Entelligence: Windows Phone 7 Series
By Michael Gartenberg 
posted February 26th 2010 7:30PM
posted February 26th 2010 7:30PM
Entelligence is a column by technology strategist and author Michael Gartenberg, a man whose desire for a delicious cup of coffee and a quality New York bagel is dwarfed only by his passion for tech. In these articles, he'll explore where our industry is and where it's going -- on both micro and macro levels -- with the unique wit and insight only he can provide.
First, it's important to look at the velocity of the mobile space. The tech industry is largely governed by Moore's Law, which predicts a doubling of semi-conductor density roughly every eighteen months, but the mobile space is moving at a rate of change that's closer to every eighteen minutes. What happened yesterday simply doesn't matter nearly as much as it once might have. Just look at two of the hottest companies in mobile, Apple and Google. Just a few years ago, neither would have been part of the conversation, much less at the center of it.
Second, it's about visible differentiation. Whether you like what Microsoft's done with Windows Phone 7 Series or not, it certainly doesn't look like any other mobile platform on the market. In particular, it doesn't look like another iPhone clone with pages of app icons. While my fellow columnist Ross Rubin made an excellent point last week when he argued that Microsoft will have to justify why being different is something good for users, I think that the ability for Windows Phones to simply stand out from the market is in itself a good thing.
The inclusion of both Xbox and Zune services in Windows Phone 7 Series can both drive greater use of Zune as well as give Microsoft instant credibility in mobile gaming. |
Finally, Microsoft is making a strong move by both leveraging the power of mobile applications while simultaneously moving beyond siloed apps into integrated services. Moreover, we're finally seeing Microsoft begin to tie a unified view of its ecosystem into their mobile products. The inclusion of both Xbox and Zune services in Windows Phone 7 Series can both drive greater use of Zune as well as give Microsoft instant credibility in mobile gaming.
There's a lot of questions that still need to be answered about Windows Phone 7 Series: the application model, hardware providers, carrier partners and of course marketing are all yet undefined. (And who in Redmond came up with such a bizarre name?) Microsoft must also commit to telling a great marketing story about what they've done here and why they've done it, a piece of the puzzle we'll hopefully hear more about next month at MIX 10. Microsoft is hardly exiting the mobile space anytime soon, nor should they. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and that's the often race Microsoft does best in.
Michael Gartenberg is a partner at Altimeter Group. His weblog can be found at gartenblog.net. Contact him at gartenberg AT gmail DOT com. Views expressed here are his own.
Not as bad as I thought it was going to be.
Gotta give it to Microsoft, they finally did a good job on WinMo :)
The name could use some improving though lol
@mtnDewFTW just name it zunephone and be done with it.
@teapower But it's a Windows Mobile Phone, a Zune Phone, AND an Xbox Phone!
@tkrow21
XPhone Box
@HardToBelieve There were rumors that the portable xbox (which this basically is) would be called xyz (for "bringing together the xbox and zune). Would have been an interesting name to go with.
@mtnDewFTW
I think the name is ok as long as they describe it to customers a little different. Your not going to go to the store and say I want "a Windows Phone 7 Series, phone". It should be more like I'll take a windows phone or windows 7 phone. Also I don't get why they just don't add the zune and xbox logo. I really think that a teenager will take a look at a phone that has the xbox logo because they most likely want to play games. If not then they better do great marketing. The phone and idea is great and I am first in line to get one but a regular person has not heard of this phone. Also I hate it when I go into a store and say I want a Windows Mobile phone and I get a weird look from the rep. Do they get pay more to sell other phones? No then let me buy what I want to buy.
@mtnDewFTW
The iPhone was amazing in 2007, but the iPhone look dull, boring, and plain outdated in 2010. Windows Phone 7 can defeat the outdated iPhone that Apple has barely updated in 3 years if Microsoft plan well enough. Perhaps this is the year that Microsoft became associated with magic the way Apple always claim to be associated with. If Microsoft can win over hearts of Apple users, the future is Microsoft.
@Steve Jobs Clone That would be a little hard to do since it's not really compatible with Macs which is one of the reasons I would hold off getting it.
And I'm really not sure if I could say that this will fully replace the iPhone for me. Since I love iTunes and the iPod feature that it has, I can't really say that I would be making a switch just yet, maybe after a little while, with updates, and new phones, I'd consider it.
@JCerna
Very great point there, branding W7PS with the XBOX and Zune support. MSFT has a solid base there and has great potential of swaying customers if marketed correctly.Hell I'm willing to give up legacy app support for solid integration with XBL (c'mon Marvel VS Capcom 2 on W7PS) and Zune. As we have seen, marketing is very important. I don't want to see a repeat of Palm and WebOS where good hardware and great OS get flushed down the toilet because it wasn't marketed correctly.
