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Microsoft is paying about $7.2 billion for Nokia’s devices business and patent licenses in a last ditch gamble to take on Google, Apple and a wide variety of smartphone players who have surged ahead and threaten to gnaw at its core PC business.
Is Microsoft really thinking about competing directly with its trusted Windows Phone partner Nokia? The folks who know for sure aren’t saying, but Nokia CEO Stephen Elop believes that even if Microsoft chooses that option, Nokia has contractual rights to unique technology.
A New York plaintiff has filed a class action lawsuit against Nokia and its CEO and CFO, alleging that they deceived the market by issuing false claims about how well the company’s migration to Windows Phone was going.
UPDATED: Angry Birds Space is another huge hit for Rovio who said Thursday is won’t be building a version for Windows Phone, according to Peter Vesterbacka, the chief marketing officer of Rovio. Rovio, however, reversed course Friday and said they would develop a WP7 app.
It has been just over a week since the Fira de Barcelona gates closed on Mobile World Congress 2012, so now is a good time for a retrospective look at the event. The big thing at MWC wasn’t a phone or new network architecture but the much more subtle shift in focus on how we live in a hyperconnected world. This year the industry seemed to move beyond starry-eyed soothsaying about a world of 50 billion connected devices to start talking about how these mammoth networks of objects and appliances would actually work and how they would be managed.
It wasn’t just here in the U.S. and it wasn’t just iPhone users; the mobile app obsession has gone global and is now bigger than ever. Here’s a look at some of the most interesting statistics involving the abundance of mobile apps we devoured this year.
Nokia’s Lumia 710 is leading the phone maker’s Windows Phone 7 charge in the U.S. and is set to go on sale January 11 with T-Mobile. T-Mobile announced that the 710 will sell for $50 with a two year contract and will ride atop its 4G network.
Microsoft may have launched its companion app for Xbox consoles on Windows Phone 7 devices exclusively, but it isn’t leaving iOS users completely out in the cold. The official My Xbox LIVE app, which works on both iPhone and iPad, is in the App Store now.
Another chapter in the ongoing consolidation of the tablet market — specifically in the area of those many Android vendors that have failed…
IOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7 have collectively hit 991,524 apps available in their stores with the big million unit milestone set to be reached in the next day, said an analytics firm. It’s a reminder of just how big this modern app market is.
Android device makers, RIM (NSDQ: RIMM) and (catastrophically) HP (NYSE: HPQ) have made little dent so far in the tablet market, currently d…
Apple and Microsoft are reportedly poised to support NFC next year in their handsets, according to a report from Digitimes. Apple’s support of NFC could be especially helpful for the nascent technology, helping expose it to a mainstream audience.
So much hope has been pinned on Nokia’s comeback strategy — in which it has pivoted in the space of less than a year to develop a new line…
Considering all the issues and upheavals that Nokia (NYSE: NOK) has had in its core business of mobile phones — what with the declining mar…
One in every two smartphones sold in the world is an Android device, according to Gartner, which said that Google’s mobile platform has doubled its share in the past year and surged to a 52.5 percent smartphone market share worldwide in the third quarter.
The Kindle Fire isn’t just getting attention from consumers. Developer interest is on the rise, making Amazon’s new device the top Android tablet developers want to code for in North America, just a few points behind where the iPad debuted, according to a new developer survey.
Nokia eked out a decent third quarter based on strong feature phone sales, helping the company beat analyst expectations. But the real challenge awaits next week, when Nokia unveils its first Windows Phone 7 device, which will show how its bet on WP7 is faring.
The world of apps is only getting bigger, so it seems fitting that another company is jumping in to try to make sense of it all. One of the…
Spending in the mobile advertising space will be approximately $4 billion worldwide this year, so despite perceptions to the contrary, we can safely assume it’s an area to watch in the coming years. To get a clearer picture of mobile advertising’s future, it helps to first explore the current landscape — the key drivers and players involved today. With these as a backdrop, a five-year outlook such as this comes into greater focus and leads to a discussion of the major players to watch as 2016 approaches. Companies mentioned in this report include Foursquare, LivingSocial and Zynga. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial.
The Mango software update will roll out to existing Windows Phone 7 devices starting today and should get to all devices within a matter of weeks. It sets up Microsoft to finally get into the smartphone game in its second year with WP7.
