Microsoft sending mixed signals on Windows Phone 7 Series upgrades, HTC HD2 still in limbo
By Nilay Patel 
posted March 1st 2010 3:37PM
posted March 1st 2010 3:37PM
The fate of the mighty HTC HD2 seems to be getting murkier by the minute: Microsoft UK VP Alex Reeve said last week that an upgrade to Windows Phone 7 Series might be left up to hardware partners, but now Natasha Kwan, General Manager for Microsoft's Asia Pacific Mobile Communications Business says the 1GHz handset "doesn't qualify because it doesn't have the three buttons" required by WP7. Making matters even less clear, we asked Microsoft's Director of Consumer Experiences Aaron Woodman about the HD2 directly on The Engadget Show, and he politely declined to tell us about the device's upgradability, and said that WP7's final required specs would be revealed at MIX '10. We'll be honest: we're taking all this confusion to mean that Microsoft hasn't quite figured out how to say the HD2 is at a dead end just before it launches on T-Mobile US, but hey -- maybe we'll be pleasantly surprised at MIX.
MUST HAVE HD2 WP7 UPGRADE!!!
If they would have shipped this sucker with AT&T and T-mobile 3G bands and Android wow.
Would have been the best phone ever.
@treats Thats what XDA is for.
@mmafighter077
Has XDA gotten a single Windows Mobile phone running Android with 100% of things working?
It's very simple add Android OS 2.1 W/ Sense UI and were done!
@Almo I love this response. Straight and to the point. And so much better than I see on some Sites, like T-MoNews.
Take the pain, Android fanbois.
@Dafrety
On my Touch Pro everything works except Bluetooth and the camera. I still choose to use my G1 though... You just can't hack a capacitive screen into a phone...=p
@Almo
But do you know you want Windows Mobile 7 yet?
Yea it looks nice but does it multitask as WinMo 6.5, Android, and WebOS does?
Will the browser not suck?
What about apps? Will the old apps work? If not then how long before you get a good number of Apps?
I would hold my unlimited commitment to a new platform in check until we all have more than a demo at some show to go on.
I will say that this plus ZunePass really could be a very interesting platform but until it ships it is all just smoke and mirrors.
@MichaelSF
The pain of having our large expensive handset stuck on a dead end OS? Wait no, that's you :)
@lwatcdr
- Yes, I want Windows Phone 7.
- I don't care for multitasking, it's not as crucial as people thing and if it turns out to be push notifications for apps, that's more than adequate for me.
- Browsers will come and go, there'll be plenty to choose from as usual. No shortages.
- Apps are the primary reason I want a whole fresh NEW Windows phone experience. The current OS 6.X's apps, while large in quantity are very very low on quality compared to 2010 standards (maybe not for whatever certain companies have used it for half a decade plus but definately for personal users).
Having a brand new experience entices and encourages new growth and a plethora of new development and high quality (plus plenty crappy) applications for all to enjoy. Yes, there's loads of apps for my HD2 but non that captivate a non-business user. Especially quality games ala Xbox Live integration (even though a PS3 fanboy)....
- ZunePass I expect will be a very useful feature for many.
Plus plus plus more to come...
@Almo
*think
Godammit... >_
@unreal
can you post link to how to do this? id rather have android then smash my stuttering touch pro to a million little pieces.
@Almo
No, just no. windows phone seven is a downgrade compared to WinMo 6.5.
@Almo
I reckon that at this point if the HD2 was upgradeable they would announce that already. Which could be good news or bad news .. the good news is that the chassis specs must be pretty high for WP 7 series phones. The bad news is that the HD2 is an awesome phone but people may have to hold off on purchasing it to save their money for the holiday season.
@treats
Of course they "are" doing that except it's shipping to Sprint with 3G/4G capability and Android
@Almo If this will land on the HD2, I will even pay just to have this update, I think this one is an absolutely must have too! :)
WP7 looks interesting but a big high five to Microsoft for finally realizing this internet thing is good at getting your message out to the masses. Let's see how this one rolls out on the holidays. Reaction: http://bit.ly/windows-phone-7-glances
@mmafighter077
If the XDA guys could make it work on AT&T 3G bands I'd shat my loincloth
@lykacowled
Perhaps that is the point - Microsoft want to be paid for their software and I reckon it is just a question whether providers want to pay for the upgrade or not. Probably not. Probably they want you to be desperate for your next phone purchase. There is no question that MS could put it on the HD2 if they wanted to, its more a question of whether it makes good business sense or not. I think it does, because it would increase their WP7 user base (which will start fairly small).
@mmafighter077 I would honestly rather have an XDA WM7S rom than an official one. My hacked rom for my HTC fuze is infinitely faster and more usable than the stock rom.
Whatever! I am still getting this baby regardless. I don't really care for the look of W7. SenseUI is much better.
@ceo2be
It's touchflo 3D
@ceo2be
No, it's SenseUI. They renamed it with the HD2.
@williamlau05: No, it's Sense UI. Sense UI is on both WinMo and Android. TouchFlo is no longer.
@williamlau05 Hi William, you should do a little research first. It is Sense. As an owner I don't think I want 7 as Sense is pretty good.
@ceo2be
My thoughts exactly, I'd much rather the HD2 with WM6.5 & Sense UI, that's not locked down to app store only apps, WP7 is just turning windows mobile in an iPhone, minus a nice looking interface and fanboys that will buy up anything with it's logo on it.
