The name is Seven. WinMo Seven.
Image Credit: WMExperts
With all of the Apple tablet rumors floating, it’s only fair to let Windows Mobile 7 have it’s time in the gossip column. WMExperts shines the spotlight on a slew of speculation and it’s the first I’ve heard the name “Seven” bandied around. The short, classy nomenclature just rings of a James Bond introduction, no?
Some of the good include super high-end device specifications from LG and HTC — and by “super high-end” I mean at least as good as the über-powerful HTC HD2 that has folks drooling. Many of the specifications simply make sense to me, mainly because tight software integration and customization combined with fast hardware are what make the HD2 appealing. The banter about a 1280 x 720 resolution on a 3.8″ display doesn’t sound quite right, however. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but I can’t see that being an efficient resolution on a display of that size. A 5″ display would be better suited for WXGA, but even that’s a stretch.
On the software side of the house, Seven appears to be coming in at least two versions: a Business Edition and a Media Edition. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the basic target audience for each, although I’m hoping that some phones offer the best of both worlds. With handhelds becoming the device we always have with us, limiting productivity or entertainment features by different editions isn’t appealing to me. One device should suffice for many purposes. And perhaps that’s what will happen — this is rumor and speculation, after all.
The Business Edition is allegedly more of a bare-bones offering to allow for carrier and handset maker customization. But there’s talk of some remote document editing and management features as well. Media Edition sounds more up my alley with potential offerings like Zune and Xbox 360 integration of some type, as well as Silverlight, Mediaroom and ties to both Facebook and Twitter. The social aspects certainly sound legit, since many other current platforms are already offering that. And many Zune addicts have been clamoring for better WinMo integration for years.
I expect we’ll begin to see a clearer picture for Seven at next month’s Mobile World Congress. As exciting as much of this functionality sounds, I’m equally as interested to see how revamped the user interface is, and at what level that revamp goes to. Previous releases showed that the old-style, stylus-driven input was still lurking just below the surface. While there’s a time and place for a stylus, nearly all other mobile platforms are succeeding without the pen.
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The new name seems to be quite popular but I can’t help but think that Microsoft have made the same mistake here that they often make with their product names – it’s just not search engine friendly.
Very good point, I hadn’t thought of that.
Yeah, I always have to search for…
“Windows 7″ whatever I’m looking for
… in order to weed out all the Windows XP or Windows Vista links not to mention the “home improvement” type of windows upgrades, lol.
As a Windows Mobile user and supporter, I have to admit that I hope WinMo 7 brings about the same flair and acceptance that Windows 7 has received. Lord knows they need something worthwhile to attract customers and put a stop to the negativity.
That said, I think what HTC has been doing with WM6.x has been quite impressive lately, so as long as they keep on keeping on, I’ll be happy with what they’re selling.
You might want to consider an Android or iPhone for your next Smartphone. A WinMo phone is anything but “Smart”. Definitely sounds like you are a Microsoft Bigot of the highest order. Bring yourself down a notch and have a look at the superiority of competing products that are roundly kicking WinMo butt these days.
They really really need to redo that clunky UI. I also suspect that they will retain legacy support for the Stylus. IMO, i would make a firm break from past apps and move to the future but MS has a history of supporting poorly conceived features of old OS and keeping them in new OS. Just look at the 1993 NT Registry that is STILL in Windows (as of version 7). The NT Registry is one of the worst designed and implemented features of any OS is modern history and it still being used in the latest Windows OS. It is the Achilles heel of Windows and always will be. As long as Microsoft continues to hold onto the past they will fail.
Windows Mobile failed in the market (its market share of new handset sales is still plummeting).
Zune failed in the market. It never gained traction to begin with, and was never popular.
Combine these two into a “Zune Phone”, and you get Windows Mobile Seven.
What’s the amazing hidden ingredient that we haven’t heard about yet, that will make the combination of these two unpopular devices succeed in the market?
I just did the math on that one.
FAIL + FAIL = DOUBLE FAIL
:-)
I am scared. Scared for Microsoft. Seriously, that power bar only takes up 15-20% of the screen. Somewhere between big shiny buttons/type and four rows of icons as on the Word document lies a realistic mobile interface.
The more important number is FOUR, as in iPhone OS 4.0 !
Yes, this is the new mobile phone OS that may finally put the nail in Windows Mobile’s coffin.
Rumor says many new features will finally make the iPhone more like the more modern Android phones !
Between Android and iPhone it looks like WinMo is stuck between a rock and a hard place. WinMo SEVEN will be too little too late as they start getting squeezed outa the marketplace completely.
High resolution in itself is a good thing, as long as the UI scales independently of the pixels. I’d love a 3.8 inch WXGA screen with properly sized text and images – just picture the crispness of it all with anti-aliasing etc thrown in. The only potential issue would be the increased power drain.
John Appleseed & Bentley Rothschild = same person.
Not that I doubt you, but why do you think that?
Just my troll spidey sense! ;-)
I think you have *excellent* spidey sense. ;)