Leaked Windows Phone Roadmap gives us a peek into the future

December 27, 2011 | By Surur

WindowsPhoneRoadmap

For those who wonder what Microsoft’s game plan with Windows Phone is, this leaked roadmap should at least provide some pointers, up to date as of October 2011.

It lays the foundation with the release of Windows Phone 7 as a high end, differentiated product. Mango followed in Q4 2011 with new features, languages and countries.

Tango, possibly to the disappointment of some, will concentrate on enabling Windows Phone 7 on low-end handsets for the “best prices” and will come in Q2 2012.

Things will get real with Apollo however, in Q4 2012, when Microsoft finally expects volume to increase (at least an indication of their expectations for Windows Phone sales for most of 2012), enable the release of high-end super phones (presumably with dual core and HD screens), and finally address the needs of business.

Does this roadmap satisfy our readers and finally provide a solution for slow Windows Phone sales? Let us know below.

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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 apollo, Leak, mango, rumour, tango, windows 8, windows phone 7.5, windows phone 7.75

http://twitter.com/TestMcTest5 Test McTest

This is great news! Although I wish it was more specific on what to expect
http://profiles.google.com/philipcdj Philip De Jesus

I should have been excited but aren’t you supposed to be reporting for 2012 not 2011?

Anonymous

I believe it has been established I am terrible with dates

http://www.facebook.com/people/Milad-Bazzaz/100000479683479 Milad Bazzaz

I would have prefered to read “game changer” but oh well. Apollo really is supposed to bring feature parity and actually move Windows phone ahead of the competition for good. We will see how that comes along…
Mike P

Apollo should have been summer 2012. Looks like the Nokia 900 will be outdated only after 8 months.
http://twitter.com/MickNDev Mick N

There’s a certain logic to verifying your platform is stable before driving volume.

Whilst in an evolutionary sense, Windows Phone represents the maturity of a veteran operating system provider (learning how to deal with issues like malware, fragmentation and process transparency), there is a lot of new software that is being broken in quickly.

Developers are also still busy building a solid foundation of apps to entertain consumers.
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/6G3ZZJCHOLYP3S5CRCIHQ7WDSE MVIM

I fear Tango won’t fix the now-six-months outstanding bugs like the issues with the app bar and rotation, as well as the disappearing keyboard. Both should have been fixed months ago.
Michael Prince

I have to say I am a little (a lot) disappointed. I don’t know if it’s reasonable to expect these updates sooner, but where will the competition be in Q4 2012? The competition already has superphones and business features (e.g gotomeeting, citrix receiver, VPN, hardware based encryption etc.)

2012 is going to be a LONG year for WinPhone fans like me. I hope that my company is ready to support Windows phone by Q4 2012, until then I am stuck with the iPhone.

Anonymous

I don’t think this leaked timeline is accurate for Microsoft and Windows Phone sake! This is terribly disappointing and hopefully not true!
Anonymous

I heard from Tom Warren’s twitter that this roadmap is very old:
https://twitter.com/#!/tomwarren/status/151812640912576512

Anonymous

According to Tom its from Early August. Thats not that long ago, not what I would call “very old”.

Anonymous

In internet time, long enough that their could be a revision or a serious attempt to shorten the q4 time frame to q3 at least.

Anonymous

Lets all hope

http://www.gadgeterija.net Denis Jelec

Thing here is that the rumors on earlier arrival of Apollo have begun somewhere in November. So, that’s one of the reasons he called it old(er).

Michael Prince

Thanks for the clarification, in my mind this roadmap is completely out of date. A lot has happened since August.

Anonymous

Just get me the Nokia 900 in the states and I’m good. Being outdated is relative. If the phone is smooth, fast, stable, smart and handles my needs dependably then it doesn’t matter. Actually my Arrive does the job quite well but I really am getting tired of the weight of this thing. Keyboard or not, give me a 4″ screen and I’ll give the keyboard up.

Endeavour 1934

Best rated comment! See? Everybody wants high-end phones, but MS insists on focusing Tango in low-end cheap phones, leaving the good stuff for q3 or q4 2012. :/

Anonymous

Did you read his whole comment?
Anonymous

Cheap low-end phones is what gave Android the advantage over iOS only because there was no other smartphone in that range. A low end WP7 is still very fast and stable.

anyone who has ever used a low end Droid will tell you how much it blows….

I literally couldn’t get more than 5fps on Angry Birds on my friends phone lmao

Endeavour 1934

WP7 already has cheap low end devices (free with contract). And they are not selling.

Droid was a expensive high end phone. ($200 with contract! and one of the most advanced androids when it came out). And it sold tons.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_UWVRPJYQFEG7ZCHPD7LDPBR2CM LWSJR

They don’t have cheap, entry level devices in emerging markets…This is where Nokia comes in. They need these types of devices to satisfy all price points, which means more consumers (in ALL markets) will be able to purchase them, which means increased market share.

Variety.
Anonymous

WP7 does NOT have low end phones. All phone with the exception of the Focus S, Titan and Lumia are MID-LEVEL phones.

I’m talking about $50 pre-paid with 3′ screen and only 256mb RAM etc
Endeavour 1934

Low end is not a fixed set of specs, they evolve with time (duh).
Look at the ZTE Blade (it was $80 pre-paid 6 months ago), it has a 3.5″ 800×480 display, 512 RAM, etc
After MWC 2012 we are going to see similar priced Androids with better specs than the first gen of WP7s. So yeah, First Gen WP7s are now almost low-end.
Anonymous

I am not talking about time. The iphone 3gs was a high end phone, as was the Moto Razr.

I am talking about market placement and strategy of which, MS has yet to make a low end phone.

