Microsoft helping OEMs develop unique Windows Phone 7 apps
By Thomas Ricker 
posted June 11th 2010 5:10AM
posted June 11th 2010 5:10AM
The position would be "working directly with a top Korean cellular phone manufacturer, who has made a large commitment to Windows Phone." Uh, would that be LG or Samsung, we're guessing the former. It'll be interesting to see if these apps are enough to differentiate one touchscreen handset from another. Even more exciting will be watching the homebrew community attempt to hack the manufacturer-specific apps into different handsets in order to create the ultimate Windows Phone 7 superphone... or Frakenphone as the case may be. Regardless, it's clear that Microsoft isn't leaving anything to chance as manufacturers prepare to launch their first devices running Redmond's virgin OS."We are looking for a strong and experienced developer to help the OEM to design and develop applications that make their devices stand out in the marketplace. You will also help them to bring new phones to market."
[Thanks, Abed]
Well, good. The bar is set pretty high already with iPhone and Android.
@pika2000 Actually this is bad for the customers, why should a nice app not work for my phone if the OS and specs are the same but it says HTC on the back rather than LG?
@pika2000
Yes, and Microsoft is working its butts off to make WP7 work. I'm really excited for WP7, can't wait for devices to hit market especially the ones by HTC, and that other one, what's it called lightning? (;
@ChrisSsk
err, coz HTC spent money and resources developing it and that's the only way it can differentiate its devices from others
@ChrisSsk
Consider the number of apps already available for iPhone and Android. WinPho7 starts from zero, so when a user buy a new WinPho7, it better has good apps pre-installed. Since MS is not making the phone, they have to do their best to work together with the manufactures, and manufactures want their phones to be unique than the competitor's. Basically, if this is to jump start a good user experience before WinPho's own app store is in full force, I'm fine with it.
@pika2000
I just wanna see a WP7 phone that looks good. Love that sweet sweet UI. Is that too much to ask?
@ChrisSsk
"...why should a nice app not work for my phone if the OS and specs are the same but it says HTC on the back rather than LG?"
How is this different than the situation we have today? I'm talking PCs, consoles, phones. Software had always been the differentiator. You want iLife on your PC? Tough. Who cares if it's just an Intel processor and Corsair RAM with an Nvidia graphics card. It's the same...but not.
All third party apps will work on all Windows 7 phones, but obviously each manufacturer wants to add value to their offering. Everyone does it. Nokia had Nokia only apps that would not run on other S60 phones made by Samsung and Sony Ericsson.
@pika2000
after all the notion about delayed updates and sense being thrown around in bad light for the first time, MS ready did do their past and ensure every Windows Phones from now on will be a direct MS experience.
They really did plan ahead this time, all things are positive for Windows Phone 7. Could't ask for it any other way
@ChrisSsk
Not really, it avoids that "fragmentation" problem everyone likes to talk about. With OEMs implementing apps and leaving the OS itself well alone, they should be able to differentiate themselves as well as keep all customers on the latest version.
@pika2000 I mean, yeah.
Microsoft seems to be investing a lot of money into it, and I'm happy to see that. I want to see Microsoft do well.
@pika2000
Windows Phone 7 wont actually start with 0 apps.. cant you see all the app development being done right now?? and thats better than Apple with no app building features it had with the OG iPhone..
@Zylam "They really did plan ahead this time, all things are positive for Windows Phone 7."
I hope so. WinPho7 looks great when it was announced, but then comes Android 2.2, then iPhone 4, and all their apps and new handsets.
@pika2000 You're right bro, it doesn't take a fan to see that Android and iOS are shaping up to be killer platforms, with every realease and device they leap really far, after being a WinMo fan its only natural to see WinPho7 as the future, but gotta say Andorid and iPhone 4 are worth taking a detour on.
later bro, keep chillin
@pika2000
My personal belief is 20,000 Apps are good enough for any store, provided they are quality Apps (I think Microsoft will take care of the quality through its screening process). 20,000 Apps cover pretty much everything. Others are mere repetitions or junk (read fart) Apps (except for games ones).
@pika2000 I have like 5 (downloaded) apps on my iphone that i actually use. The vast majority are gimmicks, expecially for someone that doesnt care about gaming on a phone.
@ChrisSsk
Kinda like why shouldn't Mac OS X work on my computer just because it says Dell on it rather than sporting a picture of a fruit? I agree it's not fair, but that's now some companies roll.
@Tes "How is this different than the situation we have today? I'm talking PCs, consoles, phones. Software had always been the differentiator. You want iLife on your PC? Tough. Who cares if it's just an Intel processor and Corsair RAM with an Nvidia graphics card. It's the same...but not."
Your analogy is wrong there... You can't compare not running the same software on the same platform and running platform-specific applications on different platforms.
@ChrisSsk - I totally agree with you, having one app on one phone and not on another doesn't make sense, especially if both are running the same OS. Lets take for example Android and the mobile hotspot app from Sprint. It's only on the EVO but not on other Android devices BUT thankfully, because of the OPENNESS of Androdi, one could get the app on their phone following the necessary steps.
With WP7, I haven't really been following developers and how they are doing with the OS but from Microsoft's official talks about it, it just seems like another Apple/iPhone setting. Meaning that M$ are the gatekeepers, they have all the keys, they make all the rules and moving apps from one phone to another won't be so easy.