@mtnDewFTW Basing from the reviews and sideglances on the Windows Phone 7, it appears its a bold yet refreshing way for a mobile OS
to start. I think MS has done a pretty good job to show 'simplicity' over this platform. Let's see how this one rolls out to the public! More: http://bit.ly/win7-phone-reactions
@applebottom1976
are xbox live games designed for touch controls? I am not sure how xbox games will translate to windows phone!
If it's just movies, couldn't it be just be a part of zune?
As for Netflix streaming. The picture gets choppy during panning scenes on a dual core 2.1 ghz processor with 4gb RAM on a 20mbps download network. Wonder what magic they'll have to do to get it to work in a mobile device with good quality.
"and while there are many questions that will need to be answered, there's a lot to like about what we saw."
What exactly did you miss? One thing Microsoft wasn't shy about this time around was information on their new platform. Almost to an annoying level of information...
@mtnDewFTW You have a point; it's not compatible with the Mac. I guess MS has to learn to live without those 13 people who only use a Mac.
@jaffreywali I believe a dedicated GPU was part of the hardware requirements for these phones, which would explain the issues that you are having on that PC - integrated graphics. Your processor, RAM and connection speeds are all more than enough to display 1080p content if you had a decently powered GPU - 9400gt would probably do it.
@Steve Jobs Clone
If Microsoft plan was to take away iPhone users, they've already failed. I doubt that is there intent. Of course they'd like people to switch but I think they're more so going for those who haven't yet adopted smartphones and current WinMo users obviously. The mobile market is no where near saturation for most people still use regular phones.
Are you sure you didn't mean "almost as much as the iPhone OS is overrated"? Android is damn impressive as an OS, and it's only getting better with the rate Google is pushing out updates
@EGOvoruhk
As well as the freedom that devs have to improve it.
@EGOvoruhk I also think the iphone OS is the overrated one but android and the iphone are more alike than they are different. They both function the same basic way (pages of icons with individual apps).... I might even go as far to say android is basically iphone enhanced. With WP7S they really thought how to improve the way the phone works as much as the original iphone did. We won't know if it is actually better until the end of the year but I think they have a decent chance (because the zuneUI is awesome and this is more of the same)
@EGOvoruhk
See what you did there.. you just... yea... overrated Android. Get it?
The techies are the ones overrating it. Real people use the iPhone. No one uses Windows Mobile. Changing the name won't fix that.
@EGOvoruhk
correction.....at the rate Google is pushing out its FRAGMENTED updates.....but non-the-less, you are half-correct....think what they meant to say was, "as overrated as Android and iPhone OS"
@EGOvoruhk
No I"m pretty sure he meant exactly what he typed. Android is vastly overrated and it hasn't lead to any revolution or even an evolution of the smartphone industry. If we're talking about game changers here then Apple is the only company in recent history who has done that when it comes to phones.
Before them was RIM and before them was Palm.
So really stop drinking that google coolaid. The masses couldn't care less about Android and going by the recent Engadget article it's still way behind the iPhone, Nokia, Windows Mobile, AND RIM/Blackberry.
So android fanboys can cry all they want but it's going nowhere.
Meanwhile Steve Jobs is laughing all the way to the bank.
@EGOvoruhk
While iPhone OS is WAY overrated, and would be a better example, the biggest problem that i have with android is that the App Market is so fragmented, that its almost impossible to find good game for most phones.
@YvesOfWinter
Sorry, check the stats. Android is way behind the competition (5th in fact) in terms of market share and importance. No matter what the nerds and geeks out there might believe.
@sonola777 Who cares? At the end of the day iPhone is for the riches who can buy every single worthless shit on the app store (don't get me wrong, there are good apps also, but not all), whereas Google always makes things for free for the end users.
Ok, I am not as rich as you, can I use my free maps now?
@EGOvoruhk
A fan boy article brings out the fan boy posts big time.
Windows phone 7 series is BEAST!
"I'd actually argue that Windows Mobile 6.5 is underrated in the mobile arena -- almost as much as Android is overrated." Between that, the lack of an engadget app, and the nexus one review, someting tells me engadget doesn't like android very much.
@B3astofthe3ast Then you've managed to get the totally wrong impression. I'd advise you to watch the show tomorrow, you might be pleasantly surprised.
@B3astofthe3ast How many times do the editors need to say that the android app is on its way for you people to be happy?
It's been frigging continual, as in since day one. Good lord, people need to be patient for a change.
