Sprint Touch Pro 2 WM 6.5 upgrade only next year, waiting for Windows Mobile 7
In a web chat with Sprint customers Sprint executive David Owens let is be known that while their Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade for the HTC Touch Pro 2 is currently in testing, surprisingly they expected to release it only in “early 2010”.
With the update already being released for unlocked devices by HTC this is quite a significant delay and quite a surprise, and we can only hope it means the upgrade will bring some WM 6.5.1 goodness instead of inducing an even longer delay for the finger-friendly enhancement it brings.
He further let slip that the carrier is rearing for the Windows Mobile 7 release, wanting it “as soon as possible” but that of course this would be up to Microsoft to deliver.
Further titbits of information was that all smartphones would now require data plans, but that tethering was now officially banned for all these devices also, and that WIMAX phones were expected in 2010.
Source: Gearlog via Phonescoop
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Posted in new device, news, software | 
Tags: htc touch pro 2, sprint, windows mobile 6.5, windows mobile 7
The headline is a bit misleading, I thought it meant WinMo7 would be for the TP2 next year, which was contrary to what I have heard elsewhere (and to the supposed minimum requirements for WinMo7). After reading the article though, it's obvious that this is just a general statement about WinMo7, not for the TP2.
6.5.1 would be fantastic, although I doubt it…with the last few WinMo phones I've had, Sprint has been really slow to release updates.
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the more that i think about it, microsoft and their mobile space is an absolute joke. i've been using winmo for about half a decade now, and to be honest…it hasn't changed much. when i think about the verizon droid/scholes and how much fervor there is over there, and how quickly android went from 1.0 to 1.5 to 1.6, now 2.0…and MS hasn't even been able to get 6.5.1 out in a timely manner. Well, this a terrible. Also, great thinking on microsofts point to look at android 1.5 as a bench mark which was release in april…its basically nov now, and 6.5. devices are even prevalent yet…6.5.1 is nowhere to be found (the version that should have been released) and android 2.0 is already out. If MS actually put even 2.5% of the effort into winmo that they put into Win 7 for PC…maybe this would be done on a good schedule. But i swear it looks like they develop for windows phones in their spare time. Another great example go to myphone.microsoft.com and try to access your archived items. YOU CAN'T. the page has been down for circa 2 weeks now, and the closest timeframe they can give on their forums to when they're gonna fix it is "soon". No way in hell that google/apple would handle their mobile space like MS does theirs. As much as i love winmo, you can throw me in the boat of people that is sick of defending it, and loving it less and less as the days go by
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Foamy Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 8:46 pm
I'm willing to put up with their apparent lack of interest currently as long as it is due to them concentrating on wm7. every failure they have now adds to the expectations of 7. if they do not deliver with 7 then they may not lose their place in the market, as it may be just enough to keep them going, and they may not lose me as a customer, but i will no longer try to defend their actions and i will lose all my loyalty to windows mobile.
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Jos Dewey Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
I think you're being optimistic. Be honest, wouldn't you have said the same thing when 6.5 was still forthcoming? As in saying, "Microsoft has work to do but I'm blindly trusting the next version will be a competitive piece of software."
We can keep giving Microsoft the benefit of the doubt, but until when? If WM7 is so important and a make or break thing for Microsoft in the mobile arena, then why even bother with 6.5 and 6.5.1 and the other incremental updates we're bound to see before WM7 comes out?
6.5 is a pretty decent upgrade to 6.1, but it is in no way competitive to other current-gen mobile OSes out of the box and it definitely isn't going to win over any smartphone customers from other brands. So why waste time with these incremental updates? Those of us still using WM know our way around and could independently get all the new features in 6.5 (kinetic scrolling, decent and finger-friendly Today screen plugin…).
I dunno, I'm waiting and counting on WM7 too… guess I'm just a bit less optimistic.
Oh, and regarding the actual topic, sucks for Sprint customers. More reason you should stay far, far away from WM if you aren't an 'enthusiast' type and willing to do things like flashing yourself. Imagine waiting until early 2010 just to get 6.5, especially on a device that will mask most of those new features by using TF3d.
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Foamy Reply:
October 30th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
Microsoft only made 6.5 because 7 was delayed. 6.5 and 6.5.1 are just to keep people quiet while 7 is finished. they've been working on 7 for so long that they must either be adding a lot of features, being perfectionists or constantly changing it.
They have said that wm7 is their second priority so i'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and support them until it is finished. when it's released then things may change.
