Microsoft preparing significant Windows Phone 7 update

[neiltc13]

Today at MIX 11 Microsoft showed off its developer platform for the next version of Windows Phone, which developers will be able to get their hands on for free in May. The new application platform adds:

• Multitasking for background processing, audio and file transfer, and fast app switching, including background audio playback for HTML5 webpages
• Deep phone integration, allowing apps to leverage Live Tiles, including push notifications via Live Agents running in the background
• Raw access to the camera and sensors (gyro and compass) via the Motion Sensor library, letting apps to control device hardware
• Microsoft hopes this will allow developers to make even more creative and engaging apps. To get our juices flowing, it showed off demos of new app concepts from Skype, Spotify, Layar, Qantas, Amazon Shopping, and Kik Messenger.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/13/windows-phone-adds-multitasking-deep-phone-integration-and-sen/

http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2011/apr11/04-13MIX2PR.mspx

Let's also not forget that Internet Explorer will be updated to be based on Internet Explorer 9, so the browsing experience should improve and it will gain support for new web technologies.

I am looking forward to this update for my phone, which I already really love.

 

[Hellhammer]

Essential move if they are really going to fight against iOS and Android. Hopefully this update will make it a noteworthy competitor. I'm looking forward to Nokia's WP7 phones. Not really to buy one but Nokia is a crucial part of our economy

 

[maflynn]

So far their marketshare is in free fall, so they cannot sit on this too long. I suspect not much will change until nokia starts shipping win7 phones.

 

[lsvtecjohn3]

So far their marketshare is in free fall, so they cannot sit on this too long. I suspect not much will change until nokia starts shipping win7 phones.

agreed.

I like how they implemented background audio playback for HTML5 webpages. I hope that also with iOS.

 

[zap2]

So far their marketshare is in free fall, so they cannot sit on this too long. I suspect not much will change until nokia starts shipping win7 phones.

I've read that their market is failing because Windows 6.5 and lower are being replaced by newer devices. And now its an issue of MS getting people are board with those devices(And Nokia using that OS should help quite a bit)

 

[*LTD*]

Zzzz . . . truly a pointless platform. Over three years too late and a completely redundant "me too" effort.

Ballmer should have been canned a long time ago for this Zune-like travesty.

Android is the entrenched commodity-brand. Apple is the entrenched Premium brand. Where does that leave MS? The brand for Windows fanboys, because by the looks of it, they're really the only ones that actually care (or pretend to.)

Good luck to them, though god only knows where the f all their R&D money is going, because it sure as hell isn't being utilized efficiently. They've added absolutely nothing to the mobile space, except for a lot of puzzling redundancy and waste. Same management, same crap. Nothing's changed.

 

[neiltc13]

Video showing iPhone 4 vs Windows Phone 7 (running this new update) and Nexus S in a browser speed test:

http://youtu.be/ZqvWbZuiqWI

I won't spoil the results, but one of the phones loses, badly.

 

[roadbloc]

So far their marketshare is in free fall, so they cannot sit on this too long. I suspect not much will change until nokia starts shipping win7 phones.

Agreed. The sooner they get Nokia shipping some, the better. I'm sure it is a great phone OS (in fact, I know it is as I've tried it), but it isn't getting anywhere without a decent phone manufacturer behind it's back.

 

[neiltc13]

Agreed. The sooner they get Nokia shipping some, the better. I'm sure it is a great phone OS (in fact, I know it is as I've tried it), but it isn't getting anywhere without a decent phone manufacturer behind it's back.

FWIW I have been very impressed with the build quality of my Samsung Omnia 7 and the reception I can get using it.

 

[maflynn]

Agreed. The sooner they get Nokia shipping some, the better. I'm sure it is a great phone OS (in fact, I know it is as I've tried it), but it isn't getting anywhere without a decent phone manufacturer behind it's back.

I've not heard anything negative about the OS, its really supposed to be impressive. Right now it may be too little too late.

I think MS has an opportunity to take on android but not until they start gaining some traction.

 

[lsvtecjohn3]

Video showing iPhone 4 vs Windows Phone 7 (running this new update) and Nexus S in a browser speed test:

http://youtu.be/ZqvWbZuiqWI

I won't spoil the results, but one of the phones loses, badly.

They used their own HTML5 test (which is optimised to work on their software). Not big surprise.

 

[kdarling]

Zzzz . . . truly a pointless platform. Over three years too late and a completely redundant "me too" effort. .

I think Windows Phone 7 is more innovative than anything Apple or Google has done.

It's good that there are such alternative implementations to the usual app-oriented type of device. Otherwise we're going to be stuck in the 1980s forever

 

[SevenInchScrew]

I've not heard anything negative about the OS, its really supposed to be impressive. Right now it may be too little too late.

