GSMArena reviews Windows Phone 7 OS

October 9, 2010 | By Surur

gsmarena_002 GSMArena has published a detailed 7 page review of the Windows Phone 7 OS. They do not actually look at an actual device (that will have to wait for the announcement of the OS) but they do look into the minutia of interacting with the software.

In general they are positive, but some limitations of the OS, such as lack of cut and paste and multi-tasking prevent them from saying it is an OS for the power-user that will overshadow Android or iOS4.

They do however give the OS high points for being intuitive, saying they were never lost, and the most obvious thing worked 80% of the time, and puts simplicity and usability first.

They conclude:

And if you’re paying big, you’d expect high-end functionality. But Windows Phone 7 falls short of expectations on several occasions – Android 2.x and iOS 4.x will wipe the floor with it as far as power users are concerned.

For Facebook, web browsing and music though it’s the cream of the crop. There are no WP7 phones officially unveiled yet so we can’t be certain of pricing, but carrier subsidies will probably be a must.

And while 1GHz CPU and a high-res screen command a high price right now, Microsoft has its eye on the future. In a couple of years those minimum requirements will move to the mid range and Windows Phone 7 will have had time to make its name as a guarantee for a solid user experience.

So, in the short term WP7 won’t overshadow Android or iOS, but it will be big in the future. Some market analysts even predict that it will push Microsoft’s mobile OS market share to iOS levels by 2014 (with 2010 all but gone, that’s just 3-4 years in the future).

Read the full review at GSMArena here.

Thanks Steve M. for the tip.

About

Blog

Tagged windows phone 7

OOOO

im tired of hearing how it doesnt have copy and paste, and that makes it a dealbreaker. let them develop a better solution than the archiac "copy and paste" model. I think microsoft is trying to innovate the whole clipboard for the mobile devices, and making something like courier's tuck and paste. who knows.
Pedro de la Riva

You are probably right, but whatever the solution MS has to bring it quite quickly now.

yves707

sure, its all about copy & paste… relax, man. there are more important features for a smartphone than that…

smoothcrooner

This is a fair list of disadvantages GSMarena has mentioned in the article:

Main disadvantages:
No system-wide file manager
No videocalling
Limited third-party apps
No Bluetooth file transfers
No USB mass storage mode
No memory card support
No multitasking
No copy paste
Too dependent on Zune software for computer file management and syncing
No music player equalisers
No Flash or Silverlight support in the web browser
No sign of free Bing maps Navigation so far
No DivX/XviD video support

How many of the issues mentioned above do we think Microsoft needs to quickly resolve with a quick set of updates for the platform to be viable? Don't get me wrong, I like WP7 and I'll be getting a WP7 phone when it becomes available later this month, but some of the stuff WP7 will be missing at launch are fairly basic. The last thing Microsoft wants it's for Apple-centric sites like Engadget, Gizmodo and the likes, to use the things it will be missing at launch as an excuse to constantly bash on the platform. So, the quicker we get these updates the better.

GP007

DivX/Xvid support shouldn't be on the last, the Zune PC software and ZuneHD added that months ago in the last update, I also remember a list of supported codecs and formats as having MPEG-4 Part 2 or w/e it's called listed (which is DivX/Xvid).
dropqube

I am always wondering about such lists because the same list applies to the iPhone in a lot of points and people don't care about it except for a bunch of computer nerds…
http://twitter.com/MistaWet @MistaWet

1) No video calling – Is not an OS problem but a OEM decision. See below link: http://wmpoweruser.com/htc-pd29100-has-two-camera…

2) Limited third-party apps – What apps do you need? There are some you may need but if 3rd party apps have the potential to contribute to laggy or hinder performance in any way, is it worth it?

3) No memory card support – OEM choice I believe but I could be wrong.

4) No 3rd party multi-tasking – However, it does native multi-tasking. Also, why use multi-tasking if it runs the risk of hindering the phones performance. So is it better to have multi-tasking even though it runs the risk of eating your battery like the Android models or do you offer less multi-tasking that runs more efficiently and doesn't tax the overall performance of the unit?

5) At first I brushed off the absence of copy/paste but I can see where people would miss it. However, I've never had to use it myself and will probably forget about it once I post this entry.

