My Windows Mobile wishlist ... but I'm not holding my breath!
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is holding a press event on Monday at Mobile World Congress 2010. I'd like to see Ballmer announce two things, but I'm betting that neither of these things will materialize.
Brand new Internet Explorer "Mobile Edition"
Internet Explorer on the Windows Mobile platform is a total and utter joke. It was a joke five years ago and in the face of competition from Safari on the iPhone, the Opera Mobile/Mini, the Android Browser and Firefox Mobile, it stands as proof that Microsoft's commitment to its mobile platform to date has been lacking in focus and effective management.
Unless Ballmer unveils a brand new for Windows Mobile on Monday, it's game over for Windows Mobile. There's no way that any company can have a credible mobile platform without a decent, feature-rich browser capable of delivering a well-rounded web experience.
App Store
Windows Mobile desperately needs an app store. A one-click repository where users can buy and download applications for their Windows Mobile device. While I wouldn't want to see the Microsoft App Store as being the "only" place to buy applications, the current situation of "search the web and hope for the best" is a solution rooted in the last millennium.
What about you folks? What do Windows Mobile users want to see from the next incarnation of the platform?