Android is a whole other ballgame so who cares if the Galaxy Nexus makes the Titan seem Mid End. It is a high-end WP7. As the Radar, Lumia 710, and Focus Flash are INTENDED mid range phones.
Endeavour 1934

ZTE Tania, with 4GB onboard. And I bet you it’s one of the worst selling WP7s.
Anonymous

It’s all about market placement. It is not competing with the Titan or the Galaxies of the world. However, put it next to a low-end Android and most consumers will pick it.
Anonymous

What makes you so sure? In the US free on contract android phones outsell free on contract WP7 phones by a huge margin.
Deal Info

WP7 is not an American only product. Phones that are free in the US under contract are not free worldwide.
http://vearfest.com benvear

*with contract*. there’s a whole other ‘cheap’ market. look at what cabbies are using, what teens are using in uk (low end bb’s, mostly) etc.
gary hay

Getting WP7 to run on ‘Products with the best prices’ makes sense, OEM’s and carriers will put more effort into selling a product that makes them money.However, what I would take from this, making WP7 run on low end devices is the key to breaking markets in the developing world. The majority of users in India, China, South America and Africa dont tend to have $500 to spend on a phone. Users in developing countries are real ‘new customers’ that dont tend to have established opinion on Apple Vs Google Vs Microsoft. Some dont have access to electricity on a consistant basis so batterly life is a major issue which low power/low end devices will help address. Most wont have a computer either so getting a ‘new customer’ onto your mobile platform is a first step towards influencing their future decision about computers etc.

Users in the developed world are at the stage were they are onto their 2nd or 3rd ‘smartphone’ purchase. Although there is much value in retaining customers, give any OEM or carrier access to 3 billion new potential customers, with minimal brand exposure or loyalty and they will be very happy.

Anonymous

Well, it isn’t MS, but rather Nokia that is pushing the good stuff back.

MS originally planned to bring Apollo to market at about the same time Qualcomm started mass producing their Krait based S4 SoC’s. Qualcomm was originally targeting early Q3 2012 (although Qualcomm has pulled the schedule up to Q1 since then). Then Nokia came along and insisted MS help lower the cost of WP7 devices. For Nokia this wasn’t a matter of choice… selling to the worlds emerging markets is the only thing keeping them going at this point. The upcoming Tango update is the result of this effort. Unfortunately, the extra work on Tango, done on behalf of Nokia, delayed Apollo. Adding the time lost on Tango to the original (internal) Apollo roadmap yields the outdated roadmap we have here.

I don’t know what MS have decided to do since then, but it seems likely they’ve axed stuff in hope of getting Apollo out by the middle of 2012 anyway.
http://www.leschinskidesign.com/contact/addme picard102

The low end market is much larger when you consider developing nations. Outside of North America and Europe low end smartphone could be a big win for WP7.

Anonymous

Wasn’t there an official source a while back that said that Apollo was coming in June due to Nokia’s demands??? Because I would’ve preferred that. I don’t think Windows Phone will gain much traction if it can’t start selling hero devices, although admittedly the Nokia Lumia 800 is already almost a hero device. I’m not convinced by the roadmap though, it seems too late to release Apollo in Q4.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IWX7LWYTHAPHSRM6MSGAQSCOTE Champ x 3

Give me a great low light camera, 1080p vids and great battery life and I could give two sh*ts about anything else. My Focus is beat and I am hoping that the Nokia 900 cures my ills.
http://twitter.com/Rafyelzz Rafael Muñoz

Give me static IP and give it to me now

http://www.facebook.com/people/Andrea-Barbera/633833446 Andrea Barbera

Why in the world would you want a static IP on your phone?

http://twitter.com/TroySchuster Troy Schuster

Yep that all sounds good…
Although there’s some existing users, and most likely a ton more new users that are more inclined to the ‘Superphone’ build. I’m very keen on getting my hands on a highend/superphone asap.

Thankfully I’m fortunate that I buy my phones outright as it looks like I may be buying two new handsets in 2012.. it does make it difficult for those buying on a 2yr plan.
http://twitter.com/counterblow the person

i could really care less about the cheapy phones since I’m not in the market for one, but I really would like to get some enhancements. IMO March-April is a little long to wait since Windows 8 beta will be in full swing and Tango will get passed by. Q4 is too late for Superphones or whatever the hell.

Anonymous

COULDN’T care less. Think it through when typing/saying it to avoid the mixup.

Endeavour 1934

Going for the cheap market is stupid at this point. First Gen Devices are already very affordable, even unsubsidized.
WP7 needs devices to compete with the best sellers in the smartphone market. And those are not cheap phones: Iphone 4S, Galaxy S2…
If MS is not goint to have such devices until Q4 2012, next year they aren’t going to sell better than now.

Malcolm Williams

That’s rather silly
the entire purpose of Mango was the introduction of Windows Phone into different price points to reach different segments of users internationally. How does a company expect to get any market share if there isn’t some form of fragmentation along pricing?

Endeavour 1934

Take a look at the best selling smartphones list. The top 5 are not cheap. (Iphone 16million, S2 10million, etc). They are expensive and also the most sold. And not only that, they create a lot of news and buzz on every tech site.
To be fair, there are some best selling cheap smartphones too, like the ZTE Blade, but nowhere near the levels of the expensive ones (4million max), and it is almost never featured on tech sites or press. It sells a lot only because it is the cheap phone with the OS that everybody wants.

We have a lot of cheap WP7s already. Most of them are ~$300 unsubsidized or free with a contract. And the first generation models are even cheaper!
And how are they selling? Not good. And what about the press? Nope, they don’t create any buzz.

Let’s see the expensive models then. Titan, Focus S and Lumia 800. Well, the Lumia is selling a LOT, and Titan and Focus S sales are not bad either, according to their ranking on some websites. And they are also creating a lot of good press everywhere!
The problem is, Lumia 800 is not available on the US, Focus S is not available outside US, and the Titan is only available on a very few carriers in the world.

