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
Based on what I've seen and read, I really like this software. It however would not stop me from getting an HD2. But LG sucks!!!!! Ugly ass phone!!!!
Hmm now why does this remind me of the fact Xbox users had lost all support (exept of minimal online support, wich now has been killed) when X360 came out? Microsoft is a company with a bunch of moneywolves, they smell it miles away an come after your wallet!a
Why didn't they require WM7 phones to have game controls on the phone? I mean if they are having Xbox integration then they could take on Nintendo et al in the game handset market. It'd also totally trump the iPhone as a gaming device if you had actually buttons on the handset to play proper games with.
They started from scratch with the OS, why not do something different with the hardware as well.
Big deal, it's just a phone. If it's a big concern then buy something else - there's plenty of options.
@ebgolfin
That has got to be the first sensible thing I've heard you say in a long time Ebgo, lol. But I also find myself agreeing with this sentiment. These are corporations that exist to offer you a product in exchange for hard earned cash. Not some murdered family member, or family-murdering gestapo. That goes out to both sides of the fanboi aisle. It's getting to propoganda levels for both Mac-addict and Apple Loathers (...like me, self admittedly) Please buy what you want, tell people why you want it, and leave it at that. I've really changed this after the little incident with the tempban Endgadget enforced as of late. Go out and spend that pent up energy on something worthwhile. Get laid. Plant a tree. DO SOMETHING ELSE BESIDES ENGAGE IN THIS GADGET TRENCH WARFARE!
I'll start leading by example:
I'm happy MS has released 7 Series, and while i don't like the OS too much, I think they'll do numbers. Thats good and fine by me. The same goes with the upcoming iPad. I'm really excited about the upcoming Streak myself.
Good.
WinMo 6.5 is a true handheld PC OS, while windows phone seven is just a dumb featurephone OS like brew and iphone os.
Anyone with a brain would rather have a handheld PC than a dumb featurephone.
It's like the late-90s all over again, where Windows 9x was maintained for consumers and Windows NT series was maintained for business use.
I hope they'll continue to maintain Windows Mobile. I doubt they'll ever call the next-gen version of WM as "Windows Mobile 7" unless they come out with a business-oriented version of Windows Phone 7 Series.
The "Series" in the name makes me think it implies there will be a "Professional" version down the line, but it's kinda obvious the revealed versions of WP7S are aimed at the iPhone/Android-obsessed consumer/geek market.
I think its about time we look to a new piece of hardware from HTC for a Windows Phone 7. I agree with HD2 looks great but by the time Fall 2010 comes around I rather see an HD3 thats up to date spec whise and NOT with T-Mobile, anyone but T-Mobile.
I'd much rather have the HD2 than that LG brick - but then again I'm on Sprint so unless it is antiquated, pink and underpowered we won't see either.
Umm, why would HD2 owners sigh about 800x480 res, it's not the only nor even first win mo phone with that res, we've had them with that res for a few years now.
I love how Microsoft will not allow a phone to run WP7 because it doesn't have 3 buttons, but it will in the same breath allow that horible half VGA 320x480 res, way to go Microsoft, a poor res that people care about is fine, but OMG, don't take away their bing search button, you know, the one button no one is going to care about and will find a way to hack and remap anyways, even windows mobile/phone people use google not bing, sorry microsoft, it's true, you know, I know, hell I bet even the pope knows it.
@sandra
I would think that the 320x480 display resolution request is coming from OEMs, rather than MS. Lowering the resolution allows you to have cheaper CPU, GPU, and obviously a cheaper display, and possibly less RAM with lower bandwidth requirements.
The other reason to choose that display resolution is that it is the same as the iPhone. It's proven to be "OK" for millions of iPhone users, so why not build a device that won't look any worse than an iPhone and be able to offer it at a lower cost?
The interesting part of the article that no one seems to have noticed is that this supposed resolution scaling hardware that doesn't use the GPU seems to be aimed at allowing developers to target a single resolution and the app will run and look good on all WP7 devices. I think this is aimed more at easing the pain of getting iPhone developers to port their apps to WP7 to run on Chassis 1 hardware (480x800), rather than writing resolution independent apps that run on Chassis 1 and Chassis 2 WP7 devices.
Has a 4:3 resolution been approved for the WP7S spec? If not, does that mean we'll never see a vertical Blackberry/candybar-style WP7S phone along the lines of the Motorola Q9C, T-Mobile Dash, HTC Ozone or Samsung Intrepid?
