Windows Phone 7 coming to Europe in October, US in November, according to Microsoft COO (video)
By Vlad Savov 
posted August 2nd 2010 8:48AM
posted August 2nd 2010 8:48AM
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posted August 2nd 2010 8:48AM
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Will the European versions have copy paste and multi-tasking.
@Tchaikovsky, yes just not in v1.0.
@Tchaikovsky
Will anyone really care outside the nerd community?
@Tchaikovsky
I think you knew the answer to that question before you asked it. So maybe it was a rhetorical question, although they still require a question mark at the end.
@MarkAnderson
I'd imagine that anyone would be pretty annoyed if MS Office didn't have copy-paste.
@iooioio
I'd imagine very few people outside the nerd and business community (and even then 95% of those users will be view only or minor editing) will use Office on their phone.
@Tchaikovsky I don't know. You on the other hand are so predictable
@MarkAnderson
only "nerd community" will care
Bro what do you think Engadget is? A community to increase leg room in golf carts?
@Zylam
Nope. We're the nerds so we care. No-one else will.
Which was the point in case you missed it.
@MarkAnderson
view and minor editing is all you'd need/want to do on a small phone screen form factor and addresses what most people will do on their phones. Seriously, do you want to write a PhD thesis on a 4 inch phone? If you attempt to port all that is available to a keyboard and mouse system, you blew it. It was called windows mobile and it had a stylus and it sucked because it failed to realize mobile isn't desktop. Apple realized this and that's why they created a simple system designed around content consumption instead of creationg and around simplicity instead of unecessary complexity that nobody would want to use anyways. By providing basic functionality and native support for office documents, MS has hit the nail on the head and it is all thanks to Apple showing them the way.
Complexity is the enemy of good.
@MarkAnderson
yea but theres no point in arguing that here, since when did we nerds care for the rest. That was my point incase you missed it.
BTW, copy pasting isn't super high tech, people have been using computers for years with copy paste so missing copy paste when even the iphone has it is a big thing, not just to nerds.
@LSE
Or, alternatively, they're just amending the Office facilities that have existed on Windows Mobile since 2000.
Apple leading the way indeed. That's revisionist history at its finest.
@MarkAnderson
Talk about hypocrisy nokia fanboy....
When it was Apple who didn't have copy and paste you were bitching like there was tomorrow.
Now that it's MS who doesn't have it it's "A OKAY" since it doesn't matter to no one outside the "nerd community"
HYPOCRITE
@MarkAnderson
WTF is up with companies not releasing products in the home territories first these days?
RIM = Canadian, devices released in US first always
Dell = American, releases Dell Streak in UK, no where to be seen in US
Now Microsoft?? I think it's total BS if you ask me...
@MarkAnderson
You know its true, people who don't read tech sites like Engadget have NO IDEA about windows phone 7's, and to them a phone depends on design, not the UI.
Those people who DO know about call it a Zune phone.. maybe that IS an appropriate name?
@Plazmic Flame Personally, I think it's because if you fail in the US, you are preceived as a "failure". By launching in Europe first, they can control US expectations better.
@iooioio
Everyone with Office 2010 64bit is already annoyed that Outlook doesn't work with Windows Mobile Device Center.
So yeah, Microsoft's been pissing a lot of people off lately.
@N900
Not sure about MA, but I know their were plenty WinMo users not only laughing at no copy and paste on the iPhone in (2007) but also no MS Office documents. The argument then for WinMo was everyone needed to do their spreadsheets on their phones. Since the iPhone's success, I don't here that one as much anymore.
@dave95 I can understand that, and shame on them for doing so.
I'll make it easy for BrooklynsFinest with the answer: Nowhere is Mark giving a pass for WP7 and bashing iOS over the same issue. If you look back enough in comment history, he has the same feeling about c/p there as he does here.
@MarkAnderson Last I checked Apple was the first to come with a GUI which Microsoft then ripped off (originally developed by xerox parc but xerox demoed to steve jobs and had no intention of building its own desktop systems).. So yes Apple has always led the design.. Apple released a 3d desktop using postscript rendering low and behold Microsoft copied with Aero.. Linux different GUI teams also had been working on similar sort of 3d desktops projects such as E17. SUN at the time was working on project looking glass http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZcJOZC38iQ , which was a completely different concept, in many ways the android 3 screen swipe is like project looking glass... So what was Microsoft doing when all this was going on ? Yeah thats right copying everyone else.
