Windows Mobile 7 to be “Revolutionary”

November 19, 2009 | By Surur

Contrary to the pedestrian screen shot we have seen earlier, Windows Mobile in motion must look much better, as SoloPalmari reports from Mobius:

Revolutionary, no need to take away: the next version of Windows Mobile, as shown by the leaks and the first screenshots of the new system, the Web will soon be spring, we are faced with an upheaval of the logic of interaction and not just a substantial revision of the interface. The concept of “applications”, as the programs continue to live their important identities, will bend to the principle of “user experience”.
Finally the performance, the fluidity in the display of screens, images and icons becomes a priority. As powerful and versatile Windows Mobile will be next, will never submit to slowdowns and delays in the response. How will, indeed, as they did to achieve this result is not yet technically clear. But developers say Microsoft is certain: the experience of use to forget the “old” Windows Mobile.

Sounds a bit like TouchFlo3D, doesn’t it?

Whatever was shown off must have been pretty impressive, as Ryan Block, former chief editor of Engadget reportedly said in a now deleted tweet:

@ryanblock watching a really amazing demo. Really. Amazing.

Hopefully whatever Microsoft is cooking up will reach market sooner rather and later.

Via MobileTechWorld.com

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 windows mobile 7

http://twitter.com/bnycastro @bnycastro

Eagerly awaiting WindowsMobile 7 I do hope Microsoft fixes this date bug that I have been having since WM6. Right now some of the birthday fields in my contacts gets edited at random and the dates are getting advanced 1 day. I have tried getting on the Microsoft forums but there are no solutions for it yet. I have yet to pinpoint why it even happens. My DST is updated (I am GMT+8 and we do not have adjustments for DST but I still applied the patch), my regional settings are also correct. shouldn't the birthday field be a locked value that the OS cannot go in and change?

Things like these should not trouble a modern smartphone OS.

http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

I concur. I home WM7 fixes the bugs in WM6.

http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

erk. s/home/hope

http://intensedebate.com/people/Foamy Foamy

Microsoft has two battles to win with WM7. the first is the current winmo users and the casual users without much opinion. This should be reasonably easy. The biggest battle is against the people who irrationally hate WM. I'm not saying that everyone who dislikes it is wrong but there is a reasonable proportion of people who hate for little reason (eg. Engadget & Gizmodo). I cant think of any company that has ever had much success with the irrational haters. windows 7 was a very good attempt but it hasn't completely succeeded yet.

I wont be surprised or disappointed if WM7 doesn't manage it because I'm not sure if it's even possible. I think it stands a better chance than windows 7 because it is (hopefully) totally new and separated from previous versions. The biggest test for WM7 will be the Gizmodo and Engadget reviews when it's out. If it can change their minds so that they consider WM7 to be at least equal to the other OS's then Microsoft have done something amazing. These quotes seem to suggest there's a chance.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Lennard Lennard

I agree. MSFT has an up hill battle fighting and it's really not easy. the early birds thought it impressive but what will the general public think?
manual_

While I agree that opinon-making places like Engadget or Gizmodo are important the real battle will take place out there in the market. Swaying bloggers opinion in favour of WM will be a notable achievement and will surely aid in marketing efforts. But what really matters is not even how many devices will be sold, but HOW SATISFIED it's users and NOT JUST "POWER" USERS will be. Another indicators of success would be if the devs will contribute quantity in quality apps, if services associated with the OS will really work and grow. It's really easy to hate WM now. We'll see if WM7 will turn out as good as these quotes make us think it will be. I hope it will as more competition and more alternatives are good for consumers. But I'm very skeptical and will not keep my hopes too high untill i'll see it.

http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

"Pessimists are usually more right than optimists….but optimists have more fun" – Robert Heinlein

MoB

Microsoft probably can prepare amazing videos – that's all we know for sure A lot of people were waiting for the WM 6.5 and what a disappointment did they suffer… the same with Market and new "beta office 10". I don't believe Microsoft any more. I can't say what OS will be my next smartphone, but it is likely it wouldn't be WM.