Windows Phone 7 is increasingly catching the eye of smartphone buyers but awareness is still a major hurdle. The NPD Group reported that while Android is the top choice of smartphone owners, 44 percent of current and upcoming smartphone owners are considering purchasing a WP7 device.
Microsoft and Intel unveiled initiatives Tuesday that show how the Wintel partners are trying to separately navigate a new post-PC world. Microsoft unveiled Windows 8, which will work on ARM-based tablets and computers while Intel announced a partnership with Google to optimize its chips for Android.
An informal Twitter poll lends credence to the thought that Samsung should have launched the SGS2 sooner in the U.S. Now the super smartphone will find more competition as consumers are willing to wait for what’s next, such as a new iPhone or Nexus handset.
Windows Phone 7 sales have been slow, but Microsoft is steadily building up the platform with more apps and features. The latest is the ability share a mobile broadband data connection in the Mango software update, but it appears carriers will have control over its use.
Microsoft’s hardware requirements for Windows Phone 7 Mango devices will add support for front-facing cameras, and Skype will support them. To help broaden the appeal of Windows Phone 7 smartphones, Microsoft should deeply integrate Skype into the platform and consider adding unique services.
Nokia introduced the next major version of its Symbian platform, called Belle, on Wednesday, in addition to three new handsets that will run it. Although there’s some innovation, particular around NFC support, Belle will look familiar to Android owners: more homescreens, better widgets and pull-down notifications.
A look at some of the big stories in mobile today:
» AT&T’s handset roadmap for Q3 and Q4 (or a part of it, at least) has been un…
Group messaging and conversation apps are everywhere these days. But despite all the competition, a new entrant with a less-is-more approach and emphasis on privacy might be just what some users are looking for. That’s exactly what the new iPhone app Glassboard offers.
Tom noted the other day how the two big news stories that bookended last week — Google (NSDQ: GOOG) buying Motorola (NYSE: MMI), and HP (NY…
The blockbuster deal between Motorola and Google is forcing many of the smaller handset makers to rethink their reliance on Google’s Android operating system. INQ, the company that came up with a Skype phone and a Facebook phone, is now looking at supporting Windows Phone 7.
Microsoft continues to push its game service on Windows Phone 7 as a key differentiator from other platforms. In addition to the Mango improvements hitting Microsoft phones soon, the Xbox Live experience is gaining four new functions, including Parental Controls and in-game add-ons available for purchase.
Google rocked the mobile world on Monday, August 15, with the news that it will buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, marking a 63-percent premium for the handset manufacturer. It’s a move that ushers Google into the exclusive club of companies that control both the hardware and software elements of their smartphone offerings, and it will enable Google to design handsets that are more closely integrated with Android. However, the deal doesn’t come without its risks, and it remains to be seen just how it will affect other handset makers, competition from Microsoft and the crucial patent issues currently surrounding Google. Companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Research In Motion and Samsung. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial.
Google wants to “supercharge” Android with its acquisition of Motorola Mobility, but what exactly does that mean? Some think we’ll see Google try to provide a hardware/software platform combo to rival Apple, but there are a few big reasons why that won’t happen anytime soon.
Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform is set to improve with Mango, a software update coming soon. I’ve spent some time with Mango on my smartphone, and it didn’t take long to impress me. Microsoft has a tough road ahead due to competition, but Mango will help.
More details are emerging on Nokia’s rollout strategy for its N9 MeeGo device — the one that quickly warmed so many Nokia-stoic hearts, but…
Smartphones were up 74 percent in the second quarter of 2011, accounting for a fourth of all mobile device sales, versus just 17 percent last year. The companies benefiting most from increasing smartphone sales are clearly Apple and Google, but which is benefitting the most?
Chris Weber, the newly appointed head of Nokia North America, is confident that his company, along with his former employer, Microsoft, has what it takes to compete with Apple and Google. He said Nokia-Microsoft could take advantage of the fragmentation in the Google Android ecosystem.
Microsoft is looking at speech technology in the Mango update of WP7 to help the platform get back into the smartphone game. But with Apple also positioned to announce Nuance technology in iOS 5, it shows that speech is becoming table stakes in the smartphone wars.