So, the best selling smartphones and the most known and praised on tech websites are always the expensive, higher-end models. But in WP7 we have just 3 models and some of them are not even available depending where you live. Great.

Do you still think we need cheaper WP7 phones? Or maybe what this platform needs is more high-specced flagship models available in more places?
Even in this blog everybody is expecting the Nokia 900 and nobody gives a sh*t about ZTE, Acer and other cheap devices.

BTW, do you really believe that the current high-end WP7 hardware will remain competitive until Q4 2012?
I don’t even think they will remailn competitive after MWC on february. HD resolution will become a standard and we are going to see the first quad core ICS phones, among other cool things. After that, current second-gen WP7 devices are going to be seen as low end, and nobody buys or talk about those, even less if they keep their current high price tags.

http://wp7crap.myopenid.com/ GetReal

Thumbs up!

Bottom line is MS is going the wrong way with WP7 and WP7 is indeed not as attractive as its rival OS, especially the Metro UI.

Malcolm Williams

On the basis of diversifying the market? Has anyone else realized that Windows main competitors (Apple and Android) diversified the market by offering their lineup on different carriers AND decreasing their respective price points? But I guess everyone is doing it wrong then /s
Endeavour 1934

Android, iOS, Symbian… they all diversified after they were successful in the high end market.
You have to be successful in the high end to conquer the low end. That is why Android is beating Symbian now in the low end.
Malcolm Williams

…no that’s not true…
at all…especially with apple. Apple had to diversify their portfolio against android and diversify price point. They did the same thing in each iteration since the iphone 3gS…
The iphone for the time was a good device in the past, but it wasn’t the specs buster, it was economically made well. But that’s it
Endeavour 1934

They diversified after they sold millions.
About specs… I had a 16GB iPhone 3GS on 2008. 3.5 years later, I have a Windows Phone with just 8GB (which is the only WP7 my operator offers)

And people wonders why WP7 isn’t selling…

Malcolm Williams

Wow…really bad arguments here
I’ll say it again like I always say. So Windows Mobile was so successful because they completely focused on developing high end devices? Riiiiiiight…

The goal of any smart phone is to create market share because that makes money for a company. To simply argue (and even using metrics) that the top smart phones are high end devices negates a LARGE segment of the user base. A large reason why android is so successful is because it reaches different price points and it is dirt cheap. This doesn’t negate the fact that a good smart phone will sell, but you are under the assumption that the smart phone wars are built around smart phones users when in fact it is built around dumb phone users and penetrating that user base (yes dumb phone users double smart phone users). Do people really care about cheaper smart phones? ABSOLUTELY! India, China, Korea, Australia, Canada, America, Europe, Russia the list goes on and on and on. The goal is to permeate market by satisfying different price points. And the countries (especially India and China) focus on the ZTE smartphone you scoff at. Because it is cheap, and its a smart phone.

Secondly, the correlation between smart phone sales and using website metrics is a ridiculous way to argue increased market share. In part, we have no idea how the numbers were derived or whether a bot spammed Amazon and other mobile sites to improve the ranking of Windows Phones. Because we don’t know whether or not the numbers are objectively generated, should we really use a ridiculous metric. OMG WINDOWS PHONE IS TOP 5 ON AMAZON!!! So what? I’ve seen terrible tech make it in Amazon top 5 and still not permeate the market on the user base. That argument is completely flaccid.

Third, do you know how much 300 bucks is for me? A grad school student that had their stipend cut from the feds? A lot of money! Now granted, some economies are improving, but for all intents and purposes, splurging on tech when that money may be spent better is ludicrous. To argue 300 is affordable to some is valid. But then, the greater majority of the population won’t pay above a certain value over a smart phone. And those are dumb phone users. Refer to paragraph 2 for the issue assuming that this is a smart phone war.

Fourth, I don’t think the top smart phones now can go against the CURRENT lineup offered by Apple and Android. I think (for the specs), the price is exorbitant. You’re telling me I’m paying 199 on a 2 year contract (600 bucks w/o contract) on a WVGA display, a single core processor, mediocre camera, for a buttery smooth operating system? I look at what my money can pay and I can potentially get top of the line in specs (a GSII or a Nexus, or an iPhone 4S) and established ecosystem. This stuff matters both to the carrier and to the user.

And despite all of that, cutting out a huge segment of the population in favor of high tech, will leave windows looking a lot like Blackberry eventually

Michael Mason Jr

I agree with most of your statements above. However, I don’t think Endeavor 1934 explained their argument well. I think they were trying to say was that a well known premium device is needed to help the WP7 brand. Android did not take off without that premium like device. An example of this would be the Motorola Droid. It wasn’t until a device at that calibur was launched with a huge marketing effort to really boost Android as a real competitor. That was the huge hit for Android and that caused a trickle down effect. The people lusted over that device, but those who couldn’t afford it eventaully was offered the device or cheaper “droid” at cheaper prices. Without that premium device, people will not lust over the platform because it will always look like a less than premium product to most consumers.
Endeavour 1934

Yes, something like that. English is not my native language, so I find it difficult to express my thoughts correctly.
Michael Mason Jr

Understood.
Malcolm Williams

the droid was poor it was an awful device that was completely sold based on marketing. It wasn’t a high end device for the time, it was a mid range that was fully helped by the VzW advertising campaign leading to the trickle down effect.

