Windows Phone 7 Series faces off against its Windows Mobile past
By Paul Miller 
posted February 15th 2010 6:08PM
posted February 15th 2010 6:08PM
 Windows Mobile 6.5 |
 Windows Mobile 6.5.3 |
 Windows Phone 7 Series |
| Windows CE kernel | 5.2 | 5.2 | 6.0 |
| Minimum resolution | None | None | WVGA |
| Skinnable | Yes | Yes | No |
| Finger friendly | No | Barely | Yes |
| Multitouch | No | Basic | Yes |
| Capacitive touchscreen | No | Yes | Yes |
| Stylus | Required | Optional | None |
| Touchscreen keyboard | Unfriendly | Finger-friendly | Finger-friendly |
| Required buttons | Start | Start | Start, Back, Search |
| Operating metaphor | Apps | Apps | Task hubs |
| Pane switching | Tabs | Swipe | "Pivot" |
| Browser | IE Mobile 6 | IE Mobile 6 | New, still IE-based |
| Zune integration | No | No | Yes |
| Xbox integration | No | No | Yes |
| Courting enterprise | Yes | Yes | Not yet |
| Social networking | Apps / Skins | Apps / Skins | Built-in |
This is a comparison of core OS functionality and differences, handset skins and carrier tweaks aren't factored in.
If you couldn't tell from the chart above, the "differences" between Windows Phone 7 Series and Windows Mobile of yore (last week) are rather hard to quantify: it's like comparing a bed with an oven. Two very different things, for two very different purposes. Windows Mobile has had a justifiable position in the realm of business, and will probably continue to maintain a legacy install base for some time to come, but it's pretty safe to say that the days of Windows Mobile as a consumer-facing OS are rapidly coming to an end. Bring on the new!
You can't call it skinning, but 7 can let you change accent colours.
Which is nice.
That is not the same as changing the whole theme of your phone with something as simple as a different skin.
@Patlex:
Thus the "you can't call it skinning."
Just wanted to point out that you can customize it.
@Kirtay "Stylus 6:Required 6.5:Optional 7:None"
So Win 7 sucks in comparison to WinMo6
Stylus > touch in small screened (or any screened) devices
@Kirtay
More than just colors, from what I've gathered it sounds like you can reorder/put whatever tiles you want on the home screen.
@Extinction
They have capacitive styluses and it would be up to the phone manufacture to add it just like in current WinMo phones. No one said they couldn't.
@Guardians13jm:
Yeah, yeah, he was moving tiles around, and they said widgets too?
I'm really interested to see HTC's take on this.
@Extinction: ... huh?
Not even going to argue, irrelevant to my comment.
@Kirtay
There's more than one way to skin a cat, but zero ways to skin a WinMo7 phone.
BTW, does anyone know what the phone that's been shown off is called? In comparison to the software, it been all but forgotten.
@Kirtay
I hope they allow you to change the background. I could do with a white color if not an actual image.
Either way, I'm elated that Microsoft got rid of that god-awful font in previous versions of winmo.
i dunno...
since windows 7 came out, i've stopped using windowblinds to skin my desktop.
winphone 7 is gonna have the same effect.
@Kirtay Sooo you actually wouldn't call it skinning. The term skinning implies that you are applying a "skin".A skin would have a new set of images for icons scroll bars ect. Often "skins" come in many colors, but they are still the same skin. So just because you can change some colors and move a few icons around, you wouldnt say that it was "skinable".
Does Windows Phone 7 Series have a file browser?
That's probably the biggest differentiator for me personally.
@Nerdtalker probably some internet explorer mixup, but yeah, this is pretty much a given.
@Nerdtalker
these the days I want to know ? Like I want to see the behind the scenes things such as; settings-(wireless, bluetooth pairing). Im wondering if its going to compete with the current versions of windows mobile for business users.
shouldn't there be a "flash" player comparison? Oh that's right, they don't really do flash. Or do they?
@cdf74dc9
Flash won't be supported at launch, but it isn't "banned".
@cdf74dc9
Current winmo does flash quite well. The Opera mobile browser does a great job rendering pages with flash. The youtube app on many winmo phones is similar to the iphone version.
@cdf74dc9
KK, not arguing cuze comments were turned off for a few days over mac flaming, but how come only people on the Apple side of an argument use some variation of Apple in their avatar, yet you very rarely some kind of pro-Windows or Microsoft avatars on the pro-MS side?
