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No one knows or cares that Microsoft has a phone OS
PEOPLE ARE ONLY dimly aware that Microsoft makes a mobile operating system, according to a senior Vole speaking at this morning's Windows Mobile 6.5 launch event in London.
Based on Windows CE, which was originally designed for PDAs and the like, the OS slowly began appearing on smartphones back in 2002, officially becoming Windows Mobile way back in 2003.
Despite having being around for so long, according to the Vole's own focus groups, only around 10 per cent of people actually said, or at least admitted, that they knew that Windows was available on mobile phones.
According to the speakers, the vast majority of people buying a new phone come in looking for a specific make or feature, rather than a particular operating system or app store.
Microsoft is hoping to change this with a new marketing push. The company is ramping up its marketing worldwide, with new advertising as well as partnerships and education campaigns with handset makers and retailers.
However, with traditionally Windows-only manufacturers such as HTC turning to rival operating systems like Google's Android and Intel's recently forged friendship with Nokia, Microsoft could immediately face an even greater struggle to raise awareness and more importantly acceptance of its Windows Mobile OS. µ
Tags: Microsoft
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"Open a text, there is no option to reply to it. LMAO. That's a prime example of Microsoft's attitude to product creation and customer's being able to use the product normally.
The text workaround is to close the text and go back to the listing screen that lists all the messages, now you can select reply. So fcuking dumb of Microsoft."
Huh? I currently have a HTC Touch Pro running WM6.1. On that, if I open a text message, the softkeys at the bottom of the screen change to "Reply" and "Menu"... Prior to the Touch Pro I'd been using a Universal with WM5.something for close on 3 years, and I don't remember having any difficulty in replying to texts on that either.
Granted, if I instead open a MMS, the left-hand softkey is now "Contents", but clicking the right-hand Menu softkey then provides the options to reply via MMS, SMS or voicemail - I still don't need to drop back to the message listings screen before I can start composing a reply.
I recently got a 16GB Zune HD, now if they played it smart, they would scrap their Windows Mobile OS and go with the Zune HD, further develop it and turn it into a smartphone (plus release it officially into other countries). It would decimate all. My friend is an interface designer for Orange and he pointed out that the Zune's physical design is far better than Apple's Iphone plus it's half as thick and lighter. The interface is a pleasure to look at and use, don't get me wrong, there are a few niggles here and there but I would give up all for a Zune HD phone.
Xbox brand would be good to use but doesn't really sound right as Xbox Mobile.
How about Zune mobile? Fits in better with their portable product brand. One thing is for sure, they need to drop the "Windows" name as that brand is always seen in a bad light and turns people off.
Its not considered a cool product name.
The only selling point about Microsoft Windows is all these thousands of apps that supposedly work with it, none of which are compatible with Windows Mobile. By including the latter under the “Windows” brand, Microsoft is only cheapening that brand, and quite likely setting itself up for lawsuits by enraged consumers, on a par with the whole “Vista-capable” brouhaha.
I have one of those monstrosities pushed upon me, for my sins. About the only thing I enjoy about it is the solitaire game. As a phone, it sucks. I have had wonderfully quiet days. Then I want to call someone, and it says "The phone is off. Would you like to switch it on? By the way, you have 10 missed calls." I like the way it silently dies when the battery runs out. Also, I have found that it's possible to click things with your ear, so hold it at an angle when you make a call.
Can I have one that, like, works as a phone please? It can't be healthy to hold a Windows system that close to your head. I can almost feel the bogon particles melting my brain.
After all, Microsoft doesn't appear to care that they have a phone OS. It's a sideline to them, and they don't appear to put any real resources into it.
Considering their financial situation, they should just bin it.
I had a Samsung Blackjack in 2007/2008. Following that, moved straight to a Palm Centro. In February, AT&T may allow me a full discount on an iPhone and I hate to admit it, but if they do this, I will have to seriously consider it because Windows Mobile is no longer compelling.
That's the problem. MS made the OS for my HTC phone, and supplied a lot of apps, but HTC included Opera web browser, an RSS reader, Google Maps, some cool Weather, Share Price checker with Yahoo share price graphs and ifo, and some other good things that are not Microsoft products.
All the HTC included apps are better than Microsoft's, for example Opera is better than Internet Explorer. It's like HTC took Windows as the OS and then made their own GUI because the standard one is shit. And then HTC picked the best apps from other people, also because the Microsoft ones are so lame.
The problem MS has is not that people don't know that Windows Mobile 6.1 is available, the bigger problem is that MS are providing shitty software apps with it. In fact that's a lot of MS's current problem, their software products are pretty shitty and they are not focusing on them.
If you make a great product it's easy to sell. MS need to start doing this again, their products are too shitty.
Mobile is a future where MS are getting seriously left behind.
And fix the stupidly obvious bugs FFS! Where are the Windows Updates with bug fixes for my phone ffs? Seriously, the text bug where you cannot reply to a text, OMG WTF, how did this pass testing?
Open a text, there is no option to reply to it. LMAO. That's a prime example of Microsoft's attitude to product creation and customer's being able to use the product normally.
The text workaround is to close the text and go back to the listing screen that lists all the messages, now you can select reply. So fcuking dumb of Microsoft.
Next time you guys are talking to Steve Balmer ask him why he passes shit like this for sale.
I think that's the a good idea to use the xbox brand. The only problem is windows mobile currently sucks for games and I'd expect an xbox phone to have some decent games. They could build in the wii motion+ type sensors and force feedback. But I don't think that's at all where microsoft is headed with it.
that MS does a phone OS, and given how bad my current WinMo 6.1 phon is, I'll know to avoid it like the plague next time around.
I didn't know thay still made phones that crash daily in 2009... and would have though reviewers would notice and report on that fact.
An Xbox branded phone/handheld games machine to compete with the iPhone and PSP is Microsoft's best chance at making a splash and reviving their mobile OS.
Put Xbox Live Arcade on there as the App Store alternative and make sure you have Halo at launch with multiplayer over the phone connection. That should be all that's needed to start competing.
Most people don't know what an OS is or why it matters. Changing the name will only bring more confusion (hell, most people still call Windows Live Messenger with the old name, MSN). Microsoft just needs to create a lean, simple and feature-complete product.
But this is MS we are talking about, so that's unlikely.
Microsoft is approaching the phone space like they did the PC space. However, phones are just too different. Being available on multiple OEM phones is just diluting Windows Mobile's selling points and obscuring its brand visibility. And the very name "Windows" is proving to be a weak brand in the phone marketspace. MS needs to come up with a new name, and come up with a way to bring all Windows Phones under one conceptual umbrella in the minds of consumers.