Even though Microsoft's big MIX event is still days away, the Windows Phone 7 Series development platform is already pretty well defined. It's also clear that Microsoft wants to keep things tidy for developers by requiring all WP7 phones to meet a certain
base-level spec. Now, thanks to a post from Microsoft's Shawn Hargreaves, we know the display resolution for the first batch of Microsoft's next generation phones: 480 x 800 (WVGA) pixels at launch, with a future update that will introduce a 320 x 480 (HVGA) native resolution. Dedicated hardware will ensure image scaling across all those pixels without taxing the GPU. That allows game developers, for example, to write to a lower resolution (requiring less horsepower) and then scale up as required while remaining compatible to a variety of screen resolutions.
Now, for those playing along at home, the HD2 getting ready to launch on
T-Mobile in the USA is also WVGA and it features a 1GHz Snapdragon processor from Qualcomm, Microsoft's WP7 silicon partner. So we can assume (but not guarantee) that it meets the image scaling hardware requirements described by Hargreaves. Man, if only the HD2 had
three-buttons.
[Thanks, Cytrix]
posted March 12th 2010 4:37AM
Cool!
Also, it's time to let go about the HD2 not being upgradeable to WP7.
@aubreyq
Damn it, I think you're right. But it's so tough to let go. It HURTS, bro!
@aubreyq i give up on this phone! i was trying to make it seem more appealing but well, i just couldnt so i give up on that! this is such a fail phone. windows 7 or not. cant wait til the rest of u guys realize it
@aubreyq But now with HVGA support we can also complain that the HD Mini wont be upgradeable. :p
Seriously though I agree, the HD2 wont get an upgrade, lets just let it go,
Even if Microsoft allowed it I doubt HTC would do it, despite only now coming to the US the HD2 is out for months now and it will be 1 year old by the time WP7 arrives. HTC will probably be releasing the HD3 by then
@emopoops
Fail phone in what way?
@aubreyq I'm pretty sure my HD2 will run WP7, one way or another.
@aubreyq
Sure forget the HD2 now but what about the OMNIA 2 then? lol. It has 3 buttons but unfortunately a 800Mhz ARM11.
@aubreyq
I agree
@aubreyq
Dude this is crazy, is there nothing better to write about?
How many "wp7s speculation hd2 upgrade" articles does this make, like 20? I think this is enough...if someone actually has an official word on this, great...but why keep re-hashing the same stupid hypothesis about the base specs \ cpu \ etc?
@Beastage
i know i'm personally tired of hearing about the HD2 upgrade thing. it doesn't fit the Chassis because of the button configuration, so i really don't see it officially happening. seeing as that's the only thing keeping it off and that's pretty minimal, i couldn't imagine the HD2 not getting WP7 through XDA at least. yea so maybe not officially but it's going to happen.
@Beastage
You are right on. The guys at XDA will get W7 for the HD2. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if you had a W7 version of HD2 at launch (of course, under a new name). As far as I can tell, the only changes would be to remove a couple buttons. Seems like something HTC could crank out without any problems.
@aubreyq
Why does everyone treat the people at XDA like gods? They are not! There will be no official WPS7 kernel for the HD2 so therefore there will never be ANY ROMS whether official or not for the HD2. Give it up!
@Peter F
Yeah... it's not like the hardware for the HD2 almost exactly matches the prototype hardware. And it's not like there will be tons of other phones with the same hardware that they can get the kernel off of.
@Beastage yeah, someone will find a hack
Not three buttons but just a search button
DURING the WP7S launch I mentioned in the comments that the button config would mean the HD2 wouldn't get the update...I was down-ranked into oblivion and replied with numerous links to rumours from last year. Now everyone keeps whining about it. Engadget readers continue to disappoint THEMSELVES by insisting on clutching to rumours as their baseline for expectation.
@Tes
Welcome to Engadget. It's mob rules here unfortunately, no matter how stupid or uninformed that mob is.
@martynmcfarquhar IPHONE USERS???
@Atlantian Im gonna get downranked because I think WPS7 sucks and that my iPhone is better then any phone out there. Here we go!!!!