gravon

I agree with this. Whatever they show is somehow always better-looking and faster than what you actually get. This especially applies to their Windows Mobile videos. Check out the fast mobile IE in their videos compared to the slow-even-on-a-1ghz-processor IE in real life…

Frank

I assume you are aware of the fact that Apple had to remove TV ads for the iPhone because the speed of browsing, searching, and generally using the system did not correspond to reality, and they were sued for that. That's called marketing, everyone does it.

manual_

Sure. But just because everyone does it doesn't change the fact that this kind of marketing does a lot of damage to users satisfaction when they'll learn what the real thing is like. Which they learn after significant amount of cash is forked out. And making a customer a few hundred dollars/euros/whatever short AND unhappy is not a good marketing. I think that might be one of the reasons people dislike or even hate WM so much. It simply doesn't work as advertised. The difference between "real life" and "in commercials" performance is too large and that makes people angry. Apple does the same to an extent. Nevertheless iPhone users are quite satisfied, contrary to WM users (if market studies, polls and opinions circulating forums and blogs are to be believed). I think it's because, though Apple's commercials are undeniably untrue, they are not untrue too much. But nevermind that. Neither Apple nor MS should do that. Just because someone plays dirty doesn't mean it's ok to do it.

http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

In what way are they untrue? I use Mac at work, and Windows at home. I have to say I'm thinking about switching as my work computer does run incredibly smoother with similar hardware config.
Jos Dewey

Yeah, I fell for the Mac thing for a few years back.

Then, after three years, my Macbook Pro just stopped working – it just went dead. And if that wasn't bad enough, when I went to look at what new model Apple had to offer me, they were still selling the same crap after three years, with just updated internals.

That, coupled with memories of the casing scolding my lap everytime I used it and denting every time I looked at it wrong, I crossed the street and bought myself an Asus and haven't been happier. I experienced first hand that Macs tend to freeze up and crash just as often as a decent Windows computer – the only problem is most people don't know how to keep Windows under control with updated drivers, free of viruses and malware.

So Apple shouldn't be advertising their machines as working smoothly and never crashing – they should advertise it as laymen-friendly because that's the biggest feature.
Chris

Apples stability is stability by limitation. When there is less freedom in the OS and less apps that can mess things up you will have a stable system. The latter isnt so true for the iPhone, its more applicable to the desktops, but the former certainly is!
Apple have a LONG history of having apps banned for wild claims and misrepresentation. Personally i think any ad that has been banned or adjusted should have to have a public correction broadcast for it on prime time for 1 week. I notice that the O2 ad for the Palm Pre has also changed recently to remove the claim that its the only phone that can keep you connected to multiple social networks at the same time.
manual_

"Apples stability is stability by limitation."
This is actually a good approach. If I can't make something work nicely because it has too many options and the outcome is a mess I prefer to keep it simple or even not do it at all untill I'll find a good solution. This is the path Apple seems to follow. Puting unusable or difficult to use things to the market results in making people frustrated – see the amount of bad comments WM gets (even if some people think there is a conspiracy against MS there are reasons for this bad publicity). Some people don't mind things being complicated. Most people, however will use "advanced" functions only when they'll be made simple. That's what Apple is doing. Making things simple. For me as a user consistent, stable and highly usable environment is a good thing even if it's achieved by limiting developers' freedom. Keeping things under control allows Apple to carefully shape its products in a way they want to. One of the sources of WM problems is MS' lack of any desire to control it.
Chris

Thats not what i mean. Simple need not mean limited. With Apple you are limited, they take far far too much control. Its not as if the iPhone doesnt crash a lot anyway, it does, and when it does its a BIG pain.
WM needs a consistent set of APIs, drivers and a finger friendly front, but it doesnt need the heavy app restrictions, interface inflexibility and missing features that plague iPhone.

