MacDailyNews Take: The world shall be set afire once again.
Mintz and Svensson continue, “Microsoft is sticking to its model of making the software and selling it to phone manufacturers, rather than making its own phones.”
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft again opts to stick to the fragmented mess model (a la Google) which is designed up to appeal to everyone but the end users.
Mintz and Svensson continue, “Phones with the new software will be on the market by the holidays, Microsoft said. They won’t be called ‘Zune phones,’ as had been speculated, but will keep the ‘Windows phone’ branding.”
MacDailyNews Take: Aw, come on, Ballmer, stick with “Zune.” It’s so memorable. This is actually a smart move as more people know that Zune is inferior to Apple’s products as opposed to those who’ve figured out the same about Windows. Still, “Windows phone” sure doesn’t evoke any “Wows.” And, as usual, not everyone is on the same page at Microsoft. From today’s presentation: “Every Windows Phone 7 Series will be a Zune.” – Joe Belfiore, VP of Windows Phone. That’s some selling point. The marketing slogan of death.
If you’re a device maker and you want a third-party OS that’s slapped on a wide variety of devices making it difficult for developers to create apps that work the same everywhere while also causing users to suffer from poor or non-existent customer support, why not go with Google’s Android? Sorry, “Fragmandroid.”
Toshiba X9B-54NQJ10 Z 24-B Customer: “How do I download the special discount $49.99/year Norton Mobile from the Zune Marketplace?”
Pradesh Dhruv Balasubramanium, Bangalore Support Specialist: “It’s very simple. Press ‘Start’ and scroll down 5 clicks, scroll right 3 clicks, scroll down 4 clicks, scroll right 2 clicks, scroll up 7 clicks, scroll right 3 clicks, scroll down 4 clicks, scroll right 3 clicks, scroll up 3 more clicks, scroll right 4 clicks and simply press “Yes” when asked, ‘Are you sure you want to enter Zune Marketplace?’ Now…”
Mintz and Svensson continue, “Andy Lees, senior vice president of Microsoft’s mobile communications business, said Windows Mobile suffered from the company’s chaotic approach to the market. The software maker gave phone hardware makers and wireless carriers so much freedom to alter the system and install it on so many different devices that none worked the same way. As a result, while other phone vendors such as Apple linked their hardware and software tightly to ensure a better experience, Windows Mobile might not have looked like it quite fit on a certain handset.”
MacDailyNews Take: You’re still way below zero, Microsoft, but getting warmer…
Mintz and Svensson continue, “With this version, Microsoft is imposing a set of required features for Windows phones. Microsoft will make manufacturers have permanent buttons on the phone for ‘home,’ ‘search’ and ‘back’; a high-resolution screen with the same touch-sensing technology as the iPhone; and a 5-megapixel camera and flash on the back of the device. Hardware QWERTY keyboards will be optional.”
MacDailyNews Take: Colder, colder… We must say that Microsoft does have one specialty: Superfluous buttons. Antiquated mechanical-buttoned keyboards will be optional; that fact alone indicates increased complexity. Of course, this has all been done before with “PlaysForSure,” which didn’t play at all in the marketplace and was blown up by Microsoft and replaced with the even more anemic Zune debacle. Sticking with the “PlaysForSure” roadmap doesn’t bode well for “Windows phone” success. And, before some Windows-only sufferer wanders in to squawk about 5-mexapixel cameras and flashes, let’s wait for Apple’s 4th generation iPhone which will hit the market six or so months before these “Windows phones” are supposed to begin appearing. We won’t even get into focal lengths, lenses, and how the number of megapixels doesn’t necessarily equal better image quality.
Mintz and Svensson continue, “The navigation seems a bit more complex than on the iPhone or BlackBerry. Windows Mobile and the Zune have an unusual navigational flow: users have to scroll both vertically and sideways to find common functions. Most of the built-in applications complement or connect with existing Microsoft programs or services, such as the Bing search engine. The games ‘hub’ connects to an Xbox Live account and lets players pick up where they left off with multiplayer games. Microsoft also turns to the Zune programming for the phones’ entertainment hub, much in the way the iPhone’s music library is called iPod. And when users plug the phone into a PC, the Zune software pops up to manage music, movies and podcasts. Microsoft ‘is resolved at a company level to be successful in mobile,’ Lees said. He indicated Microsoft is willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on marketing to ensure it’s successful.”
MacDailyNews Take: Microsoft spent hundreds of millions of dollars on Bing marketing (we even got some because we liked using Microsoft’s money against them, so we didn’t bother trying to get them blocked) and Bing’s search engine share went from 3.17% in July to 3.17% in January. Money well spent Microsoft. Competition is only good when the competition is any good.
So, for this horribly-named “Windows Phone 7 Series” marketing effort, the selling points are:
• Same idea as Google, but from Microsoft!
• Get a Zune inside, instead of an iPod!!
• You’re stuck with the Zune store instead of getting the iTunes Store!!!
• Look, a tiny fraction of the apps for Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch and iPad!!!!
• Look, a even tinier fraction of the accessories for Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch and iPad!!!!!
• Mobile Red Ring of Death!!!!!!
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple leads. Microsoft follows at a great distance, basing UI and other design choices not on what benefits users, but on averting legal issues. As usual.
Microsoft’s “Windows Phone 7 Series” overly-animated scrollfest in action:
Direct link to video via YouTube here.
Expect Microsoft’s “Windows pad” demo in 2013.
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