Its so strange a company that has built its empire from copying and pasting everyone else's work, releases a new phone system with no copy & paste..
Nerd is an extremely derogatory term, eff u kindly, for trying to say people that think copy and paste is important are nerds... Anyone that will need to copy numbers from text messages which will be practically any smart phone user will think copy/paste is important.. Your a 1st class ass..
For the record, I also felt no copy and paste on the iPhone was a mistake (but one that I knew would eventually come). But there were so much pros about the phone then that I was willing to patently wait for them to get c&p right. Are there just as much pro's in WP7 for consumers to forgive c&p?
@Plazmic Flame
home territories ? microsoft are multinational cooperation there not really tied down to any one country.
@Zylam when are people going to stop caring about copy and paste and start seeing the fact that WP7 has a lot more to offer than iOS4 and android. Just to bring up an (and this is not for nerds but the reg. consumer). If you wanna see your pictures in your iphone, and I mean all of your pictures. You can't, not in one place. The hubs are so much more efficient than anything else out there. I don't need to check my facebook, flickr, myspace, or whatever the heck your friends post pictures; they are all in one place. People care so much about cut and paste. I know is important but there so many people overlooking the new features the platform is bringing along that talking about about cut/paste seems to me like a crappy excuse of an argument to trash talk MS for a product that is offering Office, Xbox live, Zune, nicer bigger screens, hubs, etc, something android and iOS can only dream offering. Shoot, they're just lucky to have MS credentials to sync with MS exchange.
@Tchaikovsky
The question isn't if the European versions have copy paste and multi-tasking? we all know the answer to that. But what services are going to be up and running when the phone hits Europe?
Zune Marketplace, Bing maps with turn by turn navigation etc...
Microsoft needs to have these services available when the phone launches in Europe
@dave95 I guess it depends on the users who are interested in the product, but I can't give a fair estimate. I do know that the majority outside of tech blogs haven't really gaged input on initial lack of c/p.
But, even with WP7's successes, I wouldn't forgive it if they didn't rectify the issue soon after release. For now they have Smart Sense: a subvert of copy and paste, maybe there as a placeholder until c/p is fully implemented.
@MarkAnderson
I dunno - the business community can stretch pretty wide, and they're not a part of the nerd community, mostly - they just want stuff to work, y'know?
@Zylam
It's a tech blog, you moron
@trashoner What does wp7 bring exactly ?
Android phones currently have the biggest screens (dell streak 5" phone/tablet).. iPhone 4 has the best resolution 960 x 640.. Windows phone 7 hardware spec demands screeen res of 800x480 .. So whats so great about that then ? Lets not forget Gingerbread Android 3 upcoming spec rumoured to be, 1280x760.. So again what so great about windows phone 7 ?
Hubs ? You mean widgets under a different name right ? Because thats what they basically are.. Yawn, thanks I'll stick to android..
All your pictures in 1 place ? I suggest you look at Sony Xperia X10 because guess what MediaScape on the Sony x10 already does this... Guess Android already does that then..Any app developer can build this tool, its simple to do, but its pointless and a waste of bandwidth... For proof check this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiZ2DBN6zCM
As for Zune ? Both the iPhone and Android phones can act as mp3 players.. Last I checked iTunes and the iTunes store were wildly more popular than Zune.. So again whats so great about the zune integration
?
Finally we get to xbox live integration.. Yeah no.. Will you need to buy a yearly gold membership for XBL ? When you get home do you really want to boot up your games console to play the simple phone game you were playing or are you going to sit down and play a good game such as uncharted 2 .. ?
What else was there ? ...
@gatdorfl
I know. That's why they mainly use PCs.
Look, personally I think that a smartphone should have multitasking and copy and paste and all that other stuff from the get go but the iPhone seems to have demonstrated that the vast majority of people simply don't give a shit.
@McDuckScrooged
WP7 brings competition, dumbass. Competition forces competitors to improve their products.
Maybe you should take a basic Econ 101 course.