Apple make closed systems where all decisions are made for you, you dont need to think, and in reality, shouldnt too much. WM and Android (later) allow you to use your device your way
manual_

I doubt it's enough to give APIs ,drivers, SDK's or whatever to devs and expect good quality apps. Devs that take quality and app design seriously are an honorable exception rather than a rule. Good devs generally shouldn't fear restrictions as their apps will speak for themselves. Apart from some political decisions (like Google Voice) some control, coaching or precise gudelines are ok as they prevent flood of poorly designed apps that could possibly tarnish image of the device/os they are meant for. This is current state of WM where every dev uses own UI controls/paradigms. Which is possibly due to the lack of proper SDK. But no matter what the cause is WM7 shouldn't be a mess that WM is now. MS desperately needs to find a solution to this problem.
manual_

Speaking of iPhone ads they were untrue because they showed unrealistic speed of the device. But I don't care if the device isn't exactly as snappy as in commercials. As long as the device performance is quick and doesn't annoy me I'm willing to forgive little lies. But in case of WM commercials those aren't "little lies";) Ads obviously doesn't show how annoying WM can be. And being able to compare Mac and Windows machine/OS directly (I was in same situation as you – mac@work/win@home) made me switch.

http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

Usually true. Just go to your local fast food restaurant. You think the burger YOU get is going to look ANYTHING like what is in the picture?

http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

What OS would/will you use?

Chris

Given that the comment comes from the ex chief of engadget (iphone fanboys) thats pretty good news. Now if Gizmodo said it it would be truly impressive, but of course even if it was 3D holographic and could read minds they would still hate it because its MS and not Apple.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Lennard Lennard

I believe this is a true statement

http://intensedebate.com/people/wreiad wreiad

Ha ha ha that's hilarious:p

rico

Chatter on Twitter is positive but not overly so. i’ll wait until the betas leak before i even begin to form an opinion.

http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

Rico, cmon! There are literally millions of people with opinions about things in which they know very little. Jump on the bandwagon!

Jos Dewey

Haha, so true – and incidentally, you'll probably find more bandwagon jumpers on Twitter than anywhere else.

That whole site is filled with people who think their opinion means more than others'… hmm, maybe I should start Tweeting? :p

Kevin Daly

It's not a question of hating (well, for some people it is as some of the comments above show): the truth is that Microsoft developed an Enterprise fetish and have failed to do anything significant with Windows Mobile as a result for the last several years. The user experience simply *does* lag behind the iPhone OS, despite all the things that WM gets right and Apple gets wrong (multitasking anyone?). Providing decent APIs for developers would also help (by which I don't mean more living dead COM libraries…at the moment the choice is between and underpowered and bland Compact Framework with a dearth of support for devices features, and a grotesque Windows API that's an unlovely relic of a bygone age, weighted down with conventions and design features that appear intended to make code impenetrable. It's time to replace the current .NETCF with a decent .NET implementation that's accompanied by a rich set of managed libraries. Including for graphics (and that includes transformations and transitions – the current VB5-style default UI is dull, ugly and awkward.
So please fix that Microsoft and I'll be your friend forever.
Tomas Varil

I hope that Microsoft will make possible to store two and more mobile phones to one contact.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Lennard Lennard

I think 6.5.1 allows you to do this……can someone varify this for me?

joni

Microsoft , you need to produce your own phone, like zune HD. Depending on OEM just not good. especially when OS upgrade is on their mercy, really not good idea.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Lennard Lennard

they cannot do that because they would be competing against their partners (it's like competing against your friend) and that shows no loyalty and lends it's hand to being sued later on for anticompetitive actions, even if they're not being anticompetitive it still hangs a bad cloud over them. I wouldnt' want to be in such a situation.

RustyShackleford

As opposed to their OEM partners showing all sort of loyalty by rolling out more and more Android offerings? I agree, they do need to walk a fine line. But Microsoft's in a situation where there's too much at stake to not hedge their bets. They need to have some direct control over their own destiny rather than just having to rely on their partners who can easily put priorities on another platform like Android at any time.