When we launch Windows Phones we will essentially be out of the Symbian business, the S40 business, etc., It will be Windows Phone…
Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) has reached an important milestone in the development of the first major update to Windows Phone 7. It announced Mond…
Nokia’s transition to Microsoft Windows Phone 7 will cost Nokia far more market share and profits than it will ever gain by dumping the Symbian operating system, according to Tomi Ahonen, an ex-Nokia employee turned analyst. But his blame on Stephen Elop, Nokia’s CEO, is unfounded.
Fujitsu is launching a smartphone that doubles as a handheld Windows 7 computer. While the idea of a full computer in your pocket sounds attractive, this device strikes me as the worst possible combination of brands for a mobile device that runs for two hours.
Walking the smartphone tightrope was always going to be tough for Nokia, stuck between its struggling Symbian platform and upcoming Windows Phone models. But after warnings about its performance, the company has now revealed its numbers for the last three months — and they don’t look good.
Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 sales may be lagging, but the company is making sure it continues to develop the app ecosystem, which can help boost sales. Apps are now supported in more countries and developers have new Marketplace tools in preparation for the next software update.
Microsoft could be rolling out a new subscription video service later this year, pitting it against services like Netflix and Hulu Plus, as Microsoft seeks to grab more revenues from Xbox subscribers. But it will need to be available on other devices, too.
Google said Android is a $1 billion business. Microsoft, with its barrage of patent licensing agreements with Android manufacturers, could be on its way to making $1 billion off Android if its licensing deals pan out. That could make Android way more lucrative than WP7.
Apple’s iOS is now the number two smartphone platform in the U.S., according to market research firm comScore. Apple rose to second place during the three-month period ending in May, up 1.4 percentage points to 26.6 percent of total U.S. market share.
A look at some of the big stories in mobile today:
iPhone 5, iPad 3: More reports leading us to expect both a new tablet and smartphone fr…
While smartphone consumers are still taking their time embracing Windows Phone 7, Microsoft appears to be having more luck with developers. The mobile platform has reportedly crested the 25,000 app mark for Windows Phone Marketplace, according to at least one tracker site.
With its latest ad format, Vdopia will enable brands to deliver video ads into mobile browser and apps on multiple mobile platforms. These platforms includes the iPhone, iPad, Android and Blackberry mobile devices, with Windows Phone 7 and Symbian support coming soon.
Mobile gaming is one of the most lucrative and popular activities on the iPhone, but hasn’t made as much of a mark with Android. Microsoft (…
Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 platform is set to improve later this year, and part of the software improvements focuses on something rivals don’t have: a thriving Xbox Live game community boasting 35 million members who average 60 hours per month on the service.
Nokia’s newest phone doesn’t run Microsoft’s platform, but instead shows off MeeGo: the one-time successor to Symbian that became an experiment. But on the surface, the experiment looks positive. Windows Phone 7 could buy time for Nokia to yet develop MeeGo as an independent successful platform.
Join Matt and Kevin for the weekly live podcast on all things mobile. This week: thoughts on Apple licensing technology from Nokia, a follow up on WWDC and iOS 5 and first impressions of the HTC Evo 3D smartphone. Participate in the live chat room!
Nokia is about to lose its crown as the smartphone king, but not to Apple. Instead, Samsung will take up the mantle of top smartphone seller according to analysts at Nomura. These five reasons explain how it’s Samsung’s smartphone Galaxy and we just live in it.
Research firm IDC reiterated that it expects Windows Phone 7 to soar to number two by 2015 with 20 percent of the market, trailing only Android. But with the market moving so fast and competition so fierce, predictions like this seem premature.
Nokia’s CTO has left with no timetable for a return. The wheels continue to fall off for the company, which is skidding down the road solely due to momentum, which is slowing. Like a modern retro car, however, Microsoft gives Nokia a chance to survive.
Could Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) have learned a lesson from Google’s mobile experiences when making its own tablet plans? Acer’s CEO seems to th…
Seeking an answer to the rise of the tablet, the traditional PC industry is gathered in Taipei this week for Computex, one of the largest ha…
With the first Nokia Windows Phone 7 devices not expected to arrive until the fourth quarter, Nokia is facing an increasingly tough transition, the company acknowledged today, as it lowered its second quarter and full year outlook due to increased competition and pricing pressure.