@McDuckScrooged
Actually, Windows Media Player is still the single most widely used music player out there. Most Windows users detest iTunes and use it ONLY because if they have an iPhone or iPod, they have no choice.
The Zune suffers from the classic problem Microsoft makes everytime (although this time may be an exception) - they release their products in the US ONLY... and then barely market them. The only exception I can think of to this pattern is the XBox - and lookie - #2 gaming console.
The US is *very* Apple oriented. Putting a new media/phone product solely into the US is suicide right now. Europe and Asia, on the other hand, while they like Apple products, are FAR more likely to buy another brand if it has something to offer. So it's a good sign that Europe gets the WP7 phones first.
Finally, you're falling prey to the 'popular == better' fallacy. By that logic, Laverne and Shirley was better than anything done by Shakespeare.
@McDuckScrooged , I don't think you understand all that WP7.
For example, Hubs are not widgets. Hubs are a way to integrate experiences. It's not like MediaScape. MediaScape is a way for an _app_ to consolidate your media files. Hubs are a central way for ALL apps to have access to media. It's a way for users and app developers to think about experiences, rather than apps.
Zune and iPod are VASTLY superior to the Android media experience. VASTLY. So how is Zune better than iPod? In some ways they are on par. The advantage that iPod has is that iTunes has more content, but Zune Marketplace is pretty huge now too. But Zune has Zune Pass, and frankly, a better UI.
XBox Live integration... note that there is nothing in the integration that forces you to play the same game on both your console and phone. For example, you can do MW2 on your console, but on your phone you can have a different set of missions to get achievements and such.
Also, you forgot about the Office integration. And there is also some nice little features like auto syncing of all pictures to SkyDrive. And being able to take pictures w/o unlocking the phone. And things like XNA enabling devs to write great games (I suspect the first month WP7 will have better games than Android has built in its first two years of life).
So does it kill iPhone and Android on every axis? No, of course not. But its a legitimate alternative. And I think one that will get some good marketshare in short time.
@Tchaikovsky
damnit this really pisses me off. i'm out of contract right now and desperately wanting a new phone. still on AT&T, but mooooore than willing to make the jump to sprint. one thing that actually has me kinda leaning towards WP7 vs android is what i've been hearing about the ease of development for wp7. i've seen a lot of articles on other phone sites of devs saying that the tools to dev for wp7 are better than both android and iOS in terms of their offerings. i remember seeing on dev who said he had been working on android apps for a while, and he had spent about 2 weeks working on a particular one (some hipster version of pandora) and when he downloaded the wp7 dev beta sdk, he was able to get the windows version so the same progress as the android version in like 3 or 4 hours.
which then makes me wonder, if MS was offering so many app and game devs cash to port their apps....why the hell would they turn down the money/guarantees that MS was making. especially knowing that for the game ports, you could 1) make it for the phone but then 2) spend a few more hours altering code then have it available on xbox live for over 30 million xboxs, and a little more code and it'd be available for use on PC on literally hundreds of millions of PCs. makes no sense to me.
You welcome
[=
@abedinthehouse
You're
@McDuckScrooged
You're acting like a douche.
@Tech Wolf Microsoft are renowned for their marketing.. What other product other than the zune has been released US only ? Windows is global, office is global winmo was global, xbox was global.. What are you talking about ? They spend so much on advertising that its enough to drive a person mad.. What planet do you live on ?
FYI, windows media player is most popular because its bundled with windows and no one can be bothered to download another player.. Win media player is just as bad as iTunes.. Still doesn't change the fact that iTunes store has sold over 10 billion+ songs and has 80% market share in UK..
As for actual decent media players ? Winamp, Banshee, Amarok, Boxee, Miro now they are decent good media players, Windows media player is a load of crap..
FYI, apple is bought well globally so is Android.. In Asian markets (specifically japan) Xbox 360 has been flopping hard compared compared to the ps3 and wii.. In Global Markets iPhones have been selling amazingly well so has Android..
Again in UK the Apple iTunes store has 80% market share.. I live in Europe.. If you think this phone will fly off the shelves here your delusional, if you think it will fare any better in Japan or far east your delusional again..
Your absolutely right popular doesn't mean better, if it did then Windows operating systems would have the least Market share of all operating systems ;) ...
