With the announcement of Windows Phone 7 Series today, Microsoft has re-entered the heavyweight category of the mobile space in a big way.
With a completely new "minimalist" interface that incorporates Xbox Live and Zune music, and a fresh approach to social media integration, this new Windows platform could be as significant for mobile computing as the introduction of the iPhone was three years ago.
The video below gives a quick hands-on look at this new Windows platform:
I believe the Windows Phone 7 Series will bring Microsoft back from the brink of irrelevance in consumer adoption of mobile phones. Microsoft has long been a leader in mobile business computing, but without sufficient buzz in the consumer space it has been increasingly difficult for Windows Mobile phones to assert themselves against the likes of iPhone, Blackberry and Android. Much like Palm did last year with its webOS launch, Microsoft has reinvented itself in an impressive and refreshing way.
I was really pleased to see that the user experience for new Windows phones will be far more controlled than it was for previous generations of Windows Mobile devices. Whereas Microsoft has long supported a great deal of flexibility in how its mobile operating systems were implemented by device manufacturers and wireless carriers, they have stated that Windows Phone 7 Series implementations will adhere to standards around screen size, memory requirements and user interface. This is great news for mobile developers and end-users, and for anyone looking to engage mobile users, as it will result in a more consistent user experience regardless of brand or network.
Mobile phone ecosystems range from the tightly controlled world of the Apple iPhone/iPod/iPad to the wide-open universe that Google has created for Android. Until today, I considered Microsoft to be near the "wide open" end of the spectrum, but with the arrival of Windows Phone 7 Series it appears that Microsoft has learned from its fragmented mobile past.
While we are seeing continued divergence in the mobile space with a frenzy of new platforms and manufacturers, I am optimistic that we are also seeing signs of consolidation and standardization. This will ultimately make it easier for businesses (and researchers) to engage people regardless of what mobile device they are carrying in their purse, pocket or briefcase.
With a completely new "minimalist" interface that incorporates Xbox Live and Zune music, and a fresh approach to social media integration, this new Windows platform could be as significant for mobile computing as the introduction of the iPhone was three years ago.
The video below gives a quick hands-on look at this new Windows platform:
I believe the Windows Phone 7 Series will bring Microsoft back from the brink of irrelevance in consumer adoption of mobile phones. Microsoft has long been a leader in mobile business computing, but without sufficient buzz in the consumer space it has been increasingly difficult for Windows Mobile phones to assert themselves against the likes of iPhone, Blackberry and Android. Much like Palm did last year with its webOS launch, Microsoft has reinvented itself in an impressive and refreshing way.
I was really pleased to see that the user experience for new Windows phones will be far more controlled than it was for previous generations of Windows Mobile devices. Whereas Microsoft has long supported a great deal of flexibility in how its mobile operating systems were implemented by device manufacturers and wireless carriers, they have stated that Windows Phone 7 Series implementations will adhere to standards around screen size, memory requirements and user interface. This is great news for mobile developers and end-users, and for anyone looking to engage mobile users, as it will result in a more consistent user experience regardless of brand or network.
Mobile phone ecosystems range from the tightly controlled world of the Apple iPhone/iPod/iPad to the wide-open universe that Google has created for Android. Until today, I considered Microsoft to be near the "wide open" end of the spectrum, but with the arrival of Windows Phone 7 Series it appears that Microsoft has learned from its fragmented mobile past.
While we are seeing continued divergence in the mobile space with a frenzy of new platforms and manufacturers, I am optimistic that we are also seeing signs of consolidation and standardization. This will ultimately make it easier for businesses (and researchers) to engage people regardless of what mobile device they are carrying in their purse, pocket or briefcase.
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