Opinion: Windows Phone 7’s neglected missing feature

September 2, 2010 | By rush24

Zune hd dock

With the introduction of WP7, Microsoft fixed most of the aspects that made the old Windows mobile powerful yet unusable for average users by creating a new standard UI for the OS, and specifying a set of minimum hardware specs that are high enough to guarantee a great user experience out of the box. The requirement for a physical camera button will be a decision most consumers will appreciate and so will the ability to quickly snap pictures even when the phone is locked together with the seamless switching between the live view and camera roll.

That being said, with all the thought that obviously went into the design, I wonder why they neglected to define a standardized multi-function connector like the one found on the Zune or iPhone. The Zune HD already has an excellent HD dock for use with the connector(albeit expensive) and it would have been great to just be able to plop any WP7 phone onto the dock and enjoy the Zune service on a big screen. This would also have spawned a proliferation of 3rd party accessories because the manufacturers would not have to build custom products for individual phones, instead, they would be able to target all the devices just like they don’t have to worry about screen resolutions anymore.

I have no idea how extensible the micro-usb port on WP7 devices in regards multimedia capabilities and such, but I think that for the next revision(2.0) of hardware specs for WP7, Microsoft needs to include the standard multifunction port. From what I have read so far, such a port offers more extensibility than Micro/Mini USB ports and provides greater durability. The USB ports could still be used be available for charging purposes. Some of the multimedia functions can also be covered over Wi-fi, but specialized peripherals for business applications may benefit greatly from the added flexibility. I am sure that you guys have great opinions for or against the idea so let us know but please, keep it civil.

About Rush24

Rush24 loves everything Microsoft and is fascinated by the influence of technology in everyday life.

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Peter Schott

I was actually pretty glad to read that most of these were getting relatively standard USB ports. I hate having to shell out for a special cable just to use my phone. Had a friend with a Samsung WM device on a road trip and he couldn't just buy a USB cable when he left his charger behind – he had to get the special Samsung version for $35 instead of a normal USB cable for $5. The same kind of applies for a specialty cable for the Zune – shell out extra $$ for what I normally use as just a syncing cable, then deal with all sorts of issues when hooking it up if I don't have that cable.

I understand your point of view and can see that there could be extra functionality in a more specialized port. I just really like the idea of having some standardization for a little bit and being able to use readily available cables. I'd love it even more if there were some easy way to use the USB port to handle most if not all of those special needs. I'm willing to wait and see, but right now I tend to fall on the side that's grateful for no specialty ports.
http://twitter.com/rd3d @rd3d

I like having my phone docked to a larger device (CD/RADIO with decent speakers) when I go to bed:

To review podcasts & videos before I go to sleep
To charge overnight
To wake me up in the morning.

The size (small) and positioning (top of the device) are going to make this kind of docking difficult.

Pros & Cons though I guess.
brianchau

Just about every accessories are available for the fruit phone which in turn makes fruit phone more appealing. Windows Phone needs extensive 3rd parties accesseries to be competitive.
l3v5y

Thing is, standardised connector->standardised placement->requires standardised hardware size.

That's not going to work on with OEMs. Apple get away with it because the iPods are the only ones, and they all have docks at the bottom, and are roughly the same size. WP7 devices will vary massively in configuration.

gullgod

Exactly. Microsoft can only do this if they make their own HW.

HG23

HTC has been using the microUSB for a while and several of their devices have TV-out, audio-out dongles, and docks. I suppose docks are a little harder to standardize but it seems there are still possibilities for third party or first party accessories.
I also agree and would rather have a standardized port to allow for charging and computer syncing for easy swapping between devices and cheap replacement of cables.
http://www.chainfire.eu/ Chainfire

Most manufacturers (90% of EU phone sales) have signed an agreement that all phones coming out from 2010 and onward in the EU must include a microUSB port for charging. So either they extend the microUSB port, or add a second port.

Quite likely this is the reason there is currently no multifunction port.
djguapo

I don't know if having a 3rd-party hardware accessories platform is necessarily a measure of success. Although our fruity opponents have been successful with having a common port connector, take a look at what's happening with Google and their device manufacturers. Say what you will about our Google colleagues, but their sales figures have been surpassing that of the iPhone, and this without a standardized port, meaning that people don't care if their phone has special speaker docks for it.

What's going to happen, I think, is that as non-iphone sales increase (be they from Microsoft or Google), it is the 3rd party accessory makers that will have to cater to the phones, not the other way around. So we'll probably start seeing more speaker docks with microUSB and 3.5mm connections, and less with proprietary ports, and that's a good thing.
notAGoodIdea

I'm shocked that your encouraging a proprietary port. It is useful in the iPhone and Zune's case to have them for connecting to other peripherals, but, not everyone wants those devices as buying all those additional accessories really adds up … and that is an unnecessary cost. You can get an HTC EVO and just get a HDMI cord to connect to a TV or a 3.5 mm audio transfer cord to enable play through speakers. Why encourage more fat that Apple seems to subsist upon?