Microsoft can still have a robust, OEM-flavored offering of the platform. But IMO they need to have their own hardware offering that doesn't compete directly in the prototypical smartphone space. They need something more in that nebulous 'feature phone' class that's the height of consumer-friendly UI that does an elegant job of handling all the essentials (email, web, multimedia, apps, etc) but that also has a unique angle to differentiate it from other devices. IMO that element is gaming. Gaming is in Microsoft's DNA. And they're still sorely missing a mobile compliment to the Xbox (IMO the ZuneHD clearly seems to be stop-gap device meant to tie together some of Microsoft's various platforms on the way to that end game.) Another benefit of aiming at gaming and the feature phone space is that it skews younger and you can build brand/platform loyalty that will pay dividends you can leverage over the coming decades.

Jonny

I think it will be brilliant.

Im using 6.5.1 on my phone, and I think its brilliant. Miles ahead of 6.1, it looks and feels sleaker too.
Dont know what the person was saying about IE being slow on 1ghz, its supersmooth and fast responding on my diamond, yes its not hugely fast to load a webpage, but the speed of a processesor isnt going to change that!
Jonny

Just to add, Im hope the interface is similar to that of the zune hd. And when we get zune marketplace on phones it will be fantastic!
http://intensedebate.com/people/mohsen7x8 mighty

extremely impatient to see the first demos of WM7 !

http://intensedebate.com/people/Lennard Lennard

same here, I want to see what they have in store. It could be possible that they're waiting on more powerfull devices to hit the market that actually meet or exceed the minium chasis. I'm hoping manufacturers don't go below the minimum specs because that would just drop the whole experience down a couple notches.
http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

Yeah. All good things come to those who wait….though bad things can come too.

http://intensedebate.com/people/wreiad wreiad

Way to tease us guys!:(
Craig S

"Sounds a bit like TouchFlo3D, doesn’t it?"

Not when they say
"will never submit to slowdowns and delays in the response"
Carsten

will it run on the HD 2 ?
WMBerry

"Windows Mobile 7 To Be Revolutioary"

It should be, it needs to be, I have doubts that it will be. Windows 7 for pc's was released recently and while it is improved and fixes a lot of what was wrong with Vista, it is by no means "revolutionary". If Windows Mobile 7 is to be that "revolutioary" it brings up questions about its ability to remain as compatible (sync) as it is with Windows pc, unless Windows 8 for the pc will also be coming shortly, and it too, is to be as "revolutioary" as Windows Mobile 7. That all seems very out of order, of course.

And let's hope they aren't just going to do take-offs of the UI improvements made by HTC, Samsung, and others, as good a job as they have all done.

Microsoft has done nothing truely "revolutioary" in a long time, by technology standards. And I question whether they will with Windows Mobile 7 either. They should and need to do it, so we'll all keep waiting and hoping.

http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

Yeah. Wasn't Windows Vista supposed to be revolutionary when it was released? And how did that work out again? Oh yeah, loads of Apple "Mac vs. PC" ads poking fun at Vista….Niiice.

Carsten

Hmm, then I hope there will be an fingerfriendly-version of 6.5 released soon.

http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

Good luck, but I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

Rohit

HD 2 seems like a pretty good deal. It seems to be future proof with WM7. Good for two years.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Foamy Foamy

especially when you consider that the hardware improvements in those two years are likely to be small. I mean the screen size and resolution is unlikely to improve. the processor/graphics probably will but not to the point where the HD2 becomes slow.

John

Im waiting for next year's lineup of HTC phones. Sprint will get its TP2 replacement in the fall about the time when WM7 is slated to ship.. so fingers crossed for that.
http://todayspoliticalnews.com Jason

Oops, meant Billions!
andrew

Here's what I worry about. What if 7 requires capacitive screens and the phones can't take stylus input? Then how do you actually work with the phone as opposed to viewing stuff and sending text messages? Does anyone know if stylus input will be possible?
http://intensedebate.com/people/ast32 ast32

They have an entire year to offer an amazing OS. Don't fail us again MS. Android 2.1 is out and iPhone is hardly a smart phone. Palm's new OS is a year out so that means they have room to easily improve in this OS war. I'm excited.