In the minds of people, Android became the anti iphone and that sold devices in America.
Endeavour 1934

But it was expensive. Anyway, Galaxy S was the phone that made the Android sales skyrocket outside US, and that was a proper high end device.
ZTE Blade, the first really affordable Android, came 9 months later, and by then Galaxy S had already sold 6-8 million units.
Michael Mason Jr

I think, at the time, yes the device had a great marketing campaign, but in terms of a device that was going head to head with the iPhone, it was probably the closest thing to it. As we look back today at October 2009, it was a different landscape. The Droid was an acceptable device to be considered premium. It was made of metal and other premium materials. It was a pretty much pure Android experience with no skin overlay. And both Android and iOS were still growing in terms of features. So I think it is fair to say that the Motorola Droid was the know premium device.

Yes and then devices like the Samsung Galaxy devices led the way into the premium territory. As well as the Google Nexus line of devices helped Android become what it has today.

I agree though that Android is the anit-iphone. I have always believed that, and it was the cheaper and preferred alternative when it came to getting an iPhone like device.
Endeavour 1934

Apple was successful focusing on high end. Android became successful after the Galaxy S and the Droid, both high end phones. Get your facts right.

Windows Phone is not a dumbphone, and neither are their competitors, Android and iOS, so don’t bring them into the discussion because it makes no sense.

ZTE Blade was not designed specifically to be a cheap model, it is just a Q4 2010 phone with the specs of the first/second Android generation. Windows Phone doen’t need a specific low end device, they just need to wait until the first gen of devices becomes low end, as chinese Android makers did.
Do you think that Android started or exploded with the low end? No. At first they were as expensive as any other smartphones, and it was the Galaxy S (Q2 2010) and the Droid (Q4 2009) the devices that made Android popular. High end devices (~$200 on contract) that sold more than double of what ZTE Blade has.
Hell, even Nokia conquered the low end smartphone market with Symbian AFTER they were successful in the high end.

But I will follow your logic for a moment. Let’s assume that ZTE becomes a hit in developing countries before expensive models start selling in the US and Europe. So what, will that make WP7 successful? Why would anyone care more than they care about Bada, for example?

Look at Symbian. They sell (sorry, sold) a lot on developing countries, and look where it’s headed. Having the low-end market is not a guarantee of anything. You have to aim for the high end, and AFTER, IF you are successful, the low-end market is going to be filled automatically with your old devices, as it always has happened.
Malcolm Williams

Apple was successful because they made high end affordable to the average consumer. While the phone offered with similar specs on contract was going for 299 and above. Let’s not mince our opinion of history here.

If you actually READ my argument, dumb phones are pertinent because those are the USERS EVERY SINGLE SMART PHONE OS is trying to sway. Not other smart phone users. Time and time again, Microsoft’s rebranding has never been about swaying smart phone users. If that were the case, Windows Mobile would still be alive and kicking. Microsoft is easing the use of the smart phone and make it easy for the dumb phone user, because that is where the money is. Read my rationale, its one I’ve even written an article about on this site for.

The ZTE model was specially designed for markets (China and India) to offer an affordable Windows Phone that doesn’t break the bank. And YES IF LOW END PHONES ARE A HIT IN CHINA AND INDIA, it will increase WP int’l market share, increasing user base and making microsoft more $$$. That’s the argument and that is where Microsoft has been going since the announcement of Nodo.

What you are neglecting is the current situation and OEM adoption. Android is free, devices are very cheap to manufacture, and it sells because carriers adopt it. They don’t care either (see Kindel’s arguments)

Symbian was so expensive at the time because of parts and labor of manufacturing. But even Nokia adopted different methods of costs to permeate market share

What you are assuming is that the high end is the only thing that matters. Don’t focus on the tree and miss the forest.
Endeavour 1934

So, Apple was successful with $100, $200 phones etc. with a contract, but now WP can’t be successful with $0.99 phones with a contract. And the solution is… even cheaper models?

Dumb phone users are going to buy into successful platforms: the most known, the most sold, the most common among friends… price point doesn’t matter at all.

Low end phones can’t be a hit without high end models being a hit first.
And even if they were, that doesn’t make the platform successful. Again, look where is symbian now that their high end market is gone.

High end is not the ONLY thing that matters, but it is obviously the most important.
Current sales numbers prove it.

Anonymous

IMO its better to go for the cheap market not everybody is going to buy the Galaxys, Lumias and iPhones some people just want smartphones that work an iPhone like smartphone for 0.99 cents that would sell like hotcakes. I agree 2nd gen phones can be sold at such a lower price maybe Microsoft should resell these phones at Bestbuy with buyout options unlocked.

Anonymous

Meh, in the US the iPhone 3GS is 99 cents – sure it’s older tech but it’s basically a free entry (on contract) to the iOS ecosystem.

Anonymous

3gs will have problems running the latest OS while 1st gen WP don’t (until further notice) sure people can buy ya 0.99 cent iPhone 3gs but performance and experience wise I would rather have a 1st gen Mango phone over its 3GS and Android counterparts.

Endeavour 1934

The Galaxys are the most sold Android phones. With the Droid they were the phones that put Android where it is now. Same for the iPhones, most sold smartphone ever. And now the Lumia will probably be the most sold WP7. So yes, everybody buys them.

And there is a handful of WP7s already free with a contract. And they are not selling a lot.

Anonymous

Yeah the existing phones are cheaper but with Tango they can flood the market with even cheaper phones for the $99 to Free on 2 Year crowd. They just need to push them out there on every carrier.
http://twitter.com/GriffinCoulter Griffin Coulter

WIthout talking about smartphones at all I can prove you wrong. The answer lies in a simple business concept known as “disruptive technologies”. It explains everything. Why Microsoft should enter at the low-end of the market; why the iPhone was originally successful; why Windows Phone is “failing”; everything. A disruptive technology is one that is not necessarily better than whats currenty out in the market, but does something in a brand new way by challening the capabilties and the structure of current companies.

Think about it.

