If you're a developer following our coverage of
Windows Phone 7 and want to get on that gravy train as early as possible, you'll be happy to know that development hardware will be arriving "very soon." This apparently according to an unnamed Microsoft representative at a
Norwegian Dutch developer event, where it was also made known that, upon the retail release of hardware, developers will be allowed to unlock five devices for their testing, although Microsoft will continue to make available pre-unlocked dev handsets after launch. Exactly what the unlocking procedure will look like remains to be seen, as does nature of these early developer-only handsets.
MobileTechWorld speculates that LG's
GW910 will be that handset, and since that company did provide us with the
world's first official device running Windows Phone 7, we'd say that money is probably a safe bet.
Update: istartedsomething reports that the dev phones will actually go out next month with "very cool" packaging -- be sure to send us your unboxing shots!
[Thanks, Frank]
posted June 7th 2010 9:44AM
COOL.
MSFT is getting to be really late to the party. Of course it would be great to be first with games for the new OS.
@HateiPhoneFanboys
The apps will make or break WP7 imo. Xbox games on it should do very very well.
@Almo xbox games, to me, were far and away the biggest announcement when I heard about the phones. Then, as their conference went on, it seemed less and less likely that anything great was going to be done anytime soon with syncing xbox live games to the WP you buy. I was very dissapointed and figured, even if it took a mere 6 months to do anything compelling, at least I can buy a device today, wait and see how their support, market share and future looks.
I wanted to be an early supporter only after I first read the general synopsis of what they were doing. Then, they went into the details and I just couldn't wipe a much more painful surprised look off my face.
@littlea - Seriously - who the f_k cares! This company is so lame, and so late to the game. They spend 9 BILLION dollars a year on R&D and can't even squeeze out a good floater.
@juanvaldez
Like what?
The fact you're criticizing a product you haven't had any experience with?
The delay is to be expected as windows just went to show off the OS before the "leaks" went online. On top of that, they're integrating everything beautiful that has made Microsoft what it is, office/xbox/zune/bing/etc.
You're just another fanboy that post after post drools over apple products. If only the fanboys would stop posting.
Nothing in tech is late. As long as they bring out something cool the market always welcomes it.
I personally am highly anticipating WP7!
@chrisrottan
"You're just another fanboy that post after post drools over apple products. If only the fanboys would stop posting."
As opposed to the fanboys that are hyping a product that they have no experience with either...which is branching off a platform that, thus far, has failed in every way possible. Makes perfect sense.
@ebon "branching off a platform that, thus far, has failed in every way possible. Makes perfect sense."
You're talking about WinMo, right? The same WinMo that currently has over 2x Android's market share, according to that survey from a few days ago? Being third behind Blackberry and iPhone is pretty good for "failing in every way possible"
@littlea Bah, who cares about Win Phone 7? They're waaaaaaay late to the party, and my prediction is there won't be a handset until earliest next year. Microsoft's track record only shows they over-promise, under-deliver, and then, way too late.
@Khav Yeah, the WiMo with the plummeting market share.
As a current Android user who suffered through WiMo 5 - 6.5, I can assure you WiMo is a cruel, cruel joke of a mobile OS. To suggest WiMo in its current form is anything but a steaming pile of garbage, you must either be totally ignorant to what else is out there, or are just another disingenuous fanboi.
Hopefully, for MS's sake, WiPh 7 will change that, but I'm not holding my breath after living through their current train-wreck of a mobile OS.
@limaxray
i wouldnt be as harsh and call it a "train wreck"! Winmo has made a lot of consumers happy.
@limaxray I don't disagree that WinMo is a dinosaur, and losing marketshare to new and better OSes, but the fact is that it is still one of the market leaders. Saying that it has failed in every way possible, like the guy who I was responding to, is simply not true, regardless of what you think of the OS itself.
@juanvaldez I'd be sold if it were XBLA games, but didn't they state there will only be support for games made w/ the XNA platform?
@Bully your prediction is useless considering they have around 4 devices on almost every network slated for launch, one of which is the Mondrian which has specs to make the Evo jealous... not to mention the Dell lightning, with 19% marketshare with a dead platform its a non issue theyre coming in late to the game, besides its not about when you do it, its how you do it and theyre doing it right
@Almo
Some people thing that Mobile Phones (smart ones) should be as powerful as a PC. I think that Mobile Device's will evolve faster than PC's and REAL OS will be a MUST on every smart devices.