It just seems like the Apple fans are a little to eager to show that they are a Mac, while PC's don't tend to portray it anywhere aside from posts.
I dunno, just noticing this.
@p0p0 Really resisting the urge to go on a rant about apple.
On a related note, Microsoft should get Flash support and rub it in their fruit-based competition's face.
@p0p0
Maybe there is a difference between PC/MS-loving and Mac/Apple-hating. Don't read too much into it :-)
I'm just happy I didn't buy into the hype of the 'in' mobile OSes and waited for MS to deliver. And they have!
@Rem DX
Anyone that backed WinMo 6.xx who now are now backing WinMo 7 is a hypocrite. WinMo 7 removes everything that the fanboys 'supposedly' liked about WinMo 6.xx - such as skinning, ad hoc app installs, mult-tasking, copy+paste, etc... I don't trust y'all. If the strategy is just to be anything but the iPhone - then I can't get with you.
The reality is WinMo 7 looks awesome and looks next gen compared to the iPhone or Android. However, no copy+paste, no multi-tasking, no flash, forced vertical integration with MS products (Zune, MS, Bing, Zune Radio). Everyone is able to suddenly overlook these issues. I find that hypocritical. To stay consistent, you guys should complain about these issues on whatever phone. Android is probably the true successor to WinMo 6.xx openness, while WinMo improves upon Apple's vertical formula with the social network integration.
All the android fanatics who harped about engadget being in Apple's pocket - what do you have say now? Engadget has been the following the same course, while fanboys have been tripping left and right. Engadget comment mob = emotional fanboys w/ little analysis. I'd like to think the average age of Engadget commenter's is over 14.
@Dogtown With you.. There's way too much blind fanboyism that hasn't examined the details of all this kumbaya. The demo is all fluff, no substance, no basis in reality of how it's even going to really work esp for developers. There's no framework description, no interface description, no compliance with open-standards to make porting easy, no driver support for hardware descriptions (GPU/FPU), and so on. The list is endless so it's way to early to feel good about it.
@Dogtown
Nah man. I don't believe for a second that winmo 7 isn't going to be just as hackable as the previous versions with cooked roms and the like.
Do you truly believe that? There're HD2s out there that dual-boot winmo and android yet an upgrade in software and the guys at XDA are now powerless? Please.
Microsoft has done the right thing with this. Those who want the dumb smartphone experience, people who would be in the market for an iphone type device for example, only in it for the UI, will love the Winmo 7 experience as is. For those of us who actually have uses for our phone above and beyond just making calls and browsing the web, this will also serve as an excellent jump-off.
I really don't recall MS saying they were closing the gates to thrid party development in the way Apple and to an extent Google did with Cyanogen and his rom.
I'm filled with excitement and anticipation at this new OS.
@Rem DX
I think they are closing the door on official 'skinning' a la HTC Sense. They have given every indication of locking down the OS. XDA developers will always come up with a way to hack it - but OEM's wholesale reworking the UI will go away (Sense, MotoBlur, Windows SPB). This is strategic so they deeply integrate their own products: Bing, Office Live, Zune Market Place, XNA visual studio, DirectX, and Windows desktop licenses.
As a consumer, I'm very excited since the UI is carving out a new direction and is very innovative. It defintely looks more usable than the iPhone OS 3.x. However, as a mobile dev, I'm deeply concerned about another vertically closed system (Apple). I think a lot of fanboys gave lip service to open standards, but are ready to jump ship to anything that's not Apple/iPhone.
@Dogtown
I'm inclined to agree with you bro. This conference raised more questions. Windows Mobile has always been about personalizing your experience, everything from custom ROMs to shells and other UIs. It appears that maybe WP7 will place more limitations, and I'm not down with that. WP7 better run some kind of legacy app emulator and have kick ass XBL Arcade support, otherwise it's Android for me.
@Dogtown You don't have to be a hypocrite to back both WM6 and be interested in WP7. I'm a total supporter of WM6, but I still see flaws in it and wish it was better. If WP7 addresses those issues, then of course I would support it when it comes out. Especially if it keeps the good elements of WM6, and from what I've heard you're wrong about what's been omitted from WP7:
Skinning - I'll admit I love skinning and am disappointed about it's absence. However, it's not actually that important :\
Ad hoc installs: Where did you get the idea that this will be disabled? I would assume that they would keep both Ad hoc and app store like it currently is. It works really well IMO.