@martynmcfarquhar
You mean, Welcome to real life. It's mob rules here unfortunately, no matter how stupid or uninformed that mob is.
@Tes You think engadget readers wouldn't be disappointed that 2 extra buttons disqualified one of the nicest phones on the market from WinPho7 if only they had listened to your rumor instead of someone else's rumor? 1. Get over yourself. 2. It's such a bad policy and practice that expecting it a few days earlier would not have led to less disappointment.
But it looks like the mob is with you today.
@fortunzfavor
No, what I expect is that passably intelligent people would use that one thing that makes us intelligent...the ability to form ideas and opinions based on past experience and shared information, to asses what was happening and see that not many companies go out of their way to reduce future sales. In fact I can't think of a single one.
It was clear Microsoft was touting their "Bing search button" as a major feature...so why would they then let people install their new OS that they had slaved over on devices that didn't have the button? Why would HTC et al pay money to licence the OS just to give it away as a free download? Did any of that make sense? It's like the rumour that Google were going to GIVE the Nexus 1 away. It didn't make sense...so obviously people clung to it for dear life and moaned when the most nonsensical idea ever didn't materialise.
People decided to use a rumour to dismiss common sense, not other rumours. It's stupid, no?
SIGH...
this whole thing is dumb its i touch screen phone to make a search and required soft keys for hd2 WTF its not that hard don't B.s. Microsoft and Htc
can't the just turn off one of the buttons on the HD2 so it can support winmo7?
could understand if the HD2 had 1 button then sure, but this is getting ridiculous now.
@liquidmonkey what stupid is that its a touch screen phone you can make an on screen button lots or room on the hd2 pick A SPOT
@Atlantian
yup, totally agree.
MS and HTC are just being lazy IMO.
but who knows, win7 is not due for another 7 months or longer so a lot can change.
maybe they are just waiting to make sure it works 100%, who knows.
at the very least MS and HTC should say THEY ARE WORKING ON IT BUT NO PROMISES CAN BE MADE.
that would put the whole issue to rest and show that they are at least trying.
@liquidmonkey
What the hell do you mean, being lazy?
It's a business plan for HTC, not MS. MS sells software, HTC built the HD2.
Why the hell do they need to upgrade the HD2 which has been out since before we even knew what WPS7 looked like and expect it to magically morph into a WPS7 phone when that OS is released?
How do you know that the button issue is the only issue about the HD2 not getting the upgrade?
Why should HTC even give a shit about any of this when they're probably going to be bringing out an HD3 at that point anyway considering the timing of the first 2?
Why can't fanboys let go? One person says nonsense and the rest of you jump on the bandwagon and can't let go either. Do you love the HD2 that much? Then buy the bloody phone and hope that XDA hooks you up. It's not like WinMo 6.5 with sense is as bad as the biased people on engadget make it out to be.
Seriously man, get a life, this really isn't an important issue and it pisses me off that people are making it out to be a bigger deal than it is. The phone doesn't even have a keyboard or front facing camera yet you want it to fully utilize the gaming intensive WPS7?
Bet you didn't think about that did you?
@liquidmonkey
I don't think it's a matter of too many buttons but a lack of some (search, volume, camera).
@Rem DX
easy on the name calling.
i don't have an HD2 nor shall i buy one, i'm just saying that manufacturers have a certain obligation to ensure that their products are getting the latest updates.
afterall, the HD2 costs nearly a GRAND and i'd b pretty pi$$ed if i couldn't update the software after a year, or two.
hell, i think mobiles should have updates for a 3 year minimum!
as far as getting a life, well thats just harsh.
the mobile not having a front cam or KB has nothing to do with it not getting the updates, so no, i didn't think of that, nor do i care.
like i said earlier, MS and HTC should be giving updates to their customers period. if apple can do it, the others should b able to as well.
and no, i'm soooooooooo not an apple fan, just saying ;)
@Rem DX
He has a point there.. The HD2 as is could be better than early WP7 units.. I mean the HD2 is the best phone out now.. WinMo sense is way better than Android Sense, Blur, plain android, web os, and that crappy icon grid on the iPhone in terms of homescreens.. And WinMo still has more apps than anyone available, you will have to do a small bit of searching to find ones that meet todays quality but ppcgeeks and XDA can easily steer you right..
