Windows Phone 7 based on a hybrid Windows CE 6 / Compact 7 kernel?
By Chris Ziegler 
posted May 4th 2010 5:12PM
posted May 4th 2010 5:12PM
[Thanks, Jeff]
That may very well be the case, but Microsoft's official response on the matter is a little less clear. Basically, they're saying that Windows Phone 7 was built on the latest release of CE 6 (R3, in case you're curious), but that they took it further and "incorporated innovative features and functionality on top of the platform." If we had to guess, what they're trying to say is that the Windows Phone 7 project was started when the Compact 7 kernel was still nothing more than a twinkle in Steve Ballmer's eye, so they took the latest code and started mucking with it to meet their needs. It's entirely possible that the Compact 7 team took that code back and kept working on it to create what would ultimately become what we know as the Compact 7 kernel, but that's not something the company is commenting on. At least, not directly. Anyhow, here's the official verbiage:
Oh, and just a note: based on that statement, you might be wondering how we deduced that they're saying they started with a CE 6 core. Basically, Microsoft is in the midst of changing naming conventions in its Windows Embedded range; the current release of CE is 6 R3, but the full name of the next version is Windows Embedded Compact 7. The company states that "Windows Phone 7 was built on the Windows Embedded CE kernel at its core," so yeah, there you have it.Windows Phone 7 is based on the Windows Embedded CE kernel – the next generation of the Windows Embedded CE platform will be Windows Embedded Compact 7 when released, and the current version is Windows Embedded CE 6.0 R3. Although Windows Phone 7 was built on the Windows Embedded CE kernel at its core, the Windows Phone team has incorporated innovative features and functionality on top of the platform to develop an OS specifically designed to meet the needs of mobile phone manufacturers.
Contamination!!
Windows phone 7 is another waste of OS. are not Android and iPhone OS enough ?. give me a break.
@jdm28690
Me thinks you are trolling.
@n8equalsd
I am not trolling, Windows phone 7 has no place in competition. Android and iPhone OS are in the ring of greatness where windows phone 7 is an amateur. MS should stick with Desktop operating systems where they belong. Too late to fight back.
@jdm28690 Yeah yeah yeah, Android hasnt been on the block long and its making an impact. Stop trolling
@who said what
Seriously, Microsoft names are so confusing.
@n8equalsd
He's not a troll - he's just your garden variety idiot. Not a huge difference but a difference nonetheless.
@jdm28690 Yeah, sure. That's everying but trolling. /s
Windows Phone 7 is gonna be HUGE. A brand new type of interface, an OS built on a kernel which no Mobile OS was ever built on, and that normally uses awesome hardware. And you're telling us that it's a waste of OS? Go learn some more on the subject before posting, Troll.
@guitarkid I agree, something completely new and fresh should be great.
@jdm28690
That couldve been said for android two years ago and iPhone OS three years ago. How could you say it has no place?
@jdm28690 Do you have anything to back this up? You seem to just jump right in and throw you opinion in the wind. So tell me, what makes WP7 an amateurish, waste of an OS?
"Windows Embedded Compact 7 core"...LMAO...who's in charge of the product names division?
@jdm28690 you are obviously new to the mobile scene. windowsmobile have been around way before your iphone and android.
@AlienSix
please inform me of what greatness in usability Android has? not a sarcastic comment, please just post why android is so great?
@Darth Vadar
I really like the unobtrusive notifications in the top bar thingy in Android. And widgets.
@jdm28690
Technologies come and go, new/old companies take comparative leaps forward and new standards get created. The first Windows mobile powered phone was a leap forward and that was in 2001, they revolutionized and delivered a computer "phone". The iPhone was another leap and they deserve credit, but there are still many leaps to make. The iPhone without serious innovation soon will become very old hat. The user interface is dated and cumbersome in many aspects. It is also seriously lacking in many categories for business users. I would welcome any innovations on any platform to improve it.
@who said what
The UI is so nasty, how can you read the fonts against that bright colorful background? Horrible interface.
@One Love It's a product for engineers. It needs to be named very accurately so that it's clear what it is.
Windows (Brand) Embedded CE (Product) Seven (Version) core (which libraries they are using. There is a lot to Windows Embedded beyond the kernel/core).
There are multiple Windows 7s.
Windows 7 (Desktop)
Windows 7 Embedded (Desktop x86 OS designed to be part of the device. DVRs, ATMs, kiosks etc.)
Windows 7 Embedded CE (Lightweight RISC/ARM OS designed for mobile devices and tablets etc.)
Windows 7 Phone (Windows CE based OS designed for phones and connected devices.)
more evo news please, even with oprah.
such a tease!!!! release it already!
