New Life for Windows Mobile : Windows Mobile turns Windows Phone

By Mary Branscombe , published on February 16, 2009 at 10:00 AM
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Between the iPhone 3G, the G1, the Storm, and the repeated delays to WinMo version 7 and Mobile Internet Explorer 6, Windows Mobile has lost ground in the last year. It might still have more business-oriented features than the competition, and 2008 did see the launch of flagship Windows Mobile devices like the Sony Ericsson XPERIA and the Samsung Omnia, but while Microsoft can boast 11 different million-selling handsets, none of them have had the iconic mass-market success of the Apple iPhone. Microsoft continues to promise big changes, fewer “me-too” handsets and better connections between phone and PC. So, this week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the phone-interested world will keep watch on whether companies produced enough innovations this week to rescue the original smartphone operating system? For starters, Microsoft is changing the name: Although the new version of the software is Windows Mobile 6.5, every new phone bearing it will simply be called a Windows Phone – and, going forward, each will have the Windows logo on it. Let's see what some of these new Windows Phones—which won't arrive on U.S. shores until at least the summer of 2009-- might look like.

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Comments
tntom 02/17/2009 4:17 AM
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Windows Phone why not just WinPhone

Igot1forya 02/18/2009 9:06 PM
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I say call it the "Phone Operating System" or POS for short... and everyone will ask "Is your phone a POS?" and companies will put labels on thier next gen phones saying "POS-Ready"!

hellwig 02/19/2009 11:13 PM
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Hmm.. so I have to hold the TG01 phone perfectly straight to watch movies on it, what a pain.

I remember being at Microsoft and going to a presentation of their smartphone OS (can't recall which version). They had big hopes for the market, but this was 2004. I had figured that marked had all but dried up on them, but this article claims they're the number #1 smart phone OS. When did that happen? Why don't I see more Windows phone advertisements? Seems very contrary to MS's whole philosophy.

redhat 04/17/2009 6:23 AM
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I still do not know very clear what's windows mobile!

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