@Fat Wombat yes research helps: its "manila" 2.5 - earlier versions of "manila" got different street names like tf2d, tf3d - now its "sense" - let's see how they'll call manila 3.0 (if there will be something like that on a WP7 device ...)
@ceo2be I'm with you there. give me the apps and the usability HTC built in to the HD2 over the flippy panels and wasted screen space of windows phone 7 series ANY day.
If they leave the HD2 with WinMo "Classic" I'll be pissed. The "buttons" excuse is the lamest thing they could have come up with.
@Abe
They think they can make more money getting HD2 owners to buy new hardware. Why not offer HD2 owners a paid upgrade?
@Abe
My guess is that the US HD2 will release with the proper 3 buttons for WM7S. That would mean that the Europe HD2 wouldn't get the upgrade, but the US one would. Hence the confusion and the different statement by the Asia-Pacific rep.
Just my guess.
@Delta
Even if that's true it won't matter...if it's the same exact hardware for the most part, someone will port the "upgrade" to the EU device.
I really don't see why the buttons would matter though -- this has 5 buttons, leave two up to the user and map the rest to the stupid OS's permanent button assignment. They're acting like buttons are hard coded circuits or something? Newsflash -- they're all software assignable, even if hardcoded hooks are used in the rom :P
@DoctarPeppar
Yeah, but where does it end. First the HD2 will get a custom ROM, then everyone else will want one and before you know it we're back to each manufacturer having to maintain their own version of the OS. Which also means that upgrades will either be slow to arrive or not arrive at all. Look at android, the phones with stock android are updated every other month it seems, but the devices with customized UI are still running 1.6 (in some cases) Granted, they're getting the updates soon, but look how long its been.
I don't like the Idea but I can understand the logic behind it.
@Abe
The reality is that there has never been much in the way of upgrade opportunities with WM, and that if MS does offer an upgrade, it would basically be the first time. WM runs from the older, pre-iPhone/Android model of mobile OS's, where no one is incentivized to offer an OS upgrade after the handheld has been purchased, other than some bug fixes. I think this story has MS caught a little flat-footed -- IMO, they actually should sell an upgrade for WM with the next version release. However, MS first has to work out how OS upgrades are going to be handled in general.
@Abe
Maybe if we all PROMISE to put a "Search" button sticker to cover the home button they will let us update :-)
There are enough buttons on the front, so what if the silkscreen on them doesn't match.
@Eric H Agreed.
Microsoft can save WM 6.5.3 and their phone sales up till WinPho 7's release by just allowing the HD2 to be upgraded to 7.
They better not be stupid and make an exception or else they will be seeing one hell of a drop in sales up till release.
In fact, all the manufacturers should start releasing "7 ready" hardware now just to save their mobile division and keep sales steady.
It'll be such a shame if it doesn't happen.
Remap the buttons and let HD2 owners have some WPS7 love please Microsoft!
Wow, a new Microsoft-based product dead on arrival. Shocking.
@(Unverified)
Aye. It's like the 27" iMac all over again!
@(Unverified)
It's not dead. Simply crippled. And limping. And sickly. And it's gonna die as soon as the new hardware is released.
@(Unverified)
So a platform is "dead" becase of some confusion over wether one particular phone model will be able to run it?
@(Unverified) Thats funny cause i thought HTC created this not Microsoft....
@LAY Never said anything about the platform. But who would want to purchase a piece of technology with no/questionable upgrade/update path?
@Sheppard HTC hardware based on Microsoft software specifications. Two companies, two interests, and the customers always get the shaft.
Didn't want to bring it up, but even though the original iPhone doesn't have video recording, 3G, or a compass, it is still upgradable to OS 3.1.3. This is what I was saying all along when users repeatedly got screwed with every new instance of Pocket PC/Windows Mobile OS: "Will my device get it?" "It's up to the manufacturer." "Nah, sell them a new device. Make up a story, like, it's not compatible, or doesn't have sufficient memory."
New device, new sales, more profits. What does the OEM gain by selling them a $30 OS upgrade? It would have been a more loyal customer base, IMO. But after 9+ years, they haven't figured that out by now.
@(Unverified) But its still HTC that created the phone.....
Who cares if the iPhone is updateable its hardly a fair comparison, WM6.5 to WM7 is like Windows XP to Windows 7, while the original iPhone is updateable its only point releases like WM6.0 to WM6.1 to WM6.5 to WM6.5.5, its not a major update of the iPhone os it just adds new features. If the original iPhone was updated to a hypothetical iPhone2 OS then fair enough you would have a point.
@(Unverified) Cant edit my comment, meh. But i forgot to add that the HD2 was never sold on the promise that it would be updateable to WM7, just like iPhone updates im pretty sure its had a few point revision updates of the WM6 os.
Come on MS, its within specs.
@mailbox01
But WM is so clunky they don't even do 'upgrades' why do you guys put up with this crap.
I'll tell you what this is:
a)WM can't upgrade to WP7
b)WP7 won't be out for 9 months
c)If MS tells you the truth, people will stop buying WM phones for nine whole months.
d) They're lying to you to avoid c) happening.
Someone at XDA will port WP7 to this puppy most assuredly......