The Windows Phone 7 app platform: One slide says it all
Summary: A picture is worth a thousand words. This slide from Windows Phone 7 team member Charlie Kindel's talk at Mix -- which shows all of the various elements of Microsoft's Windows 7 phone app platform in architectural diagram form -- provides a quick overview of what the Softies are telling developers and designers this week about the company's next-gen mobile platform.
There's been a lot of new (and sometimes conflicting/confusing) information shared this week about Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 platform at the Microsoft Mix 10 conference.
Microsoft officials admitted that the phone team made a conscious decision to eliminate cut-and-paste functionality from the initial Windows Phone 7 platform. (They won't say if or even whether Microsoft may add cut-and-paste to the phone platform, despite the fact that Windows Mobile currently has that capability.) This just in: Microsoft's latest statement on the lack of cut-and-paste: "We’re always listening to feedback and will continue to improve our feature set over time based on what we hear." (So I'll take that as a maybe it's coming sometime, but not in the initial version....)
The team also conceded that multitasking is going to be a mixed bag on Windows Phone 7 devices (with Microsoft apps/experiences having the capability but third-party apps not so).
Most tellingly, Microsoft execs admitted that Windows Phone 7 devices' initial target audience is consumers, not business users. (I guess the "life maximizers" Microsoft sees as the buyers for these phones aren't expected to do a whole lot of work on their WP7 phones.) As my blogging colleague Larry Dignan noted yesterday, Microsoft's iPhone envy may have gotten the best of the company.
A picture is worth a thousand words. This slide from Windows Phone 7 team member Charlie Kindel's talk at Mix -- which shows all of the various elements of Microsoft's Windows 7 phone app platform in architectural diagram form -- provides a quick overview of what the Softies are telling developers and designers this week about the company's next-gen mobile platform. (Click on the slide below to enlarge.)
Microsoft reiterated this week that Silverlight is the primary vehicle for writing Windows Phone 7 applications and some games. XNA Game Studio is for developers who want to build highly interactive and/or 3D games.
Microsoft isn't sharing anything about what's happening with its My Phone synchronization service that it introduced last year for Windows Mobile users, but the Softies are saying there will be some cloud services available (and still unknown prices) to Windows Phone 7 users, including notification, app deployment, social and Xbox Live gaming. There will be additional "portal services" available to Windows Phone 7 users, as well -- everything from update management, to billing, to app purchasing (which will be handled, for now, at least, exclusively through the Windows Phone Marketplace.
I'm still curious as to when and whether Microsoft will flesh out the Windows Phone 7 platform to make it more attractive to enterprise customers. What else are you still wondering about, regarding Microsoft's next steps with mobile?
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Talkback
NUI
I'm wondering why no copy/paste & multitasking?
And if MS wants enterprise customers to buy this thing...chances are those enterprise customers WANT the two features that some dimbulb at MS has decided aren't needed.
They are making a HUGE mistake if they let this happen.
Android has Copy/Paste. [NT]
It does have multi tasking...
Even better
Microsoft says they are not against the idea of multitasking and they will implement this when batteries get better.
softies
mary-jo that you have to give them a cute nickname?
amazing, even for zdnet levels.
Did you just drop from an alien spaceship?
Are you an idiot. I mean really, are you?
Why are you even here, since you obvoiusly don't give a cluck about this phone.
Windows people don't go around making dull witting comments about competitors to the software they use, they just use it to do business and solve problems. And 95% of Windows technology people are fluent in Linux and OS X because they are technology fans, not idiots like the never ending field of ABM idiots that parade around this site dumping their garbage everywhere they can find anything remotely connected to Microsoft.
Bill , Is that you again?
Pot, Kettle, black?
about competitors to the software they use[/i]
you seriously do not expect anyone to believe you? I do not think
anyone that has read your anti-Apple diatribe is going to believe you.
You just recently made the comment that [b]?Apple is disgusting?[/b]
[i]Apple is disgusting.
NZ is absolutely right on how Apple operates.
They look for marktets that may be heating up and find innovation
within market
Patent that innovation
Then create it.
They've done this all along and jobs said as much in 1996.
they are trying to stop Google and Android by picking on small
companies. Way to go Apple.
You will lose in the end.[/i]
http://talkback.zdnet.com/5208-10532-0.html?
forumID=1&threadID=77065&messageID=1498365&tag=content;col
1
[i]And 95% of Windows technology people are fluent in Linux and OS X
because they are technology fans, not idiots like the never ending field
of ABM idiots that parade around this site dumping their garbage
everywhere they can find anything remotely connected to Microsoft.[/i]
Yeah right, that is an outright lie. Many entrenched windows
technology people have not used OS X, and have stated they have no
interest in trying it. You?re going to have to do better than that.
RE: The Windows Phone 7 app platform: One slide says it all
You can see what it will look like in three years...
RE: The Windows Phone 7 app platform: One slide says it all
Too funny. My three-year old Nokia N95 has copy/paste
We can all in the meantime hold our collective breaths until we turn blue. Yes?
All of the advertised features of my 3-year old Nokia N95 work and there is no need to jailbreak.
Thanks for the coverage on yet another vaporware product from MS.
Does the iphone have copy/paste? Can you download free mp3s? Can you multi.
Why the rave about the iphone, when this phone is obviously way beyond that with xbox live, office and a superior audio and video system?
Does your old phone have all of that Dietrich?
Why do you feel the need to take a dump on every windows post?
Well at your age, I guess you are happy just to be able to take one.
Still no work at your what is it...linux..Amazon cloud business. Too bad you can't seem to muster up a client.
Good one...that's what Linux trolls are for...
What is your point (Other than highlighting ignorance and bias?)
Um, yes.
"Can you download free mp3s?"
Uh, yeah, of course it can.
"Can you multi[task]"
Yes, the iPhone could multitask from day one. I suspect you actually
mean to say multitask apps from the App Store. But let's not let facts
get in the way of a good flame.
"Why do you feel the need to take a dump on every windows post?"
That's rich coming from the likes of yourself.
I just want to know....
Who is the marketing genius that came up with
- Life Maximizers? ?!?! ;-)
And how soon can they start using "Life Maximizers" in their marketing campaign. genius! ;-)
Does it mean we will have to wait for the third release?
It is really really disappointing.
Limit App DIstributions is a Deal Breaker
MS could have had all this if they kept up with win.mo growth - but they've fallen far behind. They've lost market share - Apple has cool factor - android is winning the tech crowd.
Still, if the properly build on existing tools like .NET and XNA, they could give developers reason to create apps big and small. Forcing apps to an online app store will kill a lot of creative special use apps - the ones MS may never see - but lead to sales of their products.
Microsoft Can't Win with an Unfinished Product