Microsoft has long been a leader in the smartphone market, however, thanks to recent developments such as the iPhone, Android and most recently webOS and Blackberry OS 5.0, it has seen its market share slip. It still is one of the major players in the smartphone market, but in terms of market share growth, it is seeing that receding as others step in to pick up what is has lost.
That has prompted Redmond to try something radically different, something you wouldn’t expect from the world’s biggest software manufacturer. In all truth, this is nothing short of a radical rethinking. And none too soon since the company is in need of major direction.
Windows Phone 7 Series
Windows Phone 7 Series is the next installment of the Windows Phone series (previously named Windows Mobile). That said, it takes the idea of a phone running a bunch of apps and throws it out the window. According to Microsoft, while apps are great, they do not provide a connected experience and instead require a user to jump out of one experience and into another with limited or no connectivity. That said, they have rethought the experience and developed something they call “hubs.”
For instance you can have a music hub that puts all your music experience in a Zune like experience. In fact, on the issue of Zune like, the entire OS imitates the Zune HD’s platform. In fact there is full integration between the Zune desktop platform and Windows Phone 7. That means that the Windows Mobile Device Manager will be thrown out the door and instead replace with the former option.
Backwards compatibility is nonexistent. While Microsoft says they will continue to support Windows Mobile 6.5 for years to come (in an effort to keep the corporate community on their side), apps that work on 6.5 will not work on 7. However, there is the possibility that just like Palm’s webOS, there will be some type of emulator that could be used to run archaic apps on the OS.
Developing on the platform will take place using Silverlight, .NET and XDA (like the Zune). So far it’s too early to tell whether this will be a success or flop, however Microsoft earns props for trying something radically different. For all the talk about ho innovation was lacking in the halls of Redmond, whoever is the mastermind behind Windows Phone 7 Series has proven that Microsoft can still think outside the box.
Like it or hate it, you still have to admit that Microsoft is not trying to catch up with the competition, but in fact they are blazing their own trail. Whether their trail leads to success or failure, time will be the judge.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
wow very quick update done by Microsoft. this is a very good news for smart phone lovers.
cheers
The new series looks very interesting enough. Microsoft’s addition of hubs over the apps is a great improvement if i do say so myself. They are eating away the competition.