@Nilay Patel What kind of surprises? Like an Engadget Android app?
On topic: I agree that WinPhone7 looks impressive; very impressive. However, I want more questions answered. There are to many variables to be addressed. How does multitasking work? Notifications? Give us some detailed insight of the 'Chassis' that will make up the hardware.
Come on Microsoft, you've got us interested. Keep us there.
@Jonathan K Give us a bit of time - lots more coming out at GDC and MIX10 in the coming weeks. Fear not, all will be answered, and I think you'll like what you see! In the meanwhile, keep an eye on my blog at ozymandias.com, or feel free to follow me on Twitter as @ozymandias - will be writing a lot more in this space in the coming months!
@B3astofthe3ast
I doubt Engadget hates android but I wouldn't blame them if they did. You android fanboys are so annoying its unbelieveable. You guys constantly moan and groan about Apple stories and Apple this and Apple that.
You whine and complain about Apple's popularity yet you wish you had the same level of attention for your inferior devices.
Android is vastly overrated. It can't even provide a web experience on par with the iPhone. Nor does it have the same amount of apps. Nor does it have the iTunes store which allows me to buy movies, music, and other things that I want in one central location.
Android is simply for tech geeks. Most regular people are fine with iPhone and even the other OS. The only people who complain about Apple and iPhone are the Apple haters like yourself.
And oh if you HATE ENGADGET SO MUCH go to Gizmodo or some other tech website. No one is forcing you to read this website. And the writers have a RIGHT TO LIKE/DISLIKE any device or OS they want to. You don't have any room to judge them.
@B3astofthe3ast
engadget doesn't dislike Android; engadget, as an iphone fun, is afraid of Android.
6.5 is incredibly underrated. Truer words are rarely spoken.
@Nilay Patel I agree that WM 6.5 is underrated. And I'm curious if an Engadget App is in the works for WM (please?)
Its really neat and all, but I thought waiting for webOS (6 months) took forever. Now imagine waiting 10 months! Bummer.
@RockNStuff Eh, you'll get it in October, it's almost March. 7 months!
There, just got 3 months closer.
@RockNStuff
Summer = iPhone 4.
When the 'App Hub Experience' shows up 3 hours late to the party, its going to be a little awkward.
@Wesscoast
"Summer = iPhone 4"
Well, if it's as impressive as the 3GS and the iPad, you're in for a treat.
/s
@jon It was not impressive...
3GS - (Compass + 3G ability + faster CPU) = original iPhone...wow...so impressive...not really...
@Wesscoast
"Summer = iPhone 4."
Unless it's 4g capable probably more like the iPhone 3GSM (with Steve telling us "the M is for magic"). Same phone, same screen, now with an available 120gb model and some small feature that should have been in a software update.
Go ahead and accuse me of being an apple hating Android fanboy. I'm typing this from my 3GS, I just didn't drink the reality distorting kool-aid
@Wesscoast
Damn bro, get your mouth off SJ phallus, cause I don't understand what you're saying.
This might be my iPhone switcher...
ahem... Apple.. is THE most over rated.
@Mrwirez
Because....
I'd say anyone who says the iPhone is overrated has zero credibility. End of story.
@jaffreywali
Conversely...
Many would say that anyone who claims that the iPhone/OS some kind of 'Jesus Phone' has zero credibility - End of story.
@Mrwirez
definitely agree, the iPhone has to be the single most over-rated product in recent times. Its been missing key functionality since day 1 (such as multitasking), its totally locked into a closed ecosystem (I cant get over how many people are happy with apple telling them how and what they can and cant have on their phone!) there is a complete lack of hardware versatility (one size does NOT fit all!)
@plenaghan88 .. simple really. iPhone has 160,000+ apps. Android has 20,000+ apps. Which platform has more choice and variety in apps ? And don't bring up the stupid fart apps argument. Oracle CRM, Basecamp, LinkedIn, Kayak etc are all must have apps for business people. Android has none of these AFAIK.
@Mrwirez Sorry how is the iPhone overrated? Ever heard this saying? "Men lie, Women lie, Numbers Don't". Android lags behind Windows Mobile 7, much less the iPhone. All the geeks and nerds in their own little world might give a damn about Android, the average consumer couldn't care less. Nerds might cream themselves over the spec sheet of some Android handsets, but what matters most to consumers is ease of use, choice of apps and media capability. Areas I think you'll find Android sorely lacking in comparison to the iPhone.
@taligent
While the iPhone may have more apps, it still remains true that android apps can be more deeply integrated into the os, leading to farther reaching function and more possibilities for developers.