6) Too dependent on Zune software? Reaching and piling on. Zune is a core experience of WP7 as long it doesn't prevent me from accessing what I need to get done, I'm good.

7) No music player equalizers – Ok I'm pissed about this one.
No flash or Silverlight support – As far as flash goes, I'll take the hit and take a couple more battery bars with me out the door.

9) No Sign of free Bing Maps Navigation so far – Phone Dog said we should expect to see this feature. I'm a "glass half full guy" so I'm going with Phone Dog for now.

10) No Divx/Xvid video support. See below link: http://gizmodo.com/5493823/surprise-windows-phone…

I tell people all of the time that MS is just getting started with this one. MS desperately wants to put out a quality and functional phone this time around. In order to change the negative perception some users have regarding their ability to create a good smart phone, MS had to take control of the OS to minimize glitches and limit programs, features and apps that could hinder the OS from performing at it's best.

Most of these so called reviewers have a long history of reviewing cell phones. They know the history and trends regarding new OS's and how they are brought along over time. They have seen important OS's start from infancy only to mature into something wonderful. MS deserves this same leeway as well. Not because they are MS but because what the initial device promises and has shown us so far in it's infant stage. How could anyone see this OS/technology and not be excited about how it will look in a couple of years from now?

WP7 is the most polished and well thought out Version .1 OS to ever be released. What is more astonishing is how reviewers (bloggers?) seem to forget the history of their own industry and in turn, act more like crackhead fanboys that need a fix every 6 months with the latest features.

Saying that, I enjoyed this review because although I found fault with it in some spots, overall the reviewer took a wait and see approach on a bunch of items on the list. It's the least you can do for such a promising OS.

Great review.

(excuse the length of the post)
http://twitter.com/MistaWet @MistaWet

1) No video calling – Is not an OS problem but a OEM decision. See below link: http://wmpoweruser.com/htc-pd29100-has-two-camera…

2) Limited third-party apps – What apps do you need? There are some you may need but if 3rd party apps have the potential to contribute to laggy or hinder performance in any way, is it worth it?

3) No memory card support – OEM choice I believe but I could be wrong.

4) No 3rd party multi-tasking – However, it does native multi-tasking. Also, why use multi-tasking if it runs the risk of hindering the phones performance. So is it better to have multi-tasking even though it runs the risk of eating your battery like the Android models or do you offer less multi-tasking that runs more efficiently and doesn't tax the overall performance of the unit?

5) At first I brushed off the absence of copy/paste but I can see where people would miss it. However, I've never had to use it myself and will probably forget about it once I post this entry.

6) Too dependent on Zune software? Reaching and piling on. Zune is a core experience of WP7 as long it doesn't prevent me from accessing what I need to get done, I'm good.

7) No music player equalizers – Ok I'm pissed about this one.
No flash or Silverlight support – As far as flash goes, I'll take the hit and take a couple more battery bars with me out the door.

9) No Sign of free Bing Maps Navigation so far – Phone Dog said we should expect to see this feature. I'm a "glass half full guy" so I'm going with Phone Dog for now.

10) No Divx/Xvid video support. See below link: http://gizmodo.com/5493823/surprise-windows-phone…

I tell people all of the time that MS is just getting started with this one. MS desperately wants to put out a quality and functional phone this time around. In order to change the negative perception some users have regarding their ability to create a good smart phone, MS had to take control of the OS to minimize glitches and limit programs, features and apps that could hinder the OS from performing at it's best.

Most of these so called reviewers have a long history of reviewing cell phones. They know the history and trends regarding new OS's and how they are brought along over time. They have seen important OS's start from infancy only to mature into something wonderful. MS deserves this same leeway as well. Not because they are MS but because what the initial device promises and has shown us so far in it's infant stage. How could anyone see this OS/technology and not be excited about how it will look in a couple of years from now?

WP7 is the most polished and well thought out Version .1 OS to ever be released. What is more astonishing is how reviewers (bloggers?) seem to forget the history of their own industry and in turn, act more like crackhead fanboys that need a fix every 6 months with the latest features.

