona, and to seeing what the big M has to offer come September. I presume that an LG Windows Phone will be arriving at launch, since a solid launch for the OS would be key to reclaiming lost market share against the Android, WebOS, and iPhone OS development platforms.
Things that are likely, which I look forward to:
Overhaul of Office Mobile - The Office Mobile Suite could use a few upgrades, and I see this transition between Office Mobile and Office for Mac or Windows being a key selling point of Windows Phone 7 to the business consumer.
Streamlining of the Mobile OS - Really kind of an obvious expectation, an upgrade to the OS functionality and responsiveness will lead to an overall friendly user experience. Probably use of Bing Maps integration, and I could see some Streets and Trips type functionality too if they decide to go GPS with it.
Solid Hardware Specs - Really up to the manufacturers, but I'd expect Microsoft to have one hardcore version of the phone at launch that has better responsiveness, more battery life, and a better experience than the others. It could make or break the OS depending on the hardware available at launch.
Zune Integration - Really, with the music capabilities expected on a Pre Plus, iPhone 3GS, or Nexus One, they can't afford to not integrate their own music services to the fullest
X-Box Live integration - If I remember correctly there was a leak about some functionality of Live on the Windows Phone 7 OS, so it is on my expected list, even if I have little interest in it.
Reduced Licensing Cost - In order to compete with Google, Microsoft will have to lower its licensing costs and use a model that allows them to profit a little more off the services they offer, and rely a little less on licensing the operating system itself to avoid floundering. If the software is great, the money will follow.
There's more I expect, but it is 2:00 AM, and I have Music Theory in a few hours. I look forward to an interesting February 15th.
Windows Mobile? Seriously?? let me guess...I thought you can only find those phones in tech museums!!
Q4 2010 will net us major handset pwnge =)
@Peter Chou . Hey, Peter Chou. Tell me, how will you manage to sell Windows Mobile 6.5 phones, once the new and very different WinMo7 Zune Phones hit the market?
Yeah ! I can't wait !!!
15/02 is redmarked in my agenda :-D
2010 is the year of the tablet and WinMo7/ZunePhone
It seems with winmo 7 that ultimate HW is required to run, this said with the hw specs of the HTC HD2 revised for the US market (up to 1GB rom from 512MB).
What worries me is when the devices will be actually available.
let's just hope that MS doesn't make a pooper on the 15th feb in Barca :)
Sure they can ship it this year. All they have to do is cut features to make the shipdate. Just like with Windows 7.
@Wesscoast they should ship it as light as possible and leave the soft developping for other companies, let the MarketPlace do the magic.
Good thing WM7 lacks compatibility so that MS can start from scratch as this is supposedly based on CE6 not CE5 and create a new standard similar to OSX. Got to wait and see what MS has gleaned from Android and mobile OSX. Hopefully Office is full fledged and not some weakling like its former versions.
cant...wait!! till then i will keep running wm6.5/android on my HD...am also hearing about a HD3 coming soon and it going to run WM7.