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l3v5y Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 9:55 am
7 is very close to a complete rewrite, the 5, 6, 6.1… etc are all built from the same kernel effectively, and are essentially the same. How long were Google working on Android before it went 1.0? And if you look at the changes between versions, it's things like turn by turn navigation which any Apple user would say "there's an app for that". There are barely any core changes between 1.0 and 2.0.
simbadogg Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 12:10 am
i couldn't disagree more. 6.5 from 6.1 was a pretty crappy upgrade. It doesn't have any of the smoothness, or increase in functionality of eye candy that would at least make it somewhat of competitor when it comes to "mental mind share''. I down even count the face that the new today screen is awfully good looking because the fact of that matter is, can anyone name a cell phone company that still makes windows phones that doesn't ship w/ their own skinned UI? most people will never see the new today screen….but thanx for improving it anyways MS. the simple fact of the matter is that everything MS is doing on the mobile front is half assed. Even from the time that steve ballmer said that ''this will not happen again'' and there were lots of fluffs on the win 6.5 and win 7 development process…you would think that would mean MS would be picking these up and speeding up win 7 development. From what i've read and seen from wmexperts, engadget, wmpoweruser and other blogs…win 7 is actually moving back further in the 2010 year from its initial early 2010 release to OEM schedule. This…is…not…good. If winmo7 is finally released to OEMs in summer (for example) and phones to debut in fall of 2010 (other than the hd 2 which quite frankly will be old news by then, and very obsolete)…MS will have to compete w/ nokia's maemo, iphone 4th gen OS (and 4th gen hardware, w/e then have up their sleeves), androids for sure 2.5 build if not even 3.0 (since they've been rapidly doing .5 increments every 6 months).
You HAVE to do something now to keep your marketshare and mindshare (how people view your phones) somewhat relevant. It'd be a very stupid move to say, we're gonna put all our stones in the win7 basket…HOPE that it knocks the socks off people, all the while losing all the share you have right now, and then bet the house on win 7. Because those same people that you're not taking care of to convince them to stay to winmo are going to be the ones who jump to Android 2.0.
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Foamy Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 12:56 am
I'm hoping that the delays to 7 are due to them not wanting to release until they know that it will be a fantastic OS. I would be happy staying with 6.5 until late 2010 if wm7 was all they promised. The problem is that we really don't know much about wm7 and only have their assurances that it's worth waiting for. they don't have a fantastic track record when it comes to fulfilling their promises though.
It's pretty much useless arguing about whether wm7 will be all that Microsoft wants because we have nothing to base any arguments on. they know as well as we do that they need to destroy the competitors with 7 so we'll just have to wait and see.
People keep saying that Microsoft need to sort themselves out but since Microsoft have admitted this themselves i don't see much point in constantly repeating the same thing over and over as if telling them something they already know will allow them to suddenly go back in time and start 7 sooner so that it's finished now.
when we have some idea what 7 will be like you can start bitching at Microsoft to listen to your obvious business genius but until then i wouldn't worry.
l3v5y Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 10:01 am
I'd be happy with WM6.5 for a year or so, 'cause I know what's coming in the updates to 6.5. WM7 will have quite a lot more.
I suspect Microsoft are trying their best to get WM7 out, but they want it to be damn good, and as you say, us lot bickering isn't going t make it better or come sooner.
l3v5y Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 9:59 am
I seriously doubt the HD2 will be obsolete, it's much like the original HD, still a damn good phone a year later!
WM7 is being pushed back so they can make it better, to live up with "this will not happen again", they want it to be much better. I also suspect it will be with OEMs by the beginning of next year, probably not in a finished form, but they have to rewrite all their OEM code, and all the drivers before release. iPhones will probably be the same with no radical changes, and yet I'm sure you won't complain that all they put in their updates is things the device should have had 3 years ago. Android will probably be 3.0, but it'll be the same as 2.0, with maybe MySpace integration. Big woop!
Foamy Reply:
October 31st, 2009 at 12:12 pm
I think we'll see an iphone with a larger screen along with the obvious cpu and ram upgrades. maybe a better camera too. I doubt they'll improve the OS a lot though. The next iphone will show how good apple really are. If they're smart enough to see that wm7 is a risk then they'll bring out some major changes to the OS. If they don't change the OS this time then they will probably do it when wm7 comes out. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a secret big upgrade being worked on and will put out a few more updates for the current OS while it's finished. pretty much exactly what Microsoft is doing now except they don't tell anyone.
Steve Jobs Reply:
November 1st, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Your a crybaby has windows mobile is great to have has it helped my personal and BUSINESS use greatly. Iphone and Android phone are the one is a joke. You seem to be like a fanboy of Iphone & Andrioid which these phones only good is having APPS. It does not matter how good looking phone is or how many APPS i can install on the phone it how the phone peforms in our daily activity and in business use. Microsoft has done a great job in doing this. How else you see many Big Company Firms like Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, Palm, LG, Dell and many more rely on Windows Mobile to use.
I rest my case. Maybe you should say to yourself how long will Iphone lack of features get a New Feature added? look how long they added the basic cut & paste and video recording feature on the phone? Which windows mobile has have this feature for 4yrs now
so if your cry babying on next update grow up has Windows Mobile is here to stay and is doing excellent…
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