@Pedobear It's not done yet.
@TSSaloic all the better! (for Pedobear anyway)
@TSSaloic He likes the stuff that hasn't had time to mature yet...
@Pedobear You are a tease.
@Mars478 :D :D :D
It's pretty sad that WM6 \ 6.5 are still CE5.
I don't suspect that will change either -- although I do wonder since it seems they are going to keep "windows mobile classic" or w\e they are calling it alive, right?
@DoctarPeppar microsoft cares for longtime support. companies have built whole industries around windows mobile phone based devices. devices that are portable, have some specific soft- and hardware, and communicate over sim. example: dhl or your postal delivery of choice has a win-ce device which gets used to scan the package. the sim card in allows realtime state-updates back home.
there are similar devices existing everywhere in industrial and esp. delivery markets, and thus they have to support it for a long long time.
one of our biggest food stores has wince devices to allow customers to do self scanning while shopping, and then directly pay. there are support contracts for the next tens of years for such projects.
@davepermen
You may want to tell them to fix the memory leak issues in CE5 then.
http://blogs.msdn.com/hegenderfer/archive/2007/08/31/slaying-the-virtual-memory-monster.aspx
@DoctarPeppar nah, nightly reboot fixes all problems :)
but yeah, the memory issue really is the one thing i hope that gets fixed for the new winphones.. it's the only thing pissing me off on my phone, which otherwise handles everything that i need and all the "cool phones" do.
@davepermen
That's the thing dude, read the article...it WAS fixed, in CE6!
But WinMo is still CE5...
Gasp!!.... I don't care.
Finish it and release it allready....After playing with the incredible I am hoping Mobile 7 astounds, because the Incredible actually lives up to the name.
@Pedobear
Courier news still has me shaken. My fingers are crossed most of the time nowadays...
This doesn't sound good for effective Zune HD / WP7 crossover action...
I don't care what they call it, just need results. I likes everything I've seen and read so far, so out with it already. =)
WP7 can't come out soon enough.
Still cannot believe there is actually a job title of "(software) evangelist". That said, WP7 looks good - interested in seeing more Office functionality. And, of course, HTC's slick new handsets to go with it.
@michaelwub
adobe has 'evangelists as well'. I think it's where they get designers and stuff who actually use their stuff to test it and promote it and whatever.
@KosherTelephone
Evangelists are professionals who use the software then go out to the respective communities to promote the capabilities of it. It's sort of a cross between marketing, sales, tech support and consultant.
Software and platforms are so advanced and complex now with the market saturated enough that companies do need this kind of position or their products simply vanish into the ether. It's analogous to the gaming industry's necessity for community managers except the evangelists have to have expert knowledge of what they are trying to promote and actually be active users.
It *can* be a pretty complex job and it is a LOT better than having a sales person push their products on you. In a lot of cases, this role involves simply building a stronger community around that product. Not an easy job.
If they aren't using CE7 bits, it just reaffirms that MS is too beurocratic, disconnected, and disorganized. I've never seen a company with so many good ideas but without the ability to actually integrate them. They are in desperate need of better management, please have Balmer leave.
@Luxury Guy
You are totally right. Running a company like MS is cake. Management should be able to snap their fingers and have everything talk together. Anything short of that is a complete disaster.
Doesn't matter if they support desktop OS's, server environments, gaming, mobile handhelds, web spaces, collaborative portals, mice and keyboards, business intelligence, etc, etc. Just make it all work already. I'm an Engadget commenter. Obviously I have better perspective on how to run things than clowns like Balmer.
@Luxury Guy Actualy Microsoft is starting to move it's mobile from Windows CE as it's core to a merger of Windows CE/NT. So they are streamlining.
@TSSaloic Yeah, but especially in the tablet sector. I actually sent them a tip about it earlier in the day. http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=6077
Good News for WP7
Whichever, just unleash it NOW! My N95 needs a replacement, and so far only WP7 promises to offer what I need. 6 months to go... almost here, yet so far.
I worked for a company that does mobile apps on the iPhone and the Android. I've used WP7 development tools, and I got to say, it such a breeze developing for WP7.
Android's development sucks due to the IDE. Eclipse is just sooooo old!
I don't care what kind of popcorn they used to make this. It's lookin good. I want.
WP7 looks interesting but unless it performs on par with Android and iPhone OS no matter what features it includes it will be overshadowed.
@Darkseider
On the OS side of things, it looks pretty comprehensive already.
Windows Phone 7.
aka
Windows Mobile 7.
Impending train wreck in 3...2...