The exact numbers are probably in dispute, but it’s hard to argue with the basic notion that Microsoft’s most lucrative mobile strategy over…
Several factors are driving the trend, including industry consolidation, rising competition, corporate brand building, distribution and marketing, and capital needs at target companies.
It’s almost like Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) is checking off boxes on a mobile to-do list with its Mango Windows Phone 7 release. Social integrat…
With the smartphone market zooming ahead, Microsoft formerly announced the latest update to its new Windows Phone 7 operating system called Mango, which brings a host of features that leverage Bing, Facebook and rich use of the hardware. But the release is not scheduled until fall.
HTC’s Trophy arrives next week as the first Microsoft Windows Phone 7 handset for the Verizon Wireless network. Will the 2010 hardware inspire sales in 2011? It’s not likely, but consumers looking for an alternative platform with Microsoft product integration might spring for the new handset.
Miso began offering developers the ability to build on its existing code base with an open API a few months ago. After a few months of making the API available, it launched a new app store to highlight apps built by third-party developers.
The latest smartphone figures from Gartner are in and they highlight just how much Microsoft and Nokia are in desperate need for each other. But with the way both are giving up marketshare, it shows that the new partnership might not be enough for either
Nokia is rebranding its Ovi services, or at least what’s left of them, starting this July. Ovi Mail went to Yahoo!, the Ovi Store will wither with Symbian and Ovi Maps will integrate into Windows Phone 7. Might Microsoft buy Nokia’s handset division at this point?
Microsoft officially announced it’s paying $8.5 billion for Skype today. At a press conference in San Francisco this morning, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Skype CEO Tony Bates gave more details about how they see the companies working together.
Last May, Symbian phones offered the highest ad click-through rates in the U.S. on Smaato’s mobile ad network, followed by Apple iOS devices and feature phones, with other platforms rounding out the remaining spots. This year is a totally different story with a new global leader.
Microsoft’s $8.5 billion purchase of Skype is official, giving the Redmond company an instant voice and video calling user-base of more than 170 million globally connected customers. With only an estimated 2.5 million Windows Phone 7 handsets sold, there’s ample opportunity here to boost smartphone sales.
Research firm Canalys released global smartphone sales estimates from the first quarter of 2011, with conjecture that no more than 2.5 million handsets running on Microsoft’s platform were shipped to retailers. That’s just a small percentage compared to Android, iOS and even Samsung’s Bada platform.
Microsoft unveiled a new set of tools for iOS developers to help them port their apps over to Windows Phone 7. But to really catch up in this game and significantly bump up developer support, Microsoft needs more than tools. It needs to sell more phones.
Nokia said today it will outsource Symbian development to Accenture, transferring 3,000 workers in the process. It also announced its largest jobs cuts in history with plans to shed another 4,000 jobs by the end of 2012, mostly in the U.K., Denmark and Finland.
TuneIn, a free app for Windows Phone 7 handsets, streams Internet radio from more than 50,000 radio stations over Wi-Fi or a mobile broadband connection. The application can also make use of a handset’s internal FM radio, which saves battery life and data plan use.
Join Matt and Kevin for the live podcast where they’ll discuss the latest mobile tech news and share hands on impressions of new gadgets. The Sidekick 4G is in hand, but is it a hit? Find out and participate in the live chat room!
By fall, Microsoft will push the next Windows Phone 7 update, including an IE9 browser, developer access to the camera and motion sensors, improved performance, multitasking and support for an ever so slightly wider range of hardware. Where will competitors be and what’s taking so long?
Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 is getting a few improvements later this year designed to give developers more incentive to create apps for the…
A long-awaited update to Nokia’s Symbian operating system improves the browser and keyboard on existing handsets, and the company is launching two new smartphones. Ovi Store downloads are up 25 times from a year ago. If this continues, Nokia might not need Microsoft after all.
Sprint’s HTC Arrive is the first, and currently only, Windows Phone 7 smartphone on the network. Even though that leaves consumers little choice if they want a Microsoft-powered handset, there’s much to like in the Arrive, provided you don’t mind using a still maturing mobile platform.
