MSFT pins hopes on Win Mobile 7 - late 2010

Jonny Evans
|
August 19, 2009
|
Share

Microsoft seems scared, wooing iPhone developers to bring their WWDC-invented ideas to its Windows Mobile platform, while inventing a dual platform pitch to compete with Android and Apple.

Microsoft isn’t expected to introduce a fully updated version of Windows Mobile until next year, but will ship it the upgraded Windows Mobile 6.5 in October. But Windows Mobile partners won’t feel the magic touch - Microsoft won’t be enabling touch interfaces until a little later, in February 2010, reports Digitimes.

(Just how long is it since every other mobile maker began fielding touch? Just saying...).

Then, in typical Microsoft style, the company makes its usual attempt to confuse the market - in future, Digitimes reports, the company plans to lower the price of Windows Mobile 6.5 and keep selling it even after the late 2010 release of Windows Mobile 7.

“The dual-platform strategy will allow Microsoft to compete with Android-based platform using Windows Mobile 6.5 and also compete with iPhones leveraging Windows Mobile 7, the sources asserted.”

Right, we suspect Apple will be looking at iPhone Software 5.0 by then, so we’ll see if Microsoft’s in dev Win Mob 7 has a fighting chance around then. Looking at these figures it seems to us the company’s got some catching up to do. Perhaps it should stick with making Xboxes and mice?

In related news, Microsoft has filed an appeal against the ruling which requires it to stop selling Office or pay a developer a huge chunk of cash - $290 million.

Comments (11)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 19, 2009 - 3:11am

@Steve Ballmer : laugh my fat boneheaded friend, keep laughing at Apple's iPhone.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 19, 2009 - 3:48am

Late 2010. LOL

Are they kidding. Ballmer needs to be fired NOW! What a jackass.

Microsoft is loosing talent every day. People are leaving this bloated whale in droves.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 19, 2009 - 6:43am

I like the was MS always comes up with something like.
"If you like what others gave you a year ago, then just wait to see what we will give you en a year or two"
It's like they don't understand that people keeps develoing there stuff while MS is trying to catch up. (and that way will stay behind all the time)
.
When the first iPhone came out MS starting to talk about hav cool and better Windows Mobile 7 would be compeered to that.
But could not go in to details.
Now iPhone is on generation 3, and we still haven seen what Windows Mobile 7 realy can that is so much cooler

Cells (not verified) | August 19, 2009 - 7:51am

I just got an Android phone. I had the choice between it, a BlackBerry, and a Windows Mobile phone.

I wonder how different my life would have been if I had gotten a Windows Mobile phone.

kipmartin (not verified) | August 19, 2009 - 1:51pm

why not an iPhone?

i guess i'd pick an Android given your 'lesser-of-three-evils' choices. glad im not forced to do that, though--carrying an Android in your front pocket is a lot like carrying a box of theater-sized Milk Duds around in your pocket. the bulge is SOOO Dwight Schrute.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 19, 2009 - 9:37am

microsoft have the track record to come in with something late and yet wipe the competition out . Its historical track record is better than any other company . Win mobile will be no diff . They just need bill gates back on the wheel

truthfind (not verified) | August 19, 2009 - 10:55am

You can't be serious- Apple comes out with the iPod, it changes everyting. MS comes out with the Zune it fails miserably. Apple comes out with iPhone, MS comes out with the BigA-- table (their only multitouch device). Anyone seen more than one yet? And what was that watch that MS came out with, and how successful was it? Oh, that's right...

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | August 19, 2009 - 3:46pm

Oh, but wait... Microsoft came out with Windows and utterly destroyed the Mac. 90% market share is not a failure, but you could argue that a stagnant 8-9% is.

krishna (not verified) | August 19, 2009 - 1:33pm

I have to raise few basic questions to Microsoft… Why Microsoft has to keep two platforms alive at the same time to compete against two different players rather than to kill the previous one? Why can’t they put their resources at one place rather than to channel it in different platforms?

James (not verified) | August 20, 2009 - 6:25pm

It’ll be interesting to see if the UI from the ZuneHD can be expanded into a proper smartphone OS. September’s looking like an interesting month…

dannyboy | August 21, 2009 - 10:18pm

I like the way MS always comes up with something like. "If you like what others gave you a year ago, then just wait to see what we will give you en a year or two" testking 1Y0-A09
It's like they don't understand that people keeps develoing there stuff while MS is trying to catch up. (and that way will stay behind all the time) . testking 70-284
When the first iPhone came out MS starting to talk about hav cool and better Windows Mobile 7 would be compeered to that.testking JN0-531