I'll definitely be looking at WP7 when it arrives, since I'm a Microsoft Office fiend, but if I'm drawn between two devices from different manufactures because of "unique apps", I'm not going to buy both of them, I will buy none of them. Why should I have to "go without"? In this day and age, the consumer shouldn't have to go without, it's all about the full experience.
@ChrisSsk Choice is never a bad thing.
@MarsOnTheRocks
It pretty much is. You're splitting hairs at this point. I may be able to actually get OSX and/or iLife running on my PC, but it isn't SUPPOSED to happen.
@pika2000
It's like most of you don't know the meaning of "Exclusive"
Everyone does it so why complain about it.
You guys are welcome [=
Love it when your own tips get posted [=
@krishansy Exactly. How many of those apps in the iPhone/Android app store, for example, are actually being used by more than a minority of people? Sure, you need it, but most people wont NEED the extra 224,900 apps.
@dotCARBON Wow. Last sentence way messed up. What I meant was, it's good to have those extra apps, but most people dont have a need for them.
@Plazmic Flame God, Look at HTC Android devices with Sense. Can you install it on LG or Samsung devices without rooting them ? I know, Android is open, you can root it, but who says WP7 cannot be hacked ?
@pika2000 when are they going to start rolling these??? I need to change my phone already. its been 5 years and my winmo5 is fine but the hardware can't take the beating anymore.
Can not imagine me with a closed operating system again
We're going to need a lot of lightning.
@OmbreDesigns Did I ever tell you I've been struck by lightning seven time
@OmbreDesigns Did I ever tell you I've been struck by lightning seven time?
@arash
His answer would be "no" and then "yes".
@arash O no. Not AGAIN! Were you talking your dog or going out to get the post?
That's the pros and cons of WP7. The UI is very different from all of the mobile apps that have well ever been released.
So the good news is you won't too many crappy ports from the iPhone coming across that you probably get with Android. The bad news is it will be a real challenge for many companies to understand the best way to rework their apps.
Microsoft really needs to get as many of their apps as they can on there to show other developers how it should be done. Similar to what Apple does for the iPad with iWorks/Keynote.
@taligent
You comment often on Android. Do you own an Android phone?
@Tes does that matter ?
@AnAnt
Well yes if he is constantly bashing apps he's never used. I have used iPhone, S60 and Android. I have no experience at all with Windows Mobile or Palm WebOS so I'd look a fool if I spent my time saying how crappy their apps were. I'd like to know which ports he's actually talking about.
@taligent
"So the good news is you won't too many crappy ports from the iPhone coming across that you probably get with Android."
That statement is so resoundingly stupid. Do trolls even try these days?
@taligent Excuse me, but, I do very much appretiate Bieber Fart App on my Hero. I WANT CRAPPY APPS, as long as they're funny and stupid enough, I'll download them :)
Good, I'd rather have ten really useful applications than have to sift through pages of fart apps.
If you see pages of fart apps, you blew it. (hehehe)
@Ducman69 .. You know idiots like you keep saying that. But for every 1 fart app there is a 1000 truly useful apps.
There are a number of apps I use everyday that aren't available for any other platform. Oracle CRM, Salesforce, Basecamp, iBarclaycard, Dow Jones etc as well as being able to use your iPhone to accept credit cards.
How about just a decent Facebook and Twitter app ? The iPhone is the only half decent implementation going around.
@Ducman69 Smartphone is really an investment (most cost more than Dell business notebooks). To pay for something useless - here I mean not able to meet my needs, will be the least I will want to do. For basic stuff, my Japanese feature phone is doing enough already.
MS has only one good choice, create their own phone like Apple, otherwise, they will have to provide enough incentive for others to create phones for WP7.
@NewBie Why would you want to be restricted to a single model? Its a great looking OS, but some peeps like sliders, some touch, some bigger screens some smaller, and being able to reach different price-points can mean a greater userbase. =)
@taligent There aren't 1000 useful apps in the appstore. Get real will you, when Jobs is talking about how good the appstore is he's talking to 16 year old kids who wanna play games and do stupid things.
All research says that most apps are never used more than a week.
Besides, the quality of the apps nowadays are really low...all the wanna do is earn cash, they don't care if you hate the bad app you bought, you still aint getting your money back.
@Carnival the AppStore does not contain only games etc... yes they are a vast majority but they are not the only ones around ... it has 225,000 apps ... to humour you let us say 200,000 are "fart apps" ...there are still a good 25,000 apps one could choose from and use ...
@taligent Actually the facebook app on WebOS is better ATM....it merges events with the OS calender
@taligent Someone hit a nerve there?
@Carnival
Eh, I don't know about that statement. I have a bunch of apps on my iPhone that I use all the time and are what make my phone indispensable to me.
I suspect that most people that bash the App Store have either never spent much time with it, or have used it and tried to get by using only free apps and found many of them lacking.
@ebgolfin
How did you survive before the iPhone?
For me, my iPod Touch collects dust. There are about 20 apps that I have loaded - none of which are amazing or magical. All of the core functionality that I use are covered in the App Store, Android Marketplace and Windows Marketplace (or XDA). Sure there are some cool apps in one place but not another. But there is hardly a monopoly of good apps in one environment.
My guess is that for 90% of people they use a majority of applications that can be found across multiple platforms. They just don't know it.