When the iPhone was released. Did it do anything “better”? Debatable. When it was first released it didnt even have apps, which current smartphones at the time did. However, it was something that involved a “radical change” that forced companies to not only learn how to manufacture good multitouch phones, but also restructure their organization to do so. THIS is the sole reason why the iPhone was successful.

Why Window phone is not successful is because it is NOT a disruptive technology, but rather whats known as a “sustaining technology”. This is because it neither challenges the capabilties nor the structure of current companies (apple, google etc.)

This is why they are not taking the market by storm. Its not different. However, becasue of this there is ONE thing that they cannot do. And this is focus their efforts at current companies (apple etc.) mainstream (or highend) customers. If they do, they will be crushed, much like they are right now. In order to succeed they have to offer a “worse expereince” (theoretically speaking, in terms of specs ie. 1.4 ghz processors compared to dual cores) at a more afforable price so that they can increase their profit margins and be a low-cost competitor to the high-cost competitors like apple. by doing this eventually they will drive apple and google etc. out of the THAT PARTICULAR segment of the market so a higher end portion where they can get higher profit margins. eventually (over many, many years) this will cause the current market leaders to be driven out of the market.

if you actually THINK about what i said it explains everything.

if you’re interested in where u can better understand it, try this video or don’t i dont really care ahah.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ7EG58J5eo

http://wp7crap.myopenid.com/ GetReal

Right on! Hence, that’s why I dump my old Onmia 7 and get a SGS2 instead… Is Metro UI really that fascinating? I don’t feel so. Microsoft is trying to do something disruptive like iPhone with its Metro UI. But too bad, it is not doing well. In fact, lots of my friends, including myself, feel that tiles are really stupid and ugly.
Endeavour 1934

That’s not true at all. The “disruptive technology” concept is just a excuse for mediocre products, and I can prove it to you:
Look at Sony, for example. They were first with ebooks, ultraportable laptops and many other technologies. Did they sell a lot? No. Amazon offered better services and ease of use with a similar price tag at first, and after it crushed Sony on sales, they started offering cheap ebooks and now they’ve taken over the world.
Take a look now at the Macbook Air. What did it offer against Sony ultraportables? Just being Apple and a bit thinner. It even had the same price and worse specs. But they sold tons, took over the market, and AFTER, they started to sell them a lot cheaper than Sony.
Do you see a pattern here?

And that only accounts for disruptive tech that didn’t sell well. The contrary is also true: Late players that sells A LOT. Like most things made by Apple, with the previously mentioned MB Air being a great example.

Malcolm Williams

This looks rather old considering tango is coming in Q1 and not Q2 of 2012…
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001395218690 Pantou Ekang

This plan is extremely disappointing. In addition, there is no details of the new features exactly. No precise Information  of LTE or the availability of features missing in other parts of the world …
The system continues to fall behind. Tango should be released in Q1/2012 andQ2/2012 Apollo. The superphones are already today the iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S2.

The Super-superphones will be  the Iphone 5 , Samsung Galaxy  S3 and other with Motorola and Sony.
Samsung Galaxy s3 will be available in March 2012 and the  Iphone 5 in June 2012.

How Microsoft / Nokia wants to be attractive to the public with hardware that everyone already know by the end of 2012?

The example of Samsung Focus S shows that the Smartphone loses its appeal when it is already known under the cover of another software …. Just bad Marketing and very bad Timing !

Microsoft programmers are not fast enough and always seem  haven’t understood that the battle will take a lot more resources and competent men.

Anonymous

1. Well, no shit there isn’t any specific details. It’s a compressed roadmap. Was Mango really just 3 bullet points? No, it was 500 features. They have to highlight what they thought was most important. LTE is said to be coming with Tango. And Apollo in Q2 2012? Are you out of your mind? Do you think there are superhuman engineers working at MS that can work 24/7/365? Having a major update that soon is impossible.

2. “Superphones” which is a stupid classification in itself isn’t limited to what was released last year. A superphone is a high end smartphone. What’s high end is on high end for a short period of time. You have no idea what kind of smartphone specifications MS is going to support next year. For sure it will go up to S3 but it may even go up to S4 and STE chipsets. SGS3 has no guaranteed release date so stop spreading that BS and I guarentee you the iPhone 6 won’t be out until Q3/Q4 next year. The June iPhones are a thing of the past.

3. Microsoft and Nokia will attract the public by having smartphones across all prices and specifications. Low end, mid ranged, and high end phones are all you need to attract companies. No one but the less than 5% of consumers care about what CPU/GPU is running the phone or how much RAM it has.

4. The Samsung Focus S fails because no marketing exists for it. MS needs to get in gear and push their products like Apple does. If MS pushes WP and gains awareness then manufacturers will push their phones as well. Look at Nokia, they push the Lumia and sell 100k+ phones.

5. MS programmers have proved to be incredible. They created WP7 from scratch in about 2 years. Added C&P, multitasking, tight integration through all of their services, and many big name applications after launching a little bit over a year ago. At their current pace, I wouldn’t be surprised to see MS surpass Apple and Google next year when it comes to features and supported technology. They maintain updates through multiple phones and carriers and continue to push great technology through great innovations.
Anonymous

“Microsoft programmers are not fast enough and always seem haven’t understood that the battle will take a lot more resources and competent men.”

Anyone who knows anything about programming knows that adding more men to a project is just going to end up with confusion and delay in the project. I would love to see how you kept up with these incompetent men…

Anonymous

Well Windows Phone supposed to have one major update a year according previous statements and the only thing that can change this is Nokia, with its high demands. Nokia representatives mentioned few times that Apollo supposed to be a game changer and will come as soon as June, according to Nokia. So really hope that Nokia can ramp up the development cycle of Windows Phone team.
Anonymous

For those “disappointed” by what this “reveals” about Apollo, one need only read what it says about Mango. Do you REALLY think that is a good representation of what Mango actually ended up being???