@Plazmic Flame
Might be a Euros and Pounds thing, this F thing
@Tchaikovsky
I think what Windows Phone 7 really needs to be a success is developers, developers, developers, developers...
@IMarius
Microsoft is a multinational company NOW.... but they started in the USA and should never forget it.
@Plazmic Flame Because market research tells them which territory will provide the best launch pad. Biggest market is not always best. Consider the competition, other products in the market, when competitors new products will be released etc. It's absolutely not total bullshit...
@Tchaikovsky will the troll STFU
@iooioio copy/paste is present in office i believe, just not system wide
@MarkAnderson
Stupid comment. Lots of people care and use smart phones everyday for business. Lots of people care. Dolt
@Templarian
I think Kevin Turner kinda looks like a cop.....very CSI-ish
Both Steve (Apple) and Eric (Google), will now be scared.
@pantana
I have to take issue with that. I don't think the world outside the US knows or cares very much about the performance of a phone in America. It's a lot easier to launch in European countries because they are smaller and more densley populated, also very lucrative. European networks all use the same umts technology too, so single carrier exclusivity is rarer.
@Plazmic Flame
What's next? Apple releasing their products in CHINA first?
@Tchaikovsky the real question here is why are they forgetting canada? no wonder apple is dominating the scene here.
@McDuckScrooged well said.
@DevStar I understand wp7, its another mobile phone attempt by Microsoft, with a lot of marketing buzz behind it..
"Hubs are a way to integrate experiences." -- It a piece of software, its not a rollercoaster ride, its not base jumping.. Hubs are widgets that centralise data.. I would not call that an experience, seriously thats just really really lame marketing speak. I suggest you look at MediaScape, as it does exactly what the guy was talking about with pictures in a centralised location, its part of the UX interface not just an app... What I am trying to say is that having pictures in a centralised location is nothing exciting or new, for most people its not going to be a phone seller, simple as that, if it was the reception for The xperia x10 would have been phenomenal as it already does this..
As for media, on phones media is video , web and music.. Firstly and most importantly, Android phones dont require iTunes or zune application to sync music.. Just copy the music onto the sd card and done, Its by far the simplest and best method..
I suggest you look at MediaScape running on Android, it merges video , music and pictures into 1 "experience" as you like to call it and then it keeps a run of what is going on through timescape.. The media player on the x10 is really good, its also good on htc phones..
Also lets not forget Google has bought simplify media and android phones will soon be streaming music streams directly onto phones from home pcs as well as internet syncing for apps bought from android marketplace and finally the amazon / google music market place to buy albums.. All in all makes the media capabilities if not on par better than current phones on the market..
With 2.2 the android web browser is on par if not slightly faster than the iPhone safari browser .. It supports flash.. Android phones support practically every codec from ogg to divx, even if your phone doesnt stuff like rockplayer can be installed.. Android is flexible and iPhone has the quality..
xbox live integration -- Will you require gold membership to play online with your phone ? the XBL integration will be good for contact purposes, not for playing games.. We will see once its released, that is when the marketing hype has to be delivered ... Look at the top game on iPhone last I checked it was angry birds a simple strategy game soon coming to android psn/psp and ds... Games like modern warfare would control like crap on a touch screen, be realistic..
Office integration ? Google docs ? - Both Android and iPhone currently have a tonne of different office apps in their market place both are capable of opening most office docs and viewing them.. Very very few people would sit down and edit documents using a phone.. Write emails ? Yes definitely again both Android and iPhone excel in the email department..
So what would make me buy a Windows Phone ? What would make my sister buy it ? What would make my next door neighbour buy it ?
This is what I am trying to say for all of the comments raised, what does it bring that makes it a definite must buy for the average person on the street ? What features does it bring that would make people leave their android phones and iPhones ? I see nothing.. I see a UI which is different yes, appealing to the mass populace ? Hmm.. If it was really awesome Zune would have sold better than it has.. Xbox Live integration, will probably sell to avid xbox supporters / fanboys will it sell to the general public that dont have it ? I doubt it, will it bring anything revolutionary compared to the games available on iPhone and
Android ? I doubt it.. Will it add more restrictions ? Definitely.. Let me know if windows phone 7 users will be able to play games vs android and iPhone users..