Multi-tasking: No one seems to know what's going on with this. Until more info is realeased I can't form an opinion.
Copy& paste: Why would you think they're taking this out??? Seriously, what are you smoking?
MULTI-TASKING???
@Bandigolo:
Is there even official word on this? I know that they bashed the whole going into and out of apps in their video, but then again, maybe they meant, "look, we have hubs, so the same app metaphor doesn't even apply!"
Engadget Show should get Belfiore, go crazy!
@Bandigolo
There is multitasking but I believe it will be more like a suspend feature with some basic stuff always running in the background (notifications & media-namely music). If you notice the tiles are updatable automatically so theoretically one could write any app and update a tile for it. Also if its like ZuneHD, the moment you hit the main menu button it suspends games and once you perform the task allows you to resume exactly from where you left.
However, the browser is not suspended and actually just remembers where you were and reloads the last page you were on.
@Bandigolo
They are supposed to get more into that at MIX10 .
@arnavdesai
This is what makes me sad about mobile 7. I wish I could have the hardware of a mobile 7 device with WebOS's multi-tasking. (I love WebOS's Cards) I cannot seem to find something that can meet both. So for now I multi-task with a small decrement in speed. :(
@Bandigolo
I just can't believe that the Media hounds are letting Ballmer off the hook and not getting the skinny on this issue. It is HUGE for a lot of people... well, I thought it would be a huge issue anyway, but all the MS fans seem to have embraced WM7 regardless. It's a big issue for me, anyway. I mean, I guess a "suspend" function is OK since you can only realistically do 1 thing at a time, but it better be seamless.
@Bandigolo
I'm glad I'm not alone on this. Third party apps as well are also a major issue; I've heard that WP7 will only be able to run what's in the marketplace. These seem like enormous leaps backward.
well if that ain't progress, nothing is.
Even though this isnt a big thing... i dont like how on windows phone 7 series the boxes dont take up the full screen... like why is that black area their?
@ibransond
it makes sense when you get into the hubs.
@ibransond
It's for aesthetic purposes. It doesn't look bad at all in the tight shots, but yeah, it does look a little awkward from the image above (maybe we're just staring at it too hard?).
@ibransond
On the ZuneHD it is for another layer of buttons that when clicked on become zoom in and then the original set is set back the same way to the left. In the screen above if you press the black area it shows a list of all applications I believe.
@ibransond:
It's kind of useful for scrolling, so you can see the boxes as you scroll?
I guess?
That's the only excuse I can think of.
@ibransond I wonder if the black area will be filled later.
I am typing on an iPhone right now. I loved what the iPhone brought to the scene with the next evolution on touch screen interfaces.
I think the zune like interface and grouping is another great evolution. Right now I do check email, facebook, Twitter, ect on my iPhone. I like the thought that all this can be merged into one area. Maybe the os will be open enough to allow someone to develop a grouping to monitor my favorite blogs the same way.
Like the engadget app. I am using it right now. Yet it would be more awesome if it merged more with this OS. I think MS has the right idea in changing the way we access the data from the cloud.
Oh you can compare a bed and an oven, for example your mother is equally good at using both a bed and an oven.
See?
@jaleman
Haha. Win.
@jaleman Pretty sure this is what they were talking about when Engadget said they have had enough of certain types of comments ;)
@Jack Bauer
I will be watching you in about 2 hours. See you then.
@PhaseDMA I don't think he was calling his mother names. You're also good at using a bed.
If the author had chosen a better comparison, the comment wouldn't have a rude overtone. But for arguments sake, he could have said "you're" rather than "your mother".
Wow
I like the way windows is avoid using a snappy, easy to say and now universally known term 'app'! Which has been championed by there rivals At Cupertino and is instead running with 'hub' instead. You gotta laugh!
@RealdudePRO
Hubs aren't the same thing as apps. I think apps can be placed and run inside of hubs. So its like hubs are the rooms of a house and apps are the appliances and furniture.
@Frostyeel
Quite right there good analogy about the operating metaphor.
I still think you won't hear them say 'app' anytime soon.
7 does look good. Well designed
@RealdudePRO
I doubt it. Previous WinMo versions were all about Apps. My Zune HD, which WinMo7 draws from heavily, has an App folder. They aren't going anywhere.