Windows Mobile 7 just can’t catch a break. Originally scheduled to drop in 2009, the release of Windows Mobile 7 was then pushed back to early 2010. Not long after that, the release was pushed back to the second half of 2010. And now comes word that Microsoft’s effort at an advanced and modern smartphone OS has been pushed back yet again, this time to late 2010.
During a Q&A session at the “Connect!” technology conference in London, Microsoft UK head of mobility Phil Moore discussed Apple’s strong entrance into the smartphone market and what Microsoft is doing to position Windows Mobile 7 as a strong competitor to the iPhone and other leading phones out on the market.
We’re still playing catch-up. When Apple came on to the scene a couple of years ago, it threw away the rulebook and reinvented it. We unfortunately don’t have that luxury. It’s true, Apple caught us all napping. It launched something that was very iconic, new and unseen with a very good user interface.
Moving onto WM 7, Moore noted that the release has “been put back until late next year but it is definitely coming.” That doesn’t bode well for Microsoft when you consider that by the time Windows Mobile 7 finally hits the market, the fourth iteration of the iPhone will already be out, not to mention a diverse array of powerful smartphones running Android.
Truth be told, we’d be surprised if Windows Mobile 7 is even marginally better than the first iPhone, which was released more than 2 and a half years ago. Their most recent effort, Windows Mobile 6.5, was thoroughly panned by reviewers, and with manufacturers largely flocking to Android, WM 7 may very well be dead on arrival.
via MobileNews
December 14th, 2009 at 10:17 am
“we’d be surprised if Windows Mobile 7 is even marginally better than the first iPhone”
I’d be amazed, they are several years behind Apple, are they still using the desktop metaphor? drop down menus etc?
December 14th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
OMG. WIndows Mobile 7 is delayed until late 2010?
What will both of the Windows Mobile users do?
December 14th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Why is this Win mobile disintegration going on in slow motion at all?. I mean, have MS completely lost the plot? Did we ever think it was possible… actually possible? Yeh we hoped, fantasised etc, but did we seriously think it could actually happen? I’m totally at loss to explain MS’ useless strategy.
Looked at another way, if the MS strategy is normal, then Apple and Google are operating in another dimension at superspeed.
I now think that MS unintentionally created an unstable situation, loaded with self destructive potential energy, like a line of monolithic dominoes lined up on a slope in the breeze. One by one…..
December 14th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Might as well give up on Windows Mobile. Cellphone manufacturers are dumping it left and right. Their user base will be gone by the time late 2010 rolls around. Once HTC switched to Android, I knew WinMo was done. Yeah, I know they said they would still make some WinMo devices, but I know where that’s leading to. Android OS is going to win by default. Besides, it’s got one thing going for it that Windows Mobile doesn’t. It’s completely free. I guess that why a recent analyst was saying that Microsoft should just eliminate the WinMo platform, hehe, along with the Zune. Ouch. There’s goes Steve Ballmer’s speech about WinMo being on millions and millions of various smartphones. That’s Android’s place now.
December 14th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Game over, man.