And seriously out of all you guys that are complaining how many actually own an HD2 and will have only that phone for the next year to two years.. If not stop bitchin..
@liquidmonkey: "i'm just saying that manufacturers have a certain obligation..."
Uh, most manufacturer's only obligation, aside from consumer safety issues (see: Toyota), is to their investors and shareholders.
HTC's plan is to sell you an HD2, then convince you to also buy the HD3, and so on. They're in business to make money by getting you to buy a new phone once a year.
@Johnny Tremaine
very well said and so true.
i should change my statement to 'manufacturers SHOULD provide updates for three years'
its more of a personal wish than anything else.
are there really people that can buy a new $1000 mobile every year?
how do they get out of the contracts which are more than 2 years.
i wish companies would do THE RIGHT THING instead of trying to get rich all the time but then maybe i live in smurf village where everyday is a sunny one, haha!
Everyone is obsessed with getting WPS7 on the HD2. Who gives a fuck. WPS7 is gonna be a huge flop. Just watch. You want a real phone???? Wait till June and get the new iPhone!!!!
@Mtmrob
so true, i mean, schmAPPLE will include SD on the new one right?
thats right, they won't. so how is that a real phone fanboi?
@liquidmonkey Lol what an idiot, I don't know why I'm replying to a fool like u, but may as well. People who buy apple products are stupid enough to buy electronics for the number of bullet points on the feature list. Manufacturers put in all these features for the sake of it, that are incapable of operating well. You will never here an iPhone user complaining about their user experience because everything runs so flawlessly. Shame I can't say the same about other phones.
@to86
maybe u couldn't see the sarcasm font, but then your probably inbred and have coke bottles for glasses so your forgiven ;)
seriously, ease up on the name calling. why am i an idiot?
and what was your point by the way?
It's quite obvious by now that the iPhone 4 is going to bring nothing new to the table. June isn't far away, so it's too late for Apple to quickly copy some of Android/WM7's new features for iPhone 4, because it's likely already sent into production.
This is why Apple has been getting sand in their vagina over HTC patents, Android and even Microsoft (though Apple's not big enough to bully Microsoft, they'll take on the other two).
I'm done but hey when in doubt Xda it out
HTC love Google, MS hate that
@HoangDinh
HTC is one of the WP7S Partners though. There will be a HTC Phone with WP7 HD2 or not.
Why must wait in here get picture
kenenter.com/2010/03/iphone-4g-snapped-in-ultimate-spy-shot.html
Can't they just disable 2 of the 5 buttons to leave 3?
@Fat Wombat I agree especially considering that 2 of the 5 are send/end. It seems like they could make the 'home' button on the HD2 the 'search' button and call it a day.
Yesssss! I agree with the Iphone 4 droppin. If ya not feelin the HD2 with the current windows platform, go for the iPhone. Cause as it's been said a million times, no 7 for the HD2, so stop the run on sentences and talking about it! And who cares anyway? A new device will be around by then.
If they compromise on their chassis specs here then all oems will demand variation and next thing you know we are back to the old underpowered devices of winmo 5,6,etc.
Don't buy an hd2 with the expectation to upgrade it. Simple.
that's some bad layout on the phone - the word "february" is cut off...
@mrqs Bonobo
@mrqs
I know.. that's the one thing that annoys me about all the shots I've seen so far.
It's like they thought "People like Zune, and they also like phones. Lets put the two together, but if we change the font size - they won't like it!"
Don't stress about the WP7 deal.
If you are on T-Mobile's Even More plan you now get 12 month upgrades which includes getting the full upgrade price on smart phones. So, you can get the HD2 now and in 12 months, get yourself a new WP7 phone.
We are still at least 6 months from seeing WP7 and there's no guarantee that we'll see a WP7 device on T-Mobile right away either. Let's say it's the end of 2010 or even 2011 before T-Mobile sees a WP7 phone... at worst, you're 3 months from your next 12 month upgrade.
If it's the $$$ you're stressing about, the street price on an HD2 in 12 months will be more than enough to offset the price of upgrading to a new WP7 phone.