Chill folks. Let the Apollo info come out closer to release. And let MS save some killer secrets that it can drop on people right before launch to get them all slobbering and stuff. Let this play out. More than anything, please, stop being so insecure about its future. Are you loving your current device or not?

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=166400270 Tony Dedrick

You can love your current device, but be cautious that said company is actually going to support the thing properly. I love my Focus. But I want to be reassured MS has its ass in gear on making it a long term, viable player

Anonymous

This is ridiculous. If they’re hoping to get Apollo out by Q4, WP7 is gonna be in the same state it is now. Of course it would have become a more household name than it is now later on but its still gonna be way behind its competitors.
Anonymous

As a developer, I’m kinda disappointed by the long time frame. Let’s hope it’s earlier. I have an app and game in certification and 2 apps more in planning. I hope to double that number with new APIs from Apollo. Come on MS! I want to carry the flag on the next 50,000 apps here. Higher more people, kidnap some from Nokia and get that OS out.

Adam with DWR Apps
http://twitter.com/counterblow the person

Here is what really bothers mew about the ‘Tango enabling cheap phones’ argument. You can get a Focus on Amazon for $160 UNLOCKED. Bring in subsidy and you could have these very respectable first gen phones in 3rd world markets EASILY, no dumbing down for Nokia needed. I really don’t see what Tango could possibly bring to make these phones cheaper. Maintain your standards, don’t ruin the experience!

JD De Jesus

Maybe for countries like India, China, Southeast countries, etc. where the minimum wage is much much lower than in the US and some countries in Europe.

Anonymous

Glad I didn’t wait for Q1/Q2 superphones then, because Q4 2012 really was too late for my next phone. I don’t really get this Tango though, because it would create direct competition with their business partner Nokia, who has committed it’s Symbian OS for all it’s low-end phones.

http://www.twitter.com/rurikbradbury Rurik Bradbury

Nokia no longer gives one hoot about Symbian, let alone two hoots. They are probably dying to get Tango, as it will suit Nokia’s many fans in Asia/Africa/Latam etc

http://www.motmaitre.com Motmaitre

Should have started in business where they are strong.
http://twitter.com/counterblow the person

you know, you should have never leaked this OLD roadmap. Every stupid half baked tech site out there has picked this story up over an OLD ROADMAP and treating it as gospel. The Twitterati have already deposed this roadmap as defunct.
http://twitter.com/NonovUrbizniz Mike Dillon

Wow so at the end of next year they’ll be competing with phones that the competitors have already released as early as Feb 2011… AWESEOME!

arketpla
http://twitter.com/cris178 Cristian

i was gonna get a lumia 800 but i dont think it has zune in it. that was the only reason i wanted a windows phone.

Anonymous

All Windows Phones, including all Nokia Lumias, have Zune. In addition, all Nokia Lumias have Nokia Music.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_4RM74335SYJR4JNHAJ2UNEMA4M MCTronix

It’s the “Competative” part in Q4 that worries me. By Q4 2012, I expect Android to be putting out a new release and maybe even Apple too. I don’t expect Google and Apple will be sitting on their hands for 1 year to let Windows Phone catch up. Microsoft will have to work twice as hard as the competitors to put out a competative product. I for one, hope they pull it off. I think having 3 OS’s compete for our business is ideal. Keeps everyone on their toes.
Anonymous

Microsoft should give away a Windows phone with every purchase of a Windows powered device. http://www.trendslate.com/2011/12/28/windows-should-include-phone/
Anonymous

Microsoft should include a Windows powered phone with every Windows powered device to fend off Android and iOS - http://www.trendslate.com/2011/12/28/windows-should-include-phone/
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000090435029 Tom Cooper

Fire Balmer now. Too little too late and horrible read of the market. Plus telecom companies hate doing business with MSFT. Microsoft still behaves as if they were a monopoly. That culture was created due to Microsoft owning the desktop and Office was a monopoly. All of this is pre-Internet thinking.

They need new blood at the top.
Paul Guardino

Here is my road-map:
-Q1 /2012: Grow wings
-Q 2 /2012: Fly
-Q4 /2012: Invade the Moon
I would say my list is more realistic than Microsofts.
http://www.youtube.com/ny007ny
http://twitter.com/JeffinLondon Jeff Wolfers

So sad, far too late.

RIP WP
Anonymous

If this is a roadmap (and news!) then you sir are an idiot!
http://cobases.com Michael Cobases

I am using my Lumia 800 for almost month now I am so in love with this phone. It has lack of apps but you can just look at this phone and you will get entertainment as it looks brilliant and you just want to play around with it. Haven’t experienced anything like this in the past
Anonymous

I think people are a little impatient. I mean this is a very competetive market and windows phone has been out only a year it will take time for them to gain traction. You are not going to get android and iPhone numbers overnight. What percentage of market did iPhone have after only a year on the market what about Android. I would bet they were all under 10% in less competetive market. Microsoft is know for coming into markets as a weakling but then dominating by the third try. Just look at Xbox. Fist one was just to get its foot in the market, the second is competetive, the third will dominate. I predict the same with Windows phone, The first one is just to get in the market. The second will be competetive and third will dominate. We are still on the first maybe 1.5. The second will be apollo.
Anonymous

Their roadmap is stupid…Here’s there ROADMAP.
1. Trash Windows 7 Phone – No one wants a Windows Powered Phone.
2. Call it Metro and port Office Limited it ASAP. – People want Metro-Powered phones capable of opening Office documents in perfect formatting. They really do.
3. No more text heavy operating systems.

It shouldn’t be Mango, Apollo, etc. It should be Metro OS 1, Metro OS 2, Metro OS 3, with 1 month milestones. First off, WP7 never hit its goals for UX differentiation. People don’t want it.
Mango also never hit its mark for multiple languages. Metro OS is a text heavy operating system, almost impossible to easily to do multiple languages. Every NEW feature requires reformatting for the screen. Completely INSANE way to do something so important. Tango is never going to beat Android on cheap.

