Executives “shocked” by rumours of death of Windows Mobile

September 16, 2009 | By Surur

While the impending death of Windows Mobile is perfect fodder for sensation seeking journalists the story was news to multiple executives who build their business on the OS.

Analysts of all ken have been pontificating on the future of Windows Mobile, and reports of Windows Mobile 7 being the last gasp of the OS has been oozing across the internet over the last week.

Jerry McNerney, vice president of mobility computing product management at Motorola, was however quite clear about the veracity of the reports.

"That’s not true," he said. "We’re committed [to] Microsoft going forward."

Unlike the specious reports however, McNerney said his opinion is based on the substance of his constant conversations with Microsoft executives. McNerney said Windows Mobile has a rich developer community, especially for applications used by enterprise and industrial customers.

McNerney was not the only executive who spoke on Windows Mobile at the MC9500 launch event.

Matthew Berardi, managing director of field technology at FedEx Ground, and Ken Pasley, the company’s IT director for wireless technologies, both said they have been using Windows Mobile-based devices for many years because of the software’s wide use in industrial settings. On hearing the rumours they approached Microsoft and Motorola and received reassurances that there were in fact no plans to discontinue the mobile OS, which has become a de facto standard for industrial devices such as the Motorola MC9500.

Joseph Robinson, vice president of marketing and sales at Motorola integrator Salamander Technologies who has 3,000 customers using Windows Mobile-based rugged devices and its Windows Mobile based public safety software said that the death of Windows Mobile "would be shocking" because of its wide use in rugged devices.

Of course the concern provoked by sensational news like this is enough to get executives to develop contingency plans for moving to other platforms, leading to all kind of self-fulfilling prophesies. Pity one cant go back to a time when journalists reported the news rather than making it.

Read the full article at Computerworld here.

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged windows mobile

heavyduty

Wait a second!
If you read, and properly quote the article you linked to, it says:

"Berardi said that after hearing from analysts that Windows Mobile might be discontinued, he received assurances from Microsoft and Motorola that it will continue, at least for industrial devices."

Notice that last part. In other words, there is nothing in that article that contradicts the rumor; on the contrary it very much, if not confirms, then leaves open the possibility that WM7 will be the last *consumer* oriented version.

http://intensedebate.com/people/wmpoweruser wmpoweruser

It is not possible to just make an OS for industrial use. Its a niche market. If WM were to confine itself to industrial use it might as well shut down.

In short, the statement does not reconcile with the theory – its industrial and consumer, or nothing at all.

chris

I say keep the rumor going. Maybe it will get M$ off their buts and start dedicating resources to WinMO.
http://intensedebate.com/people/mohsen7x8 mohsen7x8

MS sure has enough developres and money to invest in their Xbox and Zune. There's really no excuse for their laziness in improving windows mobile.
http://twitter.com/NetApex @NetApex

It's a rumor, and I am willing to bet it was started by a couple of people hearing one thing and jumping the gun. Someone heard that Windows Mobile will no longer be around (totally missing the fact that the name is switching to Windows Phone). They probably are an iphone, blackberry, android user (speculation of course) and thought "Ha, that's because *insert phone OS here* is so much better." Then began telling others. Instead of doing research, people will gladly believe someone elses "facts" as the truth and boom, waves of panic and fear (or happiness and mocking laughter).
Paul

That's encouraging. Not.
http://www.avianwaves.com Parrotlover77

I put no faith in those silly rumors. Windows CE absolutely OWNS the embedded device market. Windows Mobile has always been a niche player in the consumer line. It wasn't really until last year that Microsoft redoubled their efforts — probably just out of spite for Apple being so successful. lol.

Quite frankly, I wouldn't care if WM didn't have a consumer market. I want a BUSINESS phone, which is really only possible with RIM or WM. Android, Symbian, and iPhone are terribly lacking in that market.

But I doubt it will die. How many years has the "death of Zune" been put forth? And before the XBox 360, the "death of XBOX." Now Xbox 360 dominates and the Zune HD is easily the best looking mobile media player out there.

If WM7 comes with Zune software instead of the aging (badly) WMP, it stands a great chance for massive growth.