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CNET: Windows Mobile 7 officially delayed

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008 by Phil Nickinson
 
Filed Under: News; Tags: windows mobile 7, delay

This is another one where we just have to shake our heads and sigh.

CNET's Ina Fried posts on her blog [via] that Microsoft has told a handful of its partners not to expect a final build of its Windows Mobile 7 operating system until the second half of 2009.

windows_mobile Not exactly the sort of WinMo news we hoped to bring you on the day the first Android device is officially released.

Fried does write that we shouldn't have to go cold turkey as we wait for WM7, with an update to Internet Explorer Mobile still in the works. (Yeah, that doesn't make us feel much better, either.)

We are, however, reminded by Fried of a speech Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gave in April in which he spoke of the sweeping changes planned for WM7.

"The work we're doing on Windows Mobile 7, which is the next major release of Windows Mobile, not just in the Windows Mobile team, but across Windows Mobile, in Silverlight, the development platform, the e-mail, the back end, I think you'll continue to see that as an area of major excitement and innovation for the company as we move forward."

And while Silverlight has had a bumpy start, the rumor of a Microsoft-led application store could well be what's holding this whole thing up, and it could well be worth it.

In the meantime, Microsoft appears content to let outside manufacturers do the UI legwork, a la HTC's TouchFlo and the sliding panels on the upcoming Xperia X1, and third-party options such as SPB's Mobile Shell.

Group product manager Scott Rockfeld tells CNET's Fried:

"Customers don't have to sit back and wait. There's tons of stuff coming from us and our partners."

But we do have to sit back and wait from Microsoft. Again.

 
 

Comments

Until MS makes an announcement its not officially delayed.

Surur
Submitted by surur (not verified) on Tue, 09/23/2008 - 10:01.
im not surprised actually everywhere i posted i knew it would end up getting delayed to about june -september 2009. it makes the most sense.


let google put their cards on the table. apple is already out. rim has outed their new os 4.6 or whatever. the last ones left are palm and microsoft. palm not too many people even care about anymore unless they are making windows mobile phones.

this way microsoft can take bits and pieces from each and improve upon them and come with a better product.

does it suck thats it being delayed? yes. but id rather them come out with something good as oppossed to something with bugs so that we dont give anymore ammo to the people that always ***** and moan about windows mobile
Submitted by rileyfreeman (not verified) on Tue, 09/23/2008 - 11:02.
I know it's technically an entirely separate product and dev team, but I still can't help but wonder if they're going to try to simultaneously (or at least closely tie together) the releases of WM7 and Windows 7. It's obviously a natural connection and WM is going to need all the help it can get in the face of all the new mobile competition.
Submitted by Grogck (not verified) on Tue, 09/23/2008 - 11:31.
Not exactly the sort of WinMo news we hoped to bring you on the day the first Android device is officially released.
I am glad that this point was made. I planned on commenting on it if no one else did.

We must remember that we like WM! It will make the holding out for WM7 that much less painful. Though to agree with one of the previous comments, I would rather it was released when it was complete rather that sooner in a state of disarray. "Your house is done sir, just watch out for the holes in the roof and the half-finished electrical work."

I am sitting tight in the past (WM5) with the UI improvements referenced in the article. Third Party developers like SPB (Mobile Shell and Pocket Plus) make sitting tight much easier.

My comment of criticism however is that if the date is pushed back, it better be for a good reason. This is for Microsoft and Palm OS: "Don't be the kid who hands in a terrible paper late. If your taking extra time while everyone else (Apple, Android, RIM) are still creating output, make sure it is well spent time."

Cheers!
Bill

-Bill
Submitted by Billbeme (not verified) on Tue, 09/23/2008 - 12:36.
@Bill: Well said. I'm trying not to get too discouraged/impatient.

Another thought is about how or if WM7 this will butt up against Palm's Nova. Two "revolutionary" (my word) OS upgrades? I'm really starting to feel like the two are stuck in the same desert.

Maybe I just need a hug.
From a robot.
An Android robot.
Submitted by Phil Nickinson on Tue, 09/23/2008 - 12:51.

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