No Marketplace for Windows Mobile 6.0/6.1 this year?

September 25, 2009 | By Surur

In what would appear to be a rather stupid move by Microsoft, Pocketnow claims that Microsoft will only be releasing details on Marketplace for Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1 at the end of they year.

They asked Microsoft:

PN: How will older devices get Marketplace for Mobile loaded onto their phones? Would there be a CAB install file available?

MS: Additional details on using Windows Marketplace from a phone running Windows Mobile 6.0 or 6.1 will be provided by the end of the year. Stay tuned.

Removing the 30 million strong user base of Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1 owners from the equation, at least for this year, takes away much of the incentive for developers to rush to support Marketplace for Windows Mobile. One would hope Microsoft does not expect to use Marketplace as a lever to encourage hardware upgrades by users of older devices, as i expect this strategy will fall rather flat.

Has Microsoft once again lost the plot? Let us know in the comments.

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 marketplace, microsoft, windows mobile 6.1, windows mobile 6.5

Jonny

Nah, most people put new roms on anyway. So alot of people will be on 6.5.

rico

Seriously, if "most" people put new ROMs on their WM devices, there'd be a lot more sob stories abour bricked phones, and how much WM sucks because of it.

Also, this isn't really the big deal that it's made out to be. New of the Marketplace launch is pushed back a few months. Ask most WM users if they care, or even knew about Marketplace to begin with.

Warren

Calm down pal, they said details will be released by the END of the year not Dec 31st or 2010 it could happen anytime between now and then. Stop reading between the lines and starting up trouble and bad press for MS.
NuShrike

Has MS released anything that was forward-thinking anyways?
NuShrike

After all, they still ship .NETCF 2.0 — making .NETCF almost dead for OEMs to access any advanced usage.
http://mymhm.tv mymhm

PN: How will older devices get Marketplace for Mobile loaded onto their phones? Would there be a CAB install file available?

MS: We would just prefer users of WM6 and WM6.1 just buy our competitor's phones.

There. Fixed it for you…
Jos Dewey

So what? All the Marketplace app on 6.5 does is open up your browser and take you to the Marketplace website.

It's not even dependent on Pocket IE, it will open in your default browser. My guess is 6 and 6.1 users can just manually browse to the site if any of the app will run on older versions of WM.

Jonny

It only pops up a windows to the browser to say its coming soon. It will probably be like the widgets on 6.5

http://intensedebate.com/people/j2inet j2inet

I'm surprised this information has resurfaced. With the original WindowsMarketplace for Mobile announcement it was only available for 6.5. It was later that MSFT came back and said they would make it available for 6.0/6.1 later this year (it was several months ago that was stated). I'm guessing that it has resurfaced because the Marketplace release is around the corner.
MoB

Stay tuned? STAY TUNED??? Why? There is no reason to stay tuned.

BTW, end of this year may as well mean summer 2010, we know Microsoft way of announcing dates

rad

Ah but at the current rate of WM development, in summer 2010 we'll probably be awaiting the winter 2010 launch of Windows Mobile 6.9.9, so Marketplace may have to wait, hahah.

Jean Cric van der Schoot

i’m a wm2005 user and just don’t care whether my device is in the list. i don’t need Windows Mobile Marketplace.
FYI, i’m using wm only because i was sent off from iphone bandwagon.
drellisdee

Cab file is found here for WM 6.0/6.1

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?p=121482…