Is Nokia’s Symbian operating system relegated to a historical footnote by 2015? Research firm Gartner thinks so, but Nokia’s transition to Windows Phone 7 could take a few years and Google’s Android platform isn’t yet entrenched in the low-end segment just yet: Symbian may survive longer.
Nokia is beginning to migrate its Ovi Mail accounts to Yahoo’s platform today. But wait: isn’t Nokia betting its mobile future on Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7? This deal — nearly 11 months old — should have been shut down as soon as Nokia partnered with Microsoft in February.
In advance of its yearly developer event, Microsoft is sharing key numbers about Windows Phone 7. The average device owner has 12 apps, far less than on competing platforms, and only 40 percent of registered devs have published apps. Could missing sales data be the problem?
After a series of both delays and mis-steps, Microsoft is finally doing what it should have done in the first place with its Windows Phone 7 software update: posting a status page that refreshes weekly. Unfortunately, some handsets may still wait weeks for the NoDo update.
After failing to deliver the first functionality update to its Windows Phone 7 devices earlier this month, it appears Microsoft is ready to push new software out. Aside from the addition of copy / paste functionality, there are handful of other improvements once the update arrives.
AT&T is adding both an older device and a new handset to its network: Windows Phone 7 fans can look forward to the HTC HD7S, which gains a Super LCD display over the old HD7, while the LG Thrill 4G brings glasses-free 3D visuals.
AdMob is releasing a software development kit for Windows Phone 7 developers and is updating its platform to full HTML5 for iOS, Android and Windows Phone 7. The changes mean developers will be able to include rich media AdMob advertising units easily across all three platforms.
Nokia’s transition is fraught with risks and the biggest may be time. The company already said that it hopes to get the first Microsoft-powered Nokia phone out this year and today says it will take until 2013 before half of its smartphones run Microsoft’s operating system.
As Apple delivers its iOS 4.3 update, some Windows Phone 7 users are still waiting their first update, which only allows them to receive the next update. Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer said it would appear in the first two weeks of March. Isn’t that about now?
Folks who exercise have a new reason to consider a Windows Phone 7 handset today: RunKeeper just launched for Microsoft phones. The software uses GPS to track activities, capture useful data and create maps. Already on iOS and Android, RunKeeper has surpassed 5 million downloads.
My recent use of HTC’s Attentive Phone, software that smartly leverages a phone’s internal sensors to silence the ringer or enable the speaker phone when flipping the phone over, has me wondering: Isn’t it time for all smartphones to become more intelligent?
Flickr for Windows Phone 7 debuted this week and after a few days of usage, I find it better than its iOS counterpart. Its quick and easy to swipe through images, upload or share photos and view or comment on photostreams from your Flickr contacts.
Verizon Wireless will reportedly offer the HTC Trophy as its first Windows Phone 7 device. But this handset, like many of the others before it, simply meets the minimum requirements for Microsoft’s platform. Will partners advance the platform this year considering Nokia has exclusive customization abilities?
Today our smartphones know where we are, what time of day it is and, in some cases, our likes and dislikes. Seymour, a new self-learning recommendation engine, leverages that contextual information and combines it with the collective intelligence of the Internet for real-time, useful recommendations.
Sprint’s first Windows Phone 7 device arrives in the form of the HTC Arrive on March 20. The device could appeal to CDMA customers who want in on Microsoft’s new platform while offering the convenience of a full hardware keyboard to complement the 3.6-inch touchscreen.
The first Windows Phone 7 update launched on Monday, and some handsets are now rendered useless due to the new software. Nokia recently chose Microsoft’s platform as “the third ecosystem” in smartphones, but the update problem shows that the third spot is still up for grabs.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took the MWC stage to share improvements consumers and developers can expect to see in Windows Phone 7. Features such as Twitter integration, multitasking and cloud document storage are coming, but most functionality isn’t arriving until the second half of 2011.
Christian Lindholm, a well known former Nokia-executive who invented the Nokia Navi-key user-interface and father the Series 60 user-interface believes that Nokia-Microsoft tie-up is a good thing for the developers as there is a need for the third OS option beyond Android and Apple.
The signs have been coming, but now that it’s official, the Nokia-Microsoft partnership is still stunning. There are huge implications and tons of questions, from execution to integration and how Nokia will fare as it weathers two years of transition. Here’s what the Web is saying:
Rumors are swirling ahead of a big announcement by Nokia on Friday. Will it partner with Microsoft or Google? Will new boss Stephen Elop fire the board? Could the company even move from Finland to Silicon Valley? Perhaps it’s time to put things in perspective.
