Windows Mobile 6.5 to be redubbed Windows Phone Classic?
By Ross Miller 
posted February 17th 2010 7:23PM
posted February 17th 2010 7:23PM
What, you didn't think Microsoft would really keep up with the non-parallel syntax of "Windows Phone 7 Series" and "Windows Mobile 6.x," did you? We knew Windows Mobile 6.5.3 would continue its admittedly less chic existence, but now comes word via I Started Something that it'll be rebranded as Windows Phone Classic. The name change apparently won't take effect until the 7 Series devices start hitting consumer hands -- can't have a classic without something newer to take its place, right? No worries, Sense UI fans, it looks like you'll still have plenty of WinMo support, even if that portmanteau goes the way of the dinosaur.
So anything before windows 7 should be called Windows Classic?
A: Hey i am using windows classic!
B: What kind? the failure kind, the ok kind, or the not so ok kind?
@allenade
Ugh, I hate this!! To call something the 'classic' leaves a bad taste in my mouth for anything. They might as well be saying 'the not high end one' or 'the only one you could afford'. Six months ago Microsoft was practically chapioning 6.5 as the best thing to ever to WinMo. Now I'm 'kicking it old school'?!?! Rage...
Kinda off topic, but I still use Windows 98 as my main desktop OS, How good is Windows 7 compared to 98?
@Mrtoocool, wrong move upgrading to 98 should of stuck with ME for a little longer.
@Mrtoocool It's got new features and a new look, but generally it's quite similar to Windows 98 in terms of use. You know, start menu, task bar, system tray, desktop icons etc.
If your machine can power it, spend £100+ on Windows 7. If not, spend £200+ on a netbook or £300/£400 on a more robust laptop.
@Mrtoocool
Don't switch!
Kidding. Depends on what you will be running it on. If wasn't made in the last few years, stay with 98.
@Templarian
ME came after 98. And ME was probably the worst OS Windows made, worse then Vista.
@Templarian
:-D
@Mrtoocool
Please insert the disk labeled Windows 98 CD-ROM to receive advice.
You guys do know I was kidding right? Lol I run Windows 7 Ultimate (64-bit) and its AWESOME!
@Mrtoocool
No way you could access Engadget from Windows 98. It barely works on 7, and not even then without downloading another browser.
Can someone explain to me the point of announcing the new WP7S OS (ugh, tongue twister), 10 months out? What would be the motivation of customers buying previous phones with the antiquated OS?
Not that Microsoft was a big player in this field to begin with, but it strikes me as a dumb move to tease customers and developers almost a year before the new phones start to ship. This is classic Osborne Effect.
I've said this before. If you give couple of caffeinated 14 year old UI hackers 2 weeks, they'll roll out the entire WP7S interface on Android without a fail. It's amazing that the biggest software company in the world can't ship these devices right away.
What I take from this is, until WP7S ships, Microsoft will be a non-player in smartphone market. Let that sink in for a second.
@(Unverified)
Uh, because iPhone 4 is coming out in a few months, and if MS didn't do anything, the WM platform would look even more pathetic.
@(Unverified) Because developement was getting to the point that they have to start shipping builds to manufacturers and testers, and when that happens that means there is a 100% chance of it leaking out. They preferred to show it to the world themselves.
@(Unverified)
"Can someone explain to me the point of announcing the new WP7S OS (ugh, tongue twister), 10 months out? What would be the motivation of customers buying previous phones with the antiquated OS?
Not that Microsoft was a big player in this field to begin with, but it strikes me as a dumb move to tease customers and developers almost a year before the new phones start to ship. This is classic Osborne Effect."
Uh, MS is THIRD behind RIM and Apple, and only became third in the past 4 months.
And to "tease"? Has WM7 been such a secret that people were placing huge orders for WM phones when MS out of the blue sprung this on them?
#3 Developers are loving the time some they can spend it making quality apps instead of chucking out tip calculators and fart programs.
The question is what becomes of the HD2? Windows 7 mobile wont be out for 8 months or so, and who is going to buy a device running 6.5 knowing 7 is coming? and Its very doubtful they will update a phone with windows 7 mobile that is 8 or 9 months old by that time
So , is the HD2 dead?
@Hydra HD2 is the *only* Windows Mobile device on the market that can run Windows Phone 7, so for that device I expect an increase in sales...
@Ploni Almoni But it will take 8 to 9 months before windows mobile 7 is out, and what if it doesn't get the update? Thats a long time, and by then something with better hardware will be out I bet and they might just pass it
Wimpy 7s and Wimpy Classic.. lol
@NuShrike
Sir, your rapier-like wit hath us in stitches once again. Droll. Very droll.
Umm, what about PDA's? Amazingly, HP still makes iPAQ's that use Windows. Is the version of Windows that runs on iPAQ's the same as Windows Mobile or is it something altogether different? If it's the same, it would look strange to be using an OS called Phone Classic on a PDA.
@bdekok
Would anyone really care about the name if it ran the way its supposed to?
I'm an iPaq user, and the OS name is completely irrelevant.
What I do hope for is a WM7 PDA though.
@LAY
The point I was trying to make is that is it NOT called WM7 as you request. It is called Windows PHONE 7 Series, not MOBILE. It is as if MS is dropping all support for Windows Mobile and only concentrating on Phones, as perhaps that is where the market is.
There are many MS devices out in the market that rely on Windows Mobile, such as stock counters/pickers, point of sale machines, etc... A Phone OS is not really suited to them.
Microsoft sure does love confusing its customers in order to rewrite their past with their mobile platform every 3 years. I, on the other hand, am pretty sick of having a mutual moment of confusion with someone every time I discuss Windows Mobile/Phone/CE/Pocket/PalmPC with a customer, since I've been developing for the platform since WinCE. That said, once 7 is out, they're best off trashing 6.5.3 unless they have a really viable reason to keep it around. Maybe for custom system embedding or something for non-multitouch interfaces (industrial/POS type purposes, etc.).
i wonder if they will still provide patches and updates, for "windows phone classic"
I sense a Big Bang Theory episode with script taken right from this comment page.
Nope! Still calling it Windows Mobile not Windows Phone.
Having been an Apple fan, its good to see MS putting in some serious effort. WP7S makes the iphone OS look cheap and dated. Don't even get me started about the iPad...
If Windows Mobile is WinMo, then Windows Phone Seven Series should be WinPhoSeSe. (Perhaps someone will use WinPhoSeSe during NaNoWriMo)