Saying that, I enjoyed this review because although I found fault with it in some spots, overall the reviewer took a wait and see approach on a bunch of items on the list. It's the least you can do for such a promising OS.

Great review.

(excuse the length of the post)

Sharkaat

Review is quite good, though it misses out on a few points (over the air updates, multitasking/tombstoning)…the thing I'm more interested as of now (since most of the OS is already known), I got an e-mail from an acquaintance of mine stating that you cannot place ringtones you'd like onto device. I asked him to double check it, and I am still waiting for that…what is missing too is selecting text inside a webpage/word document, and mentioned in the review – no bluetooth file transfer.

Can someone else confirm these things?

http://twitter.com/AaronCT123 @AaronCT123

The review says you can change the ringtone if I'm not mistaken- he doesn't specify whether you can add your own but dumbphones do this so I wouldn't worry. And I'm not even sure I care.

Jake

This is a silly list and it's quite easy to pick most of your points apart. For instance, video calling has been a relatively mainstream feature for at least the last five years and nobody uses it. There's no reason to think that 3rd-party apps will be limited and the Marketplace is likely to have a couple of thousand at launch. Most people have no need for a system-wide file manager – most people will access files through the associated app rather than the other way around.

Finally, WP7 has similar multitasking to the iPhone and it's already looking like 3rd-party apps will be able to take advantage of it through the hubs. Additionally, C&P is confirmed as coming soon after launch (if not at launch) and isn't really worth worrying about. I wouldn't be surprised if we see Flash support at or close to launch as well.

Jake

Just saw this on Engadget which support my claim about the number of apps at launch:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/09/uk-carriers-ro…

http://twitter.com/AaronCT123 @AaronCT123

It's not a fair list at all. Copy and Paste is coming. There's at least one video of a guy talking to a Microsoft rep that hints that Video-calling is coming (not to mention the fact that we've already seen models with dual cameras). Bluetooth file transfers are kind of negligible seeing as how you can sync stuff both over WiFi and over the cloud. The phone is no more dependent on the Zune software than Apple's iPhone or iPod Touch- same can be said about memory card support. And everyone knows the Zune software supports DivX/Xvid. I just killed 7 of those points.

http://twitter.com/MistaWet @MistaWet

They have to have something as a negative. I have only used copy and paste once and that was just to see how to do it. Saying that, the question should be if lack of these features will stop you from any of the following objectives:

1) Easily obtain your data

2) Contacting people and companies

3) High entertainment factor

4) Smooth running UI experience

5) Intuitiveness

6) Runs efficiently

7) Security and disaster preparedness features

If a phone is able achieve the above points it's all good and from what I've seen WP7 accomplishes them all.
BigM

I'm pretty sure I've seen some phones with DivX support. It might be a thing for the OEMs to implemen individually (due to licensing fees).

Bing Maps is there, people in the know seem to be confident that the navigation is coming, at least in the US.

I believe Flash is being worked on and the phone runs silverlight apps, implementation of a silverlight player shouldn't be too hard.

Given iPhone dependency on iTunes, the Zune dependency isn't necessarily a bad thing, they've tried to design a simple process which uses that software.

music player equalisers is a small point imo.

Limited third-party apps – only really limited in terms of access to multitasking. Otherwise we've seen signs that WP7 is really easy to design for and that there will be many many apps.

The rest is probably fair.

http://twitter.com/AaronCT123 @AaronCT123

DivX support shouldn't even be on the list- the Zune software supports it, and has been supporting it, for awhile now. And "video-calling" still isn't fair seeing as how we've seen models with dual cameras. And the same comparison for iTunes/Zune comparison can be said about memory card support.

Eric Zimicki

Some of their reasons are ridiculous and can be applied to the iPhone as well. It running on the Zune is no difference than iPhone and iTunes except the fact iTunes is bloated.

Windows Phone 7 does have Divx/Xvid support. I'm pretty sure I saw an equalizer software somewhere in a screenshot before. Bing Map Navigation is free.

Limited numbers of apps? According to a road-map by the UK carriers, Windows Phone 7 will have at least 2,000 apps at launch. How many did iPhone have at launch? Or Android for that matter?