HTC has again grown sales and profits to record numbers, moving 24.6 million handsets in 2010. Clearly the company has transitioned successfully from its Windows Mobile roots over to Android, but can it transition sales by region? Europe and North America account for 83% of sales.
NFC has long failed to gain any traction in North America, but support from so many heavy hitters could finally move the needle for the technology.
Microsoft last week declared Windows Phone 7 its mobile platform for games. But the company will need to offer superior gaming hardware if it is to differentiate its platform from Android and Apple’s iOS. Right now, that isn’t happening.
In one of the first indications about manufacturer satisfaction with the Windows Phone 7 launch, an LG executive said the big Microsoft roll-out was, “less than we expected.” But he said the platform still has a chance as an easy-to-use alternative to Android.
In 2010, we saw a number of “outsiders” take their places as some of the most powerful players in the mobile space. For 2011, we will likely continue to see unexpected companies emerge across a wide variety of mobile segments, from app developers to infrastructure vendors to software companies hoping to ease the strain on mobile networks. Here are a few companies worth watching next year.
I, like a bunch of other bloggers, jumped on the report of Nokia considering Windows Phone 7 as an operating system. But the hook-up, something I said would reek of desperation, is not going to happen, according to a soon to be ex-Nokia employee.
After a few years of losing market share with its Windows Mobile platform, Microsoft developed Windows Phone 7 as its effort to…
Microsoft said today Windows Phone 7 manufacturers have sold 1.5 million phones to operators and retailers since the launch. But the company gave no indication of how many phones have been activated by end users, which would better explain how the new platform is faring.
With Microsoft staying mum on Windows Phone 7 sales, it’s difficult to say if the platform is doing as badly as analysts think. Data from Chitika suggests it is however: Ad impressions on Microsoft’s new phones are less than one percent of total impressions.
The mobile applications market has exploded in recent years, with Apple’s App Store surpassing 300,000 applications and the Android Market continuing to gain ground. Apple and Google’s crowdsourcing strategies and the market’s low barriers to entry have set the standard and convinced dozens of individuals — regardless of experience — to become mobile app developers. A survey of 331 respondents derived from our readership at TheAppleBlog and jkOnTheRun looks at trends among mobile application developers, including average income for a developer, the most popular app platforms, the rising popularity of tablet applications and the in-app advertising vs. paid and/or low-cost apps. Companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Google, Research in Motion and Nokia. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial.
After using the feature-packed HTC HD7, it’s safe to say that Microsoft has delivered on its promise: Windows Phone 7 looks nothing like the old Windows Mobile, which is good, but it’s clear that Microsoft’s new mobile platform still has room for improvement.
Samsung, which has rode Android to success with the Galaxy S, is reportedly shifting its focus to Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 in 2011. According to iMobile.cn, 63 percent of smartphones built by Samsung will be WP7 devices, followed by Android at 32 percent.
Microsoft has gotten a fair share of chuckles from its initial Windows Phone 7 commercials, which feature addicted smartphone users plodding along cluelessly. But Microsoft had better hope that it can replicate some of that addiction with the launch of Windows Phone 7 today.
LG is teaming up with Microsoft to help kick-start Windows Phone 7 through a promotion that will provide 10 free apps every 60 days. The promotion is a move to help push the newly released WP7 in a crowded smartphone market currently dominated by Android.
Windows Phone isn’t out of the gate and yet it’s already doing a solid job convincing developers, advertisers and publishers that it has a future, according to Millennial Media. After Android, 20 percent of publishers are equally planning on adding the iPad and Windows Phone 7.
Many signs suggest Sony will soon launch a Playstation Portable Phone. It’s a move that invites comparison to Microsoft’s plan of integrating Xbox Live with Windows Phone 7, a far more software-centric method of attack than Sony’s hardware-focused strategy. Which has a better shot at success?
It took BlackBerry a long, long time to release a proper media sync app for Mac. It took less than a month for Microsoft to release Windows Phone 7 Connector for Mac, which allows you to sync media from iTunes to your Windows Phone 7 device.
