Windows Mobile Starter Edition to be announced at Mobile World Congress

February 14, 2010 | By Surur

A mis-sent press pack seems to have alerted Neowin to the imminent announcement of a new version of Windows Mobile at Mobile World Congress.

No, we are not talking Windows Mobile 7 here, but in fact a lower-tier version called Windows Mobile Starter Edition.

Like Windows 7 Starter edition, this version is meant for developing markets and will be based on Windows Mobile 6.X.

Starter Edition itself will come in two versions, one with Office Mobile and one without. Windows Mobile Starter Edition will also support 2G (GSM), 2.5G (EDGE, GPRS) and CDMA (Rev A, EV-DO Revision A) or or TD-SCDMA. It’s not yet clear whether 3G will be supported.

We have previously heard rumours that Windows Mobile 6.5 will become free in developing markets, which fits in nicely with this leak.

At WMPU we cant say this fragmentation between markets is advisable, and suggests Microsoft rather find other ways of making their $15 per license, for example a cut of application sales, music and video sales or premium services such as extra storage on My Phone.

What do our readers think of Microsoft’s strategy? Let us know below.

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 microsoft, mwc 10, windows mobile starter edition

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

maybe the gimped down version without multi-tasking is the windows phone 7 starter edition. at least this is what I'm hoping.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Lennard Lennard

maybe the gimped down version without multi-tasking is the windows phone 7 starter edition. at least this is what I'm hoping.

http://www.avianwaves.com Parrotlover77

Mark my words: that's a bullshit rumor. I'm sticking to that.

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

Who are you?

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

So I guess this is what they'll be using to to take on the free Android.
http://twitter.com/Touchwizguy @Touchwizguy

Im realllllyyyy hoping that Windows Mobile 7 will be able to run on devices based on the MSM72xx series….mainly the Touch Pro 2….

http://intensedebate.com/people/peterfares peterfares

Doubt it will even get a WM7 native kernel.

http://www.avianwaves.com Parrotlover77

Developing a mobile device is a long, complex, and expensive process. I'm not entirely convinced that the device fee itself is a huge determining factor to a developer. It's a consideration, certainly, but it's apparently so far not really hurting Microsoft, despite pre-6.5 WM being, in its industry, a little bit of a dinosaur. Android is free and it has not supplanted WM, although it is cutting into its sales.

As fans of the OS, we all would love it to be free, and have custom ROMs be legal, and on and on… But there is a real financial motivation to this. WM has to be profitable for MS to want to continue it. The device licensing fee is a good way to make money. And if WM7 rocks the world, $15 will seem pretty insignicant to the device maker when compared to potential sales.

Another thing to consider… What does Symbian charge? They are the most prevelant mobile OS still to this date.

Just because Google made their's free (which I still consider a pretty pathetic mobile OS without all the HTC Sense niceness), doesn't automatically make it more desirable.

Chris

Symbian is irrelevant. It was about the only option early on for lower powered devices that wanted functionality. Nokia bought it, then it ment open source. Its not comparable to Winmo here. The reason Winmo going free is a big deal is that it will mean it can be used in developing markets on cheaper products. The recent Google/china hissyfit means a free winmo could clean up there.
Guest

Android is neither free nor open.

Android is developed by Google for members of the Open Handset Alliance. Only companies can join and they have to pay – I am not sure whether they have to pay a license fee for every unit sold or only a yearly fee – like every serious Google operation this is done with maximium secrecy (I always wonder why people think Google is an open source company when in reality it is more closed then Microsoft, btw).

The "open source" version (that is available for everyone for download) is released months after the members of the Open Handset Alliance had access to it (i.e. the open source version is outdated). Currently 2.1 is available but I am pretty sure the OHSA members are already playing with 2.5 or 3.0 (I am guessing that it takes an OEM three months to create a ROM for the newest version of the OS).

If Microsoft starts to release the source code of outdated versions of WinMo as well (they won't) then there won't be much difference between Android and WM anymore.

John

Not to mention that Android is essentially slaved to google services. Sure those dont cost the consumer money, but its not something they really have a choice in. Free = /= better.
John

Oh and the only reason Android is picking up any traction is its the only alternative to the iPhone platform that has a modern UI. WM7 will change all that.

aleis

i sure hope.