Because those were awesome phones. Pretty much the only good WinMo6.x phones were the vertical/candybar style phones like the Moto Q9C.
What's wrong with Tmobile? I live in Atlanta so any provider will work for me...lol...move out of the woods.
Everyday there is more info on MinMo7 so I have to believe they are nearing some projected announcements for release dates and such. Microsoft, as I've said several times now, needs to capitalize on this momentum by getting release dates and such out there! Apple didn't wait 6 months to take pre-oders for the iPad, and there is a reason.
@DerekUGA
Microsoft, being a software company can only tell you when their software will be available to hardware vendors. Microsoft can't tell you that HTC, Samsung, or LG will have a phone out in June, simply because they are Microsoft and not HTC, Samsung, or LG.
Apple pretty much only has themselves to blame when it comes to release dates. They build the hardware that runs the software that they make. By tightly coupling these two items, Apple controls distribution of their products.
Given the information about Apple noted above - comparing WP7s 'announcement to launch' to the iPad's 'announcement to launch' is disingenuous at best.
And for the record:
There was a 6 month delay between the January 9th announcement of the iPhone and it's June 27th release.
I currently own a Tilt2/Touch Pro 2... I have yet to see an official 6.5.3 or 6.5.5 ROM from HTC, and yet there are plenty of options to choose from over at XDA. HTC hasn't released a device that runs Ubuntu - and yet there was an article about it running on the TP2 the other day!
So 'officially' the HD2 isn't getting a WP7s upgrade... And the person who never reads Engadget could care less. For all our complaining that these upgrades need to exist thru official channels, I'm sure that there are people who buy the HD2 (or any phone) without researching it and would never run a flash update anyway!
There's probably a good chance that if you own an HTC, you're not running stock. There's a good chance that if you're running an iPhone and reading this blog that you've probably jailbroken it! And, if you're reading this blog, chances are you're the type of person who knows how to flash your own custom ROM, and XDA will have you covered (logic: if a ROM developer owns an HD2, regardless of an upgrade from HTC, they will cook a WP7 ROM because nothing beats home cooking).
And if you're not the type of person to read this blog or the comments... Well, how did you get here?
@Pohket
i'm with you man. that's why i really don't understand why everyone is making such a big deal about if it's going to be officially supported. i run MightyROM on my TP2 and it's WAY better than the official ROM anyway and i'm willing to bet that most on here probably know how to do the same. i talk to people every day that have these smartphones and have absolutely no idea what they are capable of. people that read those sites are not those people. everyone should stop worrying about it cause XDA is going to have you covered.
@Pohket
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. The only reason you get new WM builds from XDA is because they share the same kernel. Take a look at devices which never leaked/released an official WM5+ kernel. They are still stuck on 2003. Give it up!
Although I love Android and the promise it holds, I had such an eager anticipation for Windows Mobile 7 (especially after Windows 7 was such a relief; and I know, there is no relation, codewise) but every time I see that ugly, large font I can't help but vomit a little in my mouth. The name "Win Phone 7 Series" is also a huge letdown. That's a name kindergarteners might come up with. Were they ad-libbing in that brainstorming session?
If we need or want WIN7 on the HD2, simply put since the HD2 is 1st GEN, all HTC has to do is make the 2nd GEN HD2 capable of having WIN7. What's so difficult about that? Microsoft & HTC get along, right? It is sad to say as long as we have had to wait for the HD2, progress never sleeps, so it makes sense to me a 2nd GEN HD2 should be a reality. To make the best phone out there with no updates doesn't make any sense to anyone. Per Se', That's like saying give us your money & we're not going to give you anything for it. Regards, if the WIN7 is for games & having so many people listed & keeping us locked into only Windows, what reason to we really need WIN7, that sounds like no freedom or real choice to me. So I think the HD2 is still good enough for me, even if it is the 1st GEN , end of the line, with no updates. Sounds like that big circle is still spinning.
Three buttons.. unbelievable. But anyways going beyond that 3 button ridiculous story, I think LG (Whose phones I am not a fan of) has made an extremely attractive, nice looking device here. It might be perfect...
Microsoft is dumb.
If they announced a WP7 upgrade for the HD2, imagine how many sales they'd get.
Sales of the HD2 would go through the ROOF (and the mobile OS market share numbers would be humorously skewed for WinMo 6 for the next quarter :)
am in love with the pic shown in this article ! :)
Another great editorial. Thanks for always making tech news a entertaining read Engadget! Your humor is perfect!