As for the other 'negatives' they have against WP7, I have no doubt it be there in near future updates.
Rico

Taking everything into consideration, i'd say this is a fair review. i could nitpick and say that the list of "disadvantages" would be better listed as "limitations", and even note that some things like a file manager or video calling shouldn't even be mentioned as they're things most people never use on a phone, but GSM Arena is very comprehensive in their reviews and they tend to be focused more towards the savvy mobile user, so such mentions are fitting.

What *is* really disappointing is that there was no voice guided navigation. i doubt this'll be in the final build once devices ship, although i'd love to be wrong. To counter that, i love that Voice Command or whatever it's called now is included, though the article failed to mention if it was local as with Windows Mobile or cloud-based as with Google. Given the style of commands, i'm guessing the former.

http://twitter.com/AaronCT123 @AaronCT123

It's definitely a fair review and, actually, it's a quite positive one- but everyone's been zoning in on the Pros/Cons list because it's inaccurate and makes great fodder. It goes beyond just things that "shouldn't be mentioned" to things that are just plain wrong: there are WP7 models with dual cameras already, DivX/Xvid support is already there, etc.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=546684223 Matt Hidinger

FWIW DivX plays on the device out of the box, it was one of the first things I tested with the prototype.
PaddyParker

I read the review and while there are parts I agree and parts i dont agree..here is the key quote from the review:

"Windows Phone 7 is a great OS. Windows Mobile tried to squeeze a desktop-like OS in your pocket but that never quite worked. The seventh iteration of Microsoft’s mobile operating system takes a different approach – instead of loads of features through a complicated (and not very well thought out) user interface, it puts simplicity and usability first and then tries to add as much functionality as possible without making a mess out of the whole thing.

And it has worked – Windows Phone 7 looks like nothing we’ve ever used before, yet we never felt lost or confused. The most obvious thing works 80% of the time and the few tips sprinkled here and there taught us nice but not so obvious tricks without getting in the way."
PaddyParker

"For Facebook, web browsing and music though it’s the cream of the crop. "

I think that covers 90% of the consumers so if its the cream of the crop for 90% of the users then they have hit a home run in my opinion.
gbyeo

I guess it depends on what activities a person does, as to whether a particular feature is important or not.

For me, I use text a lot, so Cut & Paste is important.

I'm always quoting people or quoting magazines, and shuffling text around. Not sure if that can be done without C&P.
KenB

Four or five of these things relate to the decision to make this a phone and not a storage device.

Flash, Silverlight, and cut-and-paste enhancements have already been discussed/promised. Third-party apps will increase in quantity over time. An equalizer will likely come, as it did to Zune. Bing will get navigation, as it did on other platforms. DivX is supposedly already supported.

Video calling will vary depending on handset model: some will have front-facing cameras and some won't, giving consumers the choice. The same choice will be offered for keyboards and screen size when devices based on the other two hardware platforms are announced.

Regarding the lack of multitasking, Microsoft claims to have found a better way, but virtually none of us accept it. They also say that there will be support for limited third-party multitasking, but only time will tell how this surfaces.

So, in short, GSMArena could have written "Windows Phone 7 is a new platform that offers hardware choices like Android, with a walled garden that hides away the computer-like complexity of today's smartphones, like iPhone does."
Arash

If you want to quote people, or quote magazines, use an app that lets you send the quote directly from the app itself!! Most quality apps will have a "Share with Friends" button that lets you email the quote directly to your friends. A lot of them will also have "Post to Twitter" and "Post to Facebook" buttons as well!!! So this whining about a lack of C&P is seriously misguided

Casey

Not misguided. Copy and paste is something that I use quite frequently, and not for sharing quotes with friends through apps. When composing emails and text messages I love having the flexibility to be able to move text around. It is so easy to do on my BB Bold that I am going to miss that a bit, but other than that I really can't wait to buy a WP7. I love the Zune HD.

It would be nice if MS does come up with something innovative for copy and paste, but I just want it to work and be efficient. I am probably going to wait for Asus' offering so by the time I pick up a device, copy and paste will probably already be available.

Brianna

How can a website "review" somthing without using it?
Brianna

I initially though it was the emulator.