As we head towards the end of the calendar year, it’s a great time to be a smartphone buyer thanks to improving hardware, software and mobile broadband networks. Here’s a brief refresher of our thoughts and highlights on some of the latest handsets currently available.
Early reviews of the new smartphone platform from Microsoft are appearing on the web, and are restrained in the expectations. Windows Phone 7 shows potential yet is an obvious work in progress; the novel user interface is inconsistent. Here’s what the web is saying about WP7.
Appbackr is introducing the wholesale model to iOS apps, giving developers a new way to move their apps. The Appbackr Marketplace, launching in beta this week, allows buyers to purchase a bulk number of apps from a developer at a lower price, then sell them.
Now that RIM, Nokia and Microsoft have new smartphones to challenge Apple and Google, a question of platform investment comes into play. At what point do consumers feel they’ve spent too much on mobile apps for one device to keep them from switching operating systems?
Having spent time with Windows Phone 7 and hearing from executives, I think if Microsoft executes well — and that’s a big if considering this is a first release — Windows Phone 7 could bite into the growth of Android and regain significant ground in the smartphone space.
In the past, operators have looked to limit the number of operating systems they sell. The carriers are seeing that smartphone competition can be good for them, helping them reassert their power, which has been checked by the rise of the iPhone and app marketplaces.
After watching a demonstration of Windows Phone 7, it’s clear that Microsoft is going “all in” by reinventing its smartphone OS. Nokia and RIM both recently introduced new platforms too, but chose not to alienate their current user base with radical change. What a missed opportunity.
Microsoft announced the first devices running its new Windows Phone 7 mobile OS, and with it the introduction of new mobile video services. WP7 phones will enable users to connect to video services from Netflix, AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as videos from Microsoft’s Zune marketplace.
Microsoft is trying to carve out its own territory with Windows Phone 7, positioning it as a different phone that aims to be deeply personal for users. The new platform launches Nov. 8 in the U.S., but will it help Microsoft regain relevance in smartphones?
Microsoft announced Windows Phone 7 handsets from nine manufacturers that will run on 60 carriers in 30 countries worldwide, including Verizon and Sprint next year in the U.S. Here’s the list of what’s launching in each country and on which carriers.
Rovio Mobile, the Helsinki, Finland-based company behind hit iPhone game Angry Birds has no immediate plans to launch a Windows 7 version of the game anytime soon. Microsoft has placed an icon of Angry Birds on their site without talking to the Finnish game maker.
Microsoft announced a press event next week to launch Windows Phone 7, the highly anticipated platform to help Microsoft regain prominence in the smartphone market. Here’s a run-down on what you can expect from the new devices, who will carry them and what they can do.
Windows Phone 7’s launch is just around the corner but the battle for developers is well under way.
At Mobilize, Matt Thompson, GM of developer and platform evangelism for Microsoft, talked about the progress of the platform and why developers will want to support it.
The hype surrounding Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Phone 7 is due largely to the platform’s tight integration with Xbox Live and its focus on gaming. But Microsoft could further alienate its dwindling base of enterprise users in pursuit of this niche market of unknown gamers.
Microsoft is getting Windows Phone 7 ready for release for the holiday season, and is making good on promises to bring Xbox Live integration to the smartphone platform. Xbox Live players will find quite a few games on Windows Phone 7 at launch, including popular titles.
Microsoft should be making its own handsets, says Peter Bright of Ars Technica. There’s merit in the argument, but it’s far too late for such a change. Doing so would cut off hardware partners that also build Windows notebooks and desktops — a recipe for disaster.
Microsoft is gearing up for the launch of its new mobile platform, Windows Phone 7. The appearance of WP7 to the failed Kin OS is similar, so there is a concern the recent failure will have a negative impact on the new platform launching soon.
Given the cost of playing in the mobile technology arena, there is significant pressure on companies to get products out the door quickly. Those looking to avoid mistakes a la iPhone 4 and Kin would do well to bear a few key tips in mind.
Microsoft will reportedly provide every employee with a Windows Phone 7 handset, which works out to an instant user base of 90,000. This internal beta-testing approach can work well, as evidenced by Google’s Nexus One, but can Microsoft act fast enough to use it effectively?
