Last year Steve Ballmer discussed Windows Mobile. The discussion included its market position, its standing within Microsoft and its future. Last year Microsoft confirmed that Windows Mobile is one of its core seven businesses with over 2,000 dedicated employees and nearly a billion dollars in yearly operating expenses. That was then. On Monday Ballmer will provide an update. He is expected to talk about Windows Mobile 7 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Zune
Ever since the Apple iPhone was release in 2005, Microsoft has been under pressure to release it’s own cell phone version of an iPhone. That is supposed to be Zune. Ballmer, however, has dispelled the “Zune phone” rumor by reasserting that Microsoft will not manufacture its own phone. Microsoft is to remain focused on the software side of the mobile business. Its goal is to produce a working and operating platform.
But that was last year. In an off again, on again scenario, now the talk is that Zune, which is sometimes referred to as “Project Pink” or the “Microsoft Zune Phone Experience” will be available. Indeed, the expectation of the technology is to be more than just being a Zune music player with an attached phone, the Zune Phone will run Windows Mobile 7 and incorporate the Zune software; this is an approach similar to Apple’s where the iPhone runs a modification of the iPod software.
Other Phone Devices
Here is a quick look at the other companies making mobile phone devices. RIM makes BlackBerry devices and Apple designs both hardware and software for their handsets. Google has entered the mobile market with the Android software. However, Google recently launched Nexus One, which is a phone built by HTC. so instead of simply supplying the software, Google has worked closely with HTC. It is marketing and selling the phone itself. Microsoft, however, supplies software to multiple hardware makers. That software is Windows Mobile 7.
Pink
Microsoft is developing a social networking version of Zune aimed at teens. That device is being made by Danger, the maker of the T-Mobile Sidekick, a company that Microsoft acquired two years ago. Pink is being manufactured by Sharp and it may be sold by Verizon Wireless and Vodaphone Group.
Windows Mobile 7
Windows Mobile 7 is a Windows Mobile 7 may be Microsoft’s last chance get on top of the mobile market and to stop its rivals from taking over the cell phone space. This is amazing since Microsoft was a big player in making cell phone software. For example, in 2004, the Windows Mobile phone market was about 25 percent. Now it is down to about 10.5 percent. Apple had nothing in 2006 but now it is 13.7 percent.
Features of Windows Mobile 6.5 and Mobile 7
Windows Mobile 6.5
Expectations
Mobile 7 has a lot of catching up to do, at least if it is going to look like a competitor to the iPhone phenomenon. Some criticism is geared to not having enough apps. iPhone has over 140,000 and they have been downloaded more than 3 billion times. It may need an Apps store as well as a version of Internet Explorer capable of running on a Mobile phone.
See Zune vs iPod here.
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