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Microsoft Officially Shows Off Windows Phone 7 Series

Feb 15, 2010, 9:00 AM by Philip Berne
updated Feb 15, 2010, 11:21 AM

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer today unveiled Windows Phone 7 Series, the company's newest mobile operating system, at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The new Windows Phone 7 Series is a complete departure from the original operating system, a paradigm that had gone mostly unchanged for years. The user interface gets a complete overhaul, now relying on actively updating "live tiles" and "hubs" that gather features and content into onscreen panels, instead of the usual icon-based grid of applications. The new experience is reminiscent of the interface on Microsoft's Zune HD media player, and in fact Windows Phone 7 Series users will also get access to their Zune music and multimedia selections on their phone. In addition to Zune support, new Windows Phone 7 Series devices will also play games from Microsoft's Xbox Live service, and popular Xbox Live features like player avatars and achievement points will also be part of the Windows Phone 7 experience. For business users, Windows Phone 7 Series devices will come with Microsoft's Office Mobile suite of applicatons, as well as OneNote and Sharepoint for business collaboration. Microsoft will also be including social networking integration on the new phones, so contact information, photos and events from your social networks, in addition to status updates, will be integrated with the contacts interface. Microsoft will offer a dedicated Marketplace onboard to download new third-party software. Microsoft is working on new devices with a wide range of partner companies, including HTC, Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson, Dell, HP, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile USA. The first Windows Phone 7 Series devices will hit the market in the holiday season of 2010. Additional details about the platform will be shared at the company's Mix event next month.

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Comments

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This forum is closed.

bluecoyote

Feb 15, 2010, 6:10 PM

To all of you anti-iPhone Pro-MS Fanboys....

1) Microsoft isn't allowing for the UI customization (Sense, 3rd party overlays, etc.) you saw in prior versions. All development is tightly controlled.

2) Limited Multitasking

3) Push Notifications

4) Synchronization done with Microsoft's Zune software.

5) Extremely tight control over development.

In other words, I'm laughing pretty hard. Microsoft has admitted that Apple's vertically integrated model is better (need proof? Exhibit Android) , and has conceded the very weak points of the existing platform (that Multitasking causes more problems than it solves.)

That said I'm looking forward to it, the UI seems a little more flash-over-function (can't wait to browse through my HOTOS) , but kudos to MS for taking a bold mo...
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Menno

I think that they're doing a different take on multi tasking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MoVc6NLMDU »

sounds very widget based, no?

buffalosolja42

Feb 15, 2010, 9:17 AM

Yay! Hope they release a beta so we can get a feel

Windows mobile I think should have integrated the Zune and Xbox stuff from the get go being as they both provide service that alot of their customers already want and pay for. That would have probably instantly increased their market share on smartphones/pdas instantly. We will see how this measures up (has to do well because people are lazy and don't want to configure anything they just want "an app for that").

Menno

they won't release a beta for this.. it is a complete rewrite like WebOS was for palm

bluecoyote

Feb 15, 2010, 11:56 AM

Damn, MS!

The UI looks promising, hopefully they didn't crapify it by trying to shoehorn in legacy WinMo app support (look sorry guys that platform NEEDS a clean break.)

I love how Microsoft was very adamant about device specifications. I think they know Google's mess all too well. 🤣

trojandrew

from everything i've read / heard it seems that Microsoft is looking for that fresh start. And where backwards compatability is clean it will be there, but otherwise devs shouldn't look for MS to bend over backwards. the big boys will rewrite their st...
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ads1525

Feb 15, 2010, 11:19 AM

Not a huge fan of winmo...

but these new features do sound really cool. i live on xbox live so managing it from my phone and playing hexic on my phone would be awesome!

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