Superphone means nothing. What it really means is they want to finally run Windows 8 on the thing because magic exists in the world. And 2012 means quad core low energy chips that can finally run Windows on ARM. Yeah. Magical.

If you look at the market the top two smartphones in the world are iphone4s and the galaxy s2.
And the s2 is basically a grid of icons.

I don’t understand why Windows couldn’t do a grid of icons too. It’s what people want. Along with perfect Word formatting on their phones.
Anonymous

I’d just like to know whether these features are coming in Apollo. The release date is completely irrelevant.

http://aveynes.com/2011/11/windows-phone-8-apollo-predictions/
http://twitter.com/ceaules_baules dilibau cotzcaru

Bringing super-phones at the end of 2012 is a little too late… WP is already a late arrival at the party and in its short lived existence it failed to impress consumers, so coming up with a “me too” strategy when quad-core, 12Mpx/fHD Androids will be mainstream is like shooting yourself in the foot. Not to mention that by that time Apple will pop up the new iPhone 5, so competition will be more than fierce. MS needs to learn that high-end models drive the market because *those* are the trend-setters, and that’s why Samsung is sticking with Android: Galaxy S1 is still doing very well (it actually spurred the creation other low-end models too, like the Ace), GS2 has blown to smithereens every record since its inception in June (skyrocketing Sammy to the No.1 spot in the smartphone market), while the Note and the Galaxy Nexus are in their infancy yet, though preliminary figures show at least Nexus has a promising future. Think of Apple’s reshuffle of the iPhone : they came up with 1080p recording, 8Mpx camera, dual-core, etc. -all of these were already there in high-end Android phones (Optimus 2X, GS2, Sensation). No wonder Sammy has been reluctant to wholeheartedly jump the WP7 bandwagon and did just a small revamp of the Omnia in October…

MS’s approach is unfortunately bottom-to-top, instead of the vice versa… Super-smartphones drive sales of feature phones, not the other way around, and the fact that Redmond hasn’t figured that out yet is worrying. No one gave them a chance when the Xbox was introduced, but the better HW (compared to t he PS2) steadily convinced consumers and now they’ve created a successful ecosystem around the trademark that encompasses a whole lot more than just games. Why don’t they learn from that? WP7 lacks consumer traction because it lacks the “wow-factor” (remember Vista?…): there isn’t a single WP7-powered model that does fullHD, MS has willingly cut off everybody from the dual-core frenzy (http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2011/11/22/nokia-the-reason-microsoft-kiboshed-dual-core-windows-phone-handsets/) and the much-touted FB/Twitter/WLM/Office/skydrive/XBL integration has received a lukewarm welcome at best (and mainly from the press, consumers want apps).

They could’ve gained more traction had they brought successful XBL titles to their mobile OS (Trials HD, Halo, Forza -plenty to choose from), but that shows just how deep the lack of marketing vision runs amongst WP managers. And Lumia’s lackluster sales aren’t a good omen either: Andy Lees just got removed as head of the WP division …

For the sake of competition I wish WP would thrive, but if they don’t come up with something really worth buying I fear the WP roadmap is heading the Zune highway.

Anonymous

While global sales are nothing compared to Android and iOS, Windows Phone and it much touted features haven’t failed to impress consumers or press. User satisfaction rates are very high and press reviews range from good to very good. I’d say lukewarm at worst, not at best.

Wherever the Nokia Lumia 800 is available, it was or still is either the best selling smartphone or one of the best. Beating both the iPhone 4S and Android flagships in places. Well, that is what carrier and retailer websites and paper advertising show. Anyway, not lackluster.

Anonymous

Verizon Razar/Ice Cream Sandwich. You think MSFT will come out with anything *CLOSE* to that in the next 5+ years? Look at the NONSES they are releasing with Tango.

What IDIOT product manager thought it would be a good idea to release a *TOY* phone first, then try to go after the Enterprise Market.

and Microsoft has already said their strategy is to “Give the Middle Finger:” to Handset Makers and Carriers ( Carriers are only a “Pipe”) according to the FORMER Manager of Win Phone.

Read Kindel’s OWN WORDS ON HIS OWN BLOG!!!!
http://ceklog.kindel.com/2011/12/26/windows-phone-is-superior-why-hasnt-it-taken-off/
******************************

With Windows Phone Microsoft has taken a different approach. WP raises its middle finger at both the device manufacturers and mobile carriers. WP says “here’s the hardware spec you shalt use” (to the device manufacturers). And it says “Here’s how it will be updated” (to the carriers).

**********************************

*LAUGHABLE* to think MSFT can get above 10% *(AT ABSOLUTE BEST) penetration. And that will come at the cost of disenfranchised RIM users (who, after dealing with MSFT phone for a year will BAIL).

NO WAY Handset makers will deal with MSFT and their closed Eco-system. You think Verizon, who can 100% customize Android *AS THEY SEE FIT* can partner with a Handset Maker and make something as BEAUTIFUL as Raazar…..”customize it’ Remember Droid is Android, Androis is *NOT* Droid (Droid is Home Brew Verizon).

After 2-years of sell through on Razar, MSFT will gain a foothold with Verizon? PLEASE

“Microsoft, Your Grandfather’s Software Company”
Anonymous

You want *PROOF* on how IRRELEVANT MSFT phones are….

This MSFT Windows Phone YouTube “commercial” has been up 14-months
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdkpXR4L9Po

it has a grand total of 5,088 views.

