Windows Mobile 7
Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 7 Series was one of the most talked about announcements at last month’s Mobile World Congress. The long-awaited successor to Windows Mobile 6 and a key combatant in the increasingly tough smartphone wars was perhaps the worst-kept secret of the show. At the time, however, details about exactly what Windows Mobile 7 Series would and would not offer were thin on the ground. A month later a more solid picture is emerging. We look at what is known about Microsoft’s big mobile play.
No copy and paste
Although older versions of Windows Mobile have included copy and paste functionality for some time now Windows Mobile 7 will apparently not include this feature on launch. On the one hand this is a peculiar exclusion. On the other hand early iPhone releases also didn’t include copy and paste. It was only with the release of the iPhone 3.0 a year ago that Apple’s phone included this functionality. Microsoft has said that in place of copy and paste there is a data-detection service built into the OS that will recognise phone numbers and addresses.
Limited multitasking
There has been much talk of Windows Mobile 7’s inability to multitask.
Apparently there will be some built-in applications that will be able to multitask so that, for example, users can listen to music while checking email. However, there is not going to be multitasking support for third party applications. Microsoft says that things such as notifications and the constantly updating Live tiles will give the impression of applications being always on. As the platform matures additional multitasking support will be added, the company says.
No Flash
Another feature that will be missing from Windows Mobile 7 at launch will be Adobe Flash support. Although it will be missing when the phone is launched Adobe and Microsoft have said that future releases will include support for Flash.
Interestingly, however, Apple’s iPhone and iPad have also spurned Flash, opting to exclude it from releases. Silverlight, Microsoft’s own rich media platform, is also no doubt a factor in the decision to exclude Flash.
No upgrade path to Windows Mobile 7
One of the potentially damaging restrictions of Windows Mobile 7 is that current Windows Mobile phones won’t be upgradeable to the new OS. Microsoft has said that it has “very specific requirements” for Windows Mobile 7 which means that existing phones can not be used with Windows Mobile 7. The move is peculiar in that it is a significant disincentive for users to purchase a new Windows Mobile phone now.
A date has not yet been set for the release of Windows Mobile 7 but it can be expected to be released around mid-year or early in the second half of 2010.
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