Hacked Samsung Omnia HD shows how easy it is to make a Windows Phone 7 device

March 19, 2010 | By Surur

Samsung has now admitted that the Samsung device shown of running Windows Phone 7 at MIX10 recently was in fact a hacked Samsung i890 Omnia HD.

"The launch was from Microsoft, not Samsung, and they used the i8910HD to demo Windows 7," said a Samsung spokesperson.

"It’s not yet clear whether existing i8910HD users will be able to upgrade to Windows 7 as this demo was a one-off."

An upgrade is however unlikely, with Techradar suggesting that not just the buttons needed to be silk-screened, but the processor and screen also needed to be upgraded to 1 Ghz Snapdragon and a multi-touch WVGA version too.

That Microsoft and Samsung could so easily shoehorn Windows Phone 7 into the shell of another smartphone speaks to both an opportunity and danger for the OS and OEMs. The OS has very strict and standardized requirements, meaning in the end there will likely be only one hardware design with different shells used by all OEMs, with OEMs having great difficulty differentiating themselves. On the other hand, they will likely be able to easily, cheaply and quickly churn out a huge number of minor variations quite rapidly, which could potentially mean the market will be flooded with relatively low cost Windows Phone 7 devices.

Is the strict hardware requirements for Windows Phone 7 a benefit or a curse? Let us know below.

Source: Techradar via Ubergizmo.com

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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 samsung, windows phone 7

efjay

Why would anyone suggest current i8910 owners would even be considered for a iWP7S upgrade? Isn't that a symbian phone? And why is a standard hardware platform now all of a sudden a "danger to OEM's?

Surur

I am with you for the upgrade, although Xbox games and Zune integration may be of some benifit to them, but the risk to OEM’s of lack of differentiation is clear, due to pressure on margins.

The OEM’s cant add much software, the hardware is pretty fixed (they cant even increase the RAM) so the only differentiation is cost, and when OEM’s have to compete on price it injures their profit margins. It may not be a game they are willing to play.

http://intensedebate.com/people/chinch chinch

OF COURSE THEY CAN INCREASE THE RAM.

Sorry but you're sensationalizing.

OEMs will save a fortune long term and benefit from the standard spec and microsoft taking "ownership" of the phone experience. No wasted resources on creating a workable smartphone (needed to get said phone sold vs iphone, bberry, droid).

There are plenty of opportunities to differentiate. Hardware like RAM is MINIMUM requirements.

They can create better cameras, better camera software-addons, better ergonomics, more choices (smaller, larger, w/keyboard or w/o). OEMs can also create their own software and/or HUB.

Surur

I have actually heard that the RAM is a fixed spec, not minimum spec, so free RAM will be the same and predictable across all devices (no point it making a game which will only run on the device with 448 MB RAM for example). Regarding smaller and larger devices, the screen size is mandated and the same on all devices, and that of course often dictates the size of the handset.

http://intensedebate.com/people/chinch chinch

got citation? Until then you should to say "i'm SPECULATING but i wonder if RAM is a fixed spec to ensure…"

256 is predictable in that 256 will be there. More maybe but it will also no doubt fail certification if it wont' run on 256.

It is immediately obvious RAM will simply be set according to MINIMUM requirement and demographic/price for device. HVGA $99 device might have 256mb where WVGA device might have more in 2011.

You're also asserting that the screen SIZE can't change either … ok i'll play along…. what is the exact SIZE measurement allowed for WVGA and HVGA devices? There is an obvious range that implies common sense.

Unintentionally perhaps, but what you are doing is simply being irresponsible as a "journalist" (blogger).

Samsung fan

needed to be upgraded to 1 Ghz Snapdragon ?? Samsung now use only its own processors. So in Windows Phone 7 Series devices we could see Samsung S5PC110 1GHz ARMv7.
Kevin Daly

A point people seem to be missing is that keeping the hardware specs uniform in all important respects contributes greatly to the promised ability to deliver OTA updates without having to wait for either OEMs or operators.
That's a huge improvement.

OEMs could of course try to differentiate via quality rather than Bling.

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