Microsoft is scrambling to get Windows Phone 7 ready for its fall launch. The company is sending out preview phones to developers and the press to get feedback. Reaction to WP7 is mostly positive, and its worth rounding up the major points from these previews.
With its new Windows Phone 7 platform, Microsoft didn’t just revamp the operating system code and the user interface. For the first time ever, the company is finally embracing its vast ecosystem of services, making them native to the new handsets due out this holiday season.
Microsoft previously set expectations of new Windows Phone 7 handsets by the holidays — for two enterprising Las Vegas students, today is just such a holiday. Christian Hood and Eric Lo won Microsoft’s Imagine Cup event and received preview versions of a Windows Phone 7 handset.
Microsoft effectively killed off the Kin One and Two handsets yesterday, just six weeks after the phones launched. But there are at least five positive lessons learned from Kin that Microsoft can apply to its Windows Phone 7 product, expected before the end of this year.
Research In Motion shares tumbled last week after the company reported disappointing shipments and subscriber adds, and a new study indicates developers are showing little interest in the aging OS. Which means the door is wide open to the mobile enterprise.
When Microsoft and Verizon announced the new Kin phones, critics jumped on the plan pricing required for them. Not able to download apps, the Kin phones are not full smartphones, but Microsoft says that ability is on the way, as is merging with Windows Phone 7.
In a week when all eyes were on a phone found in a bar, Dell has been leaking information about its mobile roadmap. The company is committed to the Android platform, but not exclusively as the Lightning with Windows Phone 7 demonstrates. We’re watching, Dell.
Microsoft is sharing details of its new Windows Phone 7 series devices at the MIX10 developer event. Five key attributes of the new platform are surprisingly similar to Apple’s iPhone — and some are the very things that critics decried Apple for. Might this help Android?
At today’s MIX10 event, Microsoft announced both the development tools and the software partners already on board for Windows Phone 7 Series. Several software title demonstrations show a very mature mobile platform that’s sure to impress when the new devices land later this year.
The Microsoft MIX10 event is underway in Las Vegas, and at the conference for developers details are starting to appear about the company’s plans to help developers get cracking with Windows Phone 7. New developer tools are being rolled out, available for download from Microsoft.
Microsoft is making a clean break with the Windows Phone 7 Series and new handset requirements. But there’s a handset or two that might have the necessary “oomph” to handle the new operating system. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like any official upgrades will be appearing.
The week marches on and today being Saturday means it is time to recap the recent happenings in the world of Windows Mobile. Microsoft has confirmed details on the new Windows Phone Starter Edition. Adobe will not provide Flash for WinMo 6.5 as previously thought.
The week marches on and today being Saturday means it is time to recap the recent happenings in the world of Windows Mobile. This feature may soon be called the WinPho Wrap, as this week Windows Phone 7 Series was publicly unveiled in Spain.
Windows Phone 7, Windows Phone Classic, and now Windows Phone 6 Starter Edition? The Microsoft smartphone lineup is getting more confusing each day, as distributor Bsquare announced a Starter Edition for new and emerging markets. It’s not clear what that means, perhaps time will tell.
The unveiling of Windows Phone 7 this week left current Windows Mobile phone owners wondering what would happen once the new version hits the market. Microsoft has revealed that Windows Mobile 6.5 will be rebranded as Windows Phone Classic, and coexist alongside the new version.
Firefox Mobile for Maemo arrived last month, but without many devices to take advantage of it, people are wondering which platform will be the next one to see Mozilla’s browser. Microsoft’s clean break with Windows Phone 7 just might push Mozilla to Android first.
Spb Mobile Shell has long been one of the best things you can add to a Windows Mobile phone. Spb has announced that the new version 5 of the Spb Mobile Shell interface will work on Windows Mobile, and is also available for Android and Symbian.
Of all the companies competing in the cellphone industry, it is perhaps more than just a little poetic that Microsoft (s msft)…
Microsoft lifted the veil covering Windows Phone 7 this morning, and the interface is nothing short of spectacular. We won’t see any of these phones until end of this year, but this video shows off the interface in great detail.
Steve Ballmer took the stage at the Mobile World Congress and officially announced the Windows Phone 7 Series. It is the next major update to the Windows Mobile OS, and it merges WinMo with Xbox Live games, Zune audio and video functionality.
