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Microsoft Smartphone platform will disappear in 2-3 years October 06, 2004 [General] | By Edward J. R. Microsoft created Microsoft Smartphone platform as a result of aping, mimicing, the platform structure of Symbian operating system. However now Microsoft realizes, that this move was a mistake: tiny number of applications for Microsoft Smartphone platform is a proof of it. So Microsoft now offers 2 platforms for cell phones: Pocket PC Phone Edition - based on Pocket PC PDA with huge library of software - and very new Microsoft Smartphone - also based on Windows CE but crippled by small number of third party software and by decision of Microsoft not to port some basic software (like Pocket Excel, Pocket Word, MS Reader) from Pocket PC to smartphone. We have received unofficial information from Microsoft, that Microsoft Smartphone platform will disappear soon and there will be only one and only platform for Microsoft mobile devices! The name of this platform is not decided yet, but it will be probably called "Windows Mobile 2006". And this one and only platform will be mostly based on Pocket PC, not on Microsoft Smartphone. Old programs for Microsoft Smartphone will not be working in the new platform, but old programs for Pocket PC will be working! Here is a list of some further indications that in future there will be no 2 Windows Mobile platforms, but just one: Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition offers support for smaller resolutions in Pocket PC than 320x240 and suppport for bigger than 176x220 resolutions in MS Smartphone many people at Microsoft are all the time repeating officially that differences between both Windows Mobile platforms will be reduced in future several people, who were working on Microsoft Smartphone platform within Microsoft has been moved to other job positions within Microsoft processing power of most Microsoft Smartphones is enough to handle full Pocket PC operating system HTC is working now on Microsoft Smartphone devices with QVGA resolution and these devices will be able to run Pocket PC operating system too - there is a growing demand from hardware vendors to have one and only platform for mobiles a number of very small Pocket PC phones is coming to the market soon and T-Mobile MDA Compact (also known as i-mate JAM) is just one of the first. Microsoft must compete in smartphone + PDA phone markets not only with Symbian but also with Palm operating system - that has huge library of third party software and only Pocket PC platform can challange Palm smartphones in that respect. Conclusions: if Microsoft will not provide full backwards compatibility with current MS Smartphone sofwtare in this future one and only Windows Mobile platform, then it will mean again that end users will be paying for past mistakes of Microsoft. However generally speaking unification of Microsoft's mobile platforms will have positive overall effect on Microsoft's chances to take over the smartphone/PDA-phone markets. Unfortunately all those people who invested a lot of money, time and emotions into "smartphone" name may find themselves dissapointed: "smartphone" name (which anyway never was Microsoft specific) will disappear and will be replaced by overall "Windows Mobile" branding. The Microsoft Smartphone story is not over yet, but soon... Post your comment (free registration is required to post, but if you register you can edit your posts later) << Previous Story Next Story >>

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