Yep, it really is quite nice. A good friend of mine has the Samsung Focus, and it is an excellent phone. Very similar hardware to my Captivate, so it is very fast and the screen is excellent. And unlike what SOME people on here like to constantly say, the OS is very nice. I've used his phone quite a lot, and every time I do, I'm more and more impressed with it. It isn't like some giant turd of an OS, again, unlike what SOME users on here constantly say.

But like you said, unless this Nokia deal really jumpstarts the sales a bunch, it probably is too late for it to ever get to any sizable market share. Either way though, the phones are nice, the OS is nice, and there is a pretty good amount of apps. It is a very viable option.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Video showing iPhone 4 vs Windows Phone 7 (running this new update) and Nexus S in a browser speed test:

http://youtu.be/ZqvWbZuiqWI

I won't spoil the results, but one of the phones loses, badly.

If the iPhone loses then the test isn't fair.

 

[steadysignal]

Zzzz . . . truly a pointless platform. Over three years too late and a completely redundant "me too" effort.

Ballmer should have been canned a long time ago for this Zune-like travesty.

i love your m$ hate. calling ballmer a monkey boy clinches it.

this is not an fanboy response either. i just feel you on ballmer.

 

[ehoui]

I think Windows Phone 7 is more innovative than anything Apple or Google has done.

I think it is a good restart for MS, it is not as innovative as the iPhone was. The market changed to adapt to the iPhone. That is pretty damn innovative.

It's good that there are such alternative implementations to the usual app-oriented type of device. Otherwise we're going to be stuck in the 1980s forever

Agreed. I have no MS hate, and wish them well. I don't ignore their failures (nor Apple's for that matter) neither.

 

[Melrose]

I like that Microsoft has taken a different step with the design and front end of the operating system, but rigging the test so it matches their marketing needs reeks of the Mojave Experiment all over again.

So, I like the looks of it, never used it, but these days I'm very skeptical of any system software Microsoft puts out.

 

[ChazUK]

I think a good three horse race will be welcomed. Got some big events from both Pple and Google coming up so it'll be interesting to see if they counter what was shown.

 

[neiltc13]

I like that Microsoft has taken a different step with the design and front end of the operating system, but rigging the test so it matches their marketing needs reeks of the Mojave Experiment all over again.

So, I like the looks of it, never used it, but these days I'm very skeptical of any system software Microsoft puts out.

I think "rigging" is a very strong word to use here. The test was purely HTML and isn't this the very thing that Apple says is the future of the web?

iPhone will never be able to tout HTML5 as a credible alternative to Flash if rendering of canvas elements performs as badly as this.

 

[shingi70]

Its also rumored that the first nokia wp7 devices will be updated version of the E7 and N8. Just think a hspa+ pentaband phone with a 12 megapixel carl zesis lens with the sensor to mattch.

 

[*LTD*]

Its also rumored that the first nokia wp7 devices will be updated version of the E7 and N8. Just think a hspa+ pentaband phone with a 12 megapixel carl zesis lens with the sensor to mattch.

You can put photon torpedoes on it and the whole thing won't be worth a damn if the software sucks and the ecosystem is barren.

 

[shingi70]

You can put photon torpedoes on it and the whole thing won't be worth a damn if the software sucks and the ecosystem is barren.

The software is quite good and beats tthe iphone in cercertain aeras. I may use itunes but microsoft already has a music streaming service. Also no iwork to challange the office suite. Xbox live trumps game center. Ios has crap notfications and the app market is growing faster than any of the other app stores did at the time of thier relase.

Still uwith mix over i'll wait for google io and wwcd to decide my next phone after the merger.

 

[neiltc13]

You can put photon torpedoes on it and the whole thing won't be worth a damn if the software sucks and the ecosystem is barren.

So that is why your avatar is a tree!

The software definitely doesn't suck - I haven't seen a single application crash yet - wish I could say the same about the iPhone I used to have.

 

[AppleScruff1]

Zzzz . . . truly a pointless platform. Over three years too late and a completely redundant "me too" effort.

Ballmer should have been canned a long time ago for this Zune-like travesty.

Android is the entrenched commodity-brand. Apple is the entrenched Premium brand. Where does that leave MS? The brand for Windows fanboys, because by the looks of it, they're really the only ones that actually care (or pretend to.)

Good luck to them, though god only knows where the f all their R&D money is going, because it sure as hell isn't being utilized efficiently. They've added absolutely nothing to the mobile space, except for a lot of puzzling redundancy and waste. Same management, same crap. Nothing's changed.

Speaking of pointless......................

 

[iliketyla]

I wonder how angry LTD gets any time someone supports Microsoft on here, or any time there is concrete evidence that Apple is indeed, not infallible. I tried the ignore function, but every time you guys quote him I'm forced to read the garbage he posts.

Truly infuriating how close minded and blindly loyal he is to a BRAND.

Buy what suits your needs, and let others do the same. No one needs you raining on their parade all the time.