Why would anybody want a phone without a dedicated call button? Its apain to have to go back to the home screen bfore launching the dial app. To me WP7 Should drop the word phone from the name as calling is now a secondary function. Maybe it should be called windows search seven since that has a dedicated button
@zoverion
the best selling touchscreen phones dont have call buttons.. maybe M$ should start making products for you instead of their target demographic
@Celz With acception of the iphone and the droid, the majority of the top selling touchscreen phones have dedicated send and end buttons. Would you not agree that the majority of cell PHONE users buy them as a phone first and everything else second?
@Celz Also, I would argue that the main reason for the popularity of the iphone has little to do with it not having dedicated send and end buttons and more to do with the app store and the fact that they were the first to offer a decent web experience
If anything, I doubt you'll see HTC with a windows 7 phone. If anything, I bet HTC will allow customers have a upgrade clean install to Android 2.1 for HD2 owners since Microsoft Windows Phone 7 series is to advance. *note some sarcasm at the end*
xda devs will get wm7 running on the HD2., I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Why do people think that xda will figure out a way to port WinPho 7 to the HD2.
If the new OS is based on the Zune HD software, which is locked down tighter than Fort Knox, it'll be unhackable.
Face it WiMo fans, Microsoft is taking a page from Apple here with the 'it's our way or the highway' stance on new devices.
If you guys want something that's open and hackable, buy that Nokia N900 Maemo/Linux phone. I hear it's nice, but somewhat of a brick.
How is scaling supposed to be a good thing?
I been waiting for more resolution not less and definitely not blurry, scaled graphics.
I fail to see the appeal of Windows Phone 7. It just seems to me that Microsoft is trying to become another IPhone and not really innovating. Microsoft is 3 years too late just like the Zune was too late to the Ipod party.
Left out in the cold.
It's all pretty simple really, if you put the pieces together. Bottom line, the HD2 cannot run WP7. And it's not because of the three keys. It's the processor (or chip, whatever name floats your boat).
(And nothing will sober up and snap back to reality those demanding an HD2 WP7 upgrade than the understanding that the HD2 simply does not have the dual core processor needed to run WP7. Even the most unsophisticated and unreasonable "I want my WP7 upgrade!" troll understands what it means when MS says the HD2's hardware can't run WP7.)
OK, so I may be full of shit, but here is my argument:
At MWC this year Qualcomm had a booth and was showing off it's next generation processor, the dual-core with twin 1.5 GHz Scorpion . What was important was for people to note that the reps were trumpeting that this chip was the main difference between current smartphones and the superphones debuting "later this year" as the rep characterized things. (He also called them "smartphones" not superphones.)
One also should note that the reps were talking about the new superphones having an HDMI port and the capability of the phone "exporting" video to an external monitor, and playing in 1080p HD mode. (Current Snapdragon processors decode at 720p HD.)
IMHO that is the big secret of the WP7S superphones coming out, the multi-media aspect of them, being able to connect a WP7 phone via an HDMI port to one's home flat panel TV, download a Netflix movie and play it as if one is playing a DVD.
Bottom line: the HD2 does NOT have the power or hardware to run WP7.
But this is not the end of the world. I pointed out last November, first on YouTube, while the HD2 is a great WinMo 6.x.x device, it is not a WP7S superphone. Why should it be.
As has also been noted, the industry standard is that people replace a phone every 12 to 18 months. Applying that to the HD2, by November 2010 the HD2 will be one year old. That's a dated phone regardless how many people wish, hope, curse, dream, fantasize, demand, rebel, riot, or complain that their HD2s should get a WP7 upgrade.
But who cares. As I keep saying, and have said for five months, the HD2 with WinMo 6.5.x and HTC Sense is a slick device. I know because I was running this configuration on my Touch Pro2. I loved it.
Finally, people should take note that MS has adopted a dual platform strategy, WinMo 6..x.x and WP7. When the WP7S superphones debut consumers and business can choose between the two.
With each platform there will be handsets designed for WinMo and separately for WP7. On the WinMo side of the showroom there will be the Touch Pro2 and the HD2, both very nice devices. (I am buying the HD2 too.) Or you can hang on the WP7 side and buy a Windows Phone 7 Series handset. I am sure those will be uber cool.
Of course, if you really want to be the coolest person on the planet, in October you can check on eBay and bid on my HD2 that I will be selling in anticipation of getting a new WP7S phone. Remember, bid early, bid often.
That's my take on all this upgrade nonsense, being perpetuated by people who should quit whining about not getting WP7 on their HD2.
@MichaelSF ...tech biatch!