Iphone Siri—put up *TWO MONTHS AGO*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNsrl86inpo

it has 6,780,060 views!!!Now, explain to me how “relevant” MSFT hopes to be? Explain to me why a User would want to be *FORCED* to use the MSFT :”tiles” (and not be allowed to customize as they wish). Where in MSFT roll out is Speech Recognition? How much “innovation” does MSFT hope to do? HECK, Rev 1 had Speech Recognition on an Android Device. MSFT is still trying to figure out how to build a User Interface (*THEY OWN* WILL NOT LET YOU CUSTOMIZE)—while the Ferrari and Lamborghini have done a couple dozen laps around the track in Competition. Windows Phone=DEAD!”Microsoft, Your Grandfather’s Software Company”

Anonymous

How about this for you ignorant ones out there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PitGqCeJF8c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX2Gd-kqV5s

Stop writing nonsense and spreading needless propaganda. Windows Phones are just starting, very soon you will eat back your own crap that you posted here.

Anonymous

*LAUGHING*….Hey MOUTH BREATHER! You proved my point for me!

Link 1: You posted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PitGqCeJF8c

(600,000 views *FROM MICROSOFT*??? Are you kidding me…and that’s something to be PROUD OF? Microsoft is supposed to “redefine” the Mobile Space and they BARELY get 10% of the views Siri has?!?! *LAUGHING*

Link 2: You Posted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX2Gd-kqV5s

Let’s assume it’s from Nokia–the poster says they are NokiaUK (there’s nothing to say it’s really Nokia—but in your favor I’ll assume it is). *NOT ONCE*, not *ONE SINGLE TIME* is Microsoft Mentioned. It’s an Advertisement *FOR NOKIA* (not Windows Phone–yes Windows Phone is mentioned in passing, but *NOT* a Windows at that would be released in USA)—and it’s a RAVE ad—-so of course will attract views.

Oh, and by the way—if you’re writing from the UK? When the EURO collapses in 2012, you’ll be *LUCKY* if you can afford Toilet paper…a cell phone will be THE LEAST of your worries…They’re already setting fire to stuff in the U.K. and the WORST OF IT…has not even HIT YET…..you guys are in for a WORLD of HURT soon (once Greece collapses, the UK is next followed by USA).
Anonymous

BEST FORBES quote ever. (and MSFT expect to remain releveant in the 21st Century?).

http://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2011/12/30/iphone-5-to-be-dethroned-by-microsofts-superphone/2/

One thing that people often forget is that Apple’s mainstream success did not come overnight, and it did not happen because people suddenly fell in love with Mac. But once the iPod arrived, Average Joes and Janes began to take a second, third, and fourth look at Apple products. By the time consumers were done looking, they were the proud owners of several Apple devices.

If Microsoft has any hope of getting back in the game, the company needs to release a gateway device that inspires consumers to care about Windows again. Maybe Windows 8 will be that product. Maybe it will happen with the next Xbox. It is also possible that, just as Apple stunned the world with the iPod, Microsoft will release a new product that no one could have ever anticipated.

But even if that were to occur, there is no chance that Microsoft will release an iPhone 5-killer in 2012.

Anonymous

The further “proof” I can give you is to go look at Twitter and see how many “Kids” are complaining about not getting the AAPL product they wanted (IPAD, IPHONE, etc.). You think MSFT will have this kind of brand loyalty with “tweens”

Especially after their COLOSSAL BLUNDER with a Facebook Phone?

So, where is MSFT gonna play? You think *ANYONE* will buy a $400-$600 phone from MSFT (a la the IPHONE)—Heck, by the time MSFT rolls out Apollo (Windows 8??) that AAPL will not be on Build 7-8????

you think MSFT can compete with Razar and Ice Cream Sandwich?

you think *ANY* Global Cellular provider will deal with MSFT after their (now former) President of Windows Phone called the carriers nothing but a “Pipe” and the handset makers nothing but a nuisance that gets in the way of the “customer experience” (ie read that as MSFT is unable to build a phone the way *THEY* want to). Carriers have said “NO”

Don’t believe me…read it for YOURSELF—its’ on Kindel (former President of Windows Phone—Blog).

****************************

http://ceklog.kindel.com/2011/12/26/windows-phone-is-superior-why-hasnt-it-taken-off/

With Windows Phone Microsoft has taken a different approach. WP raises its middle finger at both the device manufacturers and mobile carriers. WP says “here’s the hardware spec you shalt use” (to the device manufacturers). And it says “Here’s how it will be updated” (to the carriers).

*********************

Now, you tell me—if you were a Carrier or Handset maker, would you want to work with MSFT after a statement like that? YEAH RIGHT…

“Microsoft, Your Grandfather’s Software Company”
Anonymous

No they are not bad argument. I think the point is that several WP7 models are already low end (doesn’t matter if they were intended to be mid level or not – they are low end now) and compete against low end Android phones and are losing the battle.

What exactly is Mango going to do to change the fact that low end Android outsells low end WP7?
Anonymous

1. WP7 has very cheap devices currently.

2. Those devices are being outsold by equally cheap Android devices.

What in Tango is supposed to change this?

Fact is that iOS and Android are beating WP7 on the high end and Android is beating them on the low end.
http://twitter.com/WaltFrench Walt French

“Things will get real with Apollo however, in Q4 2012…”

So Microsoft is claiming it will have a competitive offering in about a year. Still tying their shoelaces for the marathon?

After their competitors have sold something close to a half billion smartphones, Microsoft thinks its software, hardware and creative marketing will be first or second on the couple of dozen features that consumers care about, instead of the distant second or third they score today.

The graphic above is hardly detailed enough to detail HOW they’re going to be competitive in Q4, but let’s presume that they’re NOT planning on the sort of groundbreaking innovations that Apple and Google have been spitting out every couple of months. Is the claim really that in a year’s time, they’ll be competitive with the phones of late 2011?

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