Windows is the most used platform for developing apps. If they will create a SMART framework (+ some form of Silverlight) that allow you to run your apps on PC's AND every other device ... they WILL win people's harts.
At least...
@Bully Havent you got plenty of apple "News" to be Reading.
I really don't get fanboys they will spite themselves not getting a better product then buy a competitors product. Apple won't pay you, you know?
nice i cant wait for that vertical dell slider WP7 !!!!
that was PRETTY!!!!
Microsoft should drag this out a little longer. Seriously, there's no rush to get a solution in the market, which they have such a dominating presence in already.
There is no sarcasm in this post either. I'm being super serial.
@Hexydes I sea wut u did thar.
@Hexydes This announcement's sole purpose is to slightly reduce the amount of buzz that will be generated today in WWDC. Nothing more.
Sorry if anyone feels like downranking me.
@Pickaxe they can't be that ignorant, *scans brain...reconsiders*, maybe you're right.
@Pickaxe
Your probably right. I can't wait for WP7 to come out.
@Hexydes Super serial!
There's one thing that Microsoft is always good for and it should get them back in the game with the quickness: the absolute best development tools. They should seriously take a note from Android and allow side-loading. If anyone could develop apps for WinPho7 and do real world testing (you know, like you can on a Windows PC) this platform would start competing day one and probably overtake iPhoneOS and Android in a matter of a few years. If I write a program and can't easily run it on my phone, it's not quite as exciting. Of course, I'm sure it'll get jailbroken before it even comes out but it'd be better if you didn't have to do that.
@Hexydes Another 3 hours and it won't matter! It's new iPhone season.
There is no f'ing reason the HD2 can not run this
*screw you Microsoft, i love you xda*
@DefPoet
Actually there is: 5 buttons, not 3 on the HD2..... -_-
@Almo 1.....2....3.....4...5. see five has three in it
Microsoft must not be able to count !
Finally.
I've purchased EVERY Windows phone released by HTC/VZW for FULL RETAIL.
With that said, Windows Mobile is dead.
If I wanted an Iphone, I'd buy an Iphone. I don't want a "Windows I Phone".
Seeing that the Iphone will NEVER get a keyabord for us ADULT PROFESSIONALS, and that Steve Jobs is the anti-christ, Android is the king.
LONG LIVE ANDROID !!!!
@Nunya Bizness
Hmm, I can see why you must have a physical keyboard. Oh yes..
@Nunya Bizness
yet the LG demo phone has a slide out keyboard and it runs WP7. Idiot
@Nunya Bizness
You're an idiot just for buying all those phones at retail, which makes me call bull shit. No *intelligent* person would buy "Every" WinMo phone.
Being a developer it is always hard decision to get this or wait to get one of the nicer consumer HTC devices to develop on. I really wouldn't mind waiting for the HD3, but then again it would be nice to have more than the emulator to test on.
@Templarian
Finally a real comment for this article, took me 4 pages of reading to find one...
Any chance this will be able to run on the HTC EVO? I like android but Sense UI is getting kinda stale.
@Slvrgun, I'm sure there are multiple developers that will be trying their best to get this to work, probably pretty hard with all the new tech in the EVO though.
@Slvrgun I'm sure that someone will port it to Evo but that will most likely kill 4G unless ms or HTC write a.driver for it which I doubt will happen anytime soon.
@alex2792 actually theres integrated 4g and lte support in winpho7 os
I'm sorry MSFT I love you but today is Apple Day.
@angelusp but you bother about IE, Safari, Chrome, Opera and Firefox
MSFT you better come out swinging. The hardware better be insane (keyboards, touchscreens etc)... We rooting for you in the hood
@Mike Vick
Microsoft doesn't make the hardware. Probably a good thing since they seem to be having a tough time getting the software out.
Keyboards?
You crazy bro.
@Ed T Microsoft should make at least one official MS WinPho 7 phone. Just as long as it's more like the Zune and not at all like the Kins.
Dear MSFT,
All I want is a WP7 that plays Halo and let me experience CTF on Blood Gulch again before I die.
@mphayvanh you got it(from potential point of view)
@mphayvanh
Well, since Halo was made in 2001, and this phone blows away computers from that year... you will probably get your wish, one way or another.
Good to see some news on WP7...