Microsoft working on ‘Pink’ iPhone rival?
To suggest the iPhone has been a success would be a major understatement. Millions have one of the Apple devices, and those who don’t invariably want one. Yes, even those of us who hate Apple. Which is why there is a new iPhone-killer unveiled every week – none of which have so far lived up to their promise. Can Microsoft change that with its ‘Pink’ iPhone rival?
Microsoft is already a major player in the cellphone software market with Windows Mobile being licensed out to various manufacturers. But the company has always denied wanting to move into the hardware side of things. According to The Wall Street Journal, this could all be about to change, with Microsoft and Verizon Wireless teaming up.
The two companies are reportedly in talks to launch a multimedia cellphone with the obligatory touchscreen early next year. Microsoft is involved in the design of both the hardware and software but will likely hand over the actual manufacturing of the device to an as-yet unnamed third-party. Verizon will provide the network in a similar way to what AT&T does for the iPhone.
The Microsoft smartphone is codenamed Pink and will likely include the Windows Mobile operating system, Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and a host of new software capabilities. Pink is being worked on within Microsoft’s mobile division by a team of designers that includes employees of Danger Inc., a Microsoft acquisition last year.
Windows Mobile 7 phones are expected around Spring, 2010, which could mean Pink has a similar release schedule. But will it all be too little, too late? Microsoft has found to its cost the problem of missing the boat – Zune is hardly setting the world alight. Can a smartphone already labeled as an iPhone killer change that trend?
Whatever happens, I doubt Apple will be too worried by this new competitor. Microsoft may be Jobs and co.’s biggest rival when it comes to computers, but it would seem Apple has the smartphone market well and truly sewn up. Maybe Microsoft should do what Apple did with its Macs and go for the “cool” crowd by marking up the price and adding a letter before the name. A $600 Microsoft uPink anyone?
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April 29th, 2009
I doubt a windows CE phone can compete with the IPhone.
Windows CE sucks. They will have to make a whole new interface for it.
I think apple succeeded because of the app store and all the FREE games and Apps.
The video quality is great. And cover flow SUCKS chunks. It looks neat but not very user friendly.
April 29th, 2009
Microsoft making hardware = a disaster.
Look at the xbox 360. They designed the graphics chip, which is the main cause of the RRoD because it overheats. They should leave hardware design to the experts.
Windows mobile isn’t a BAD operating system as such, but it will have to go some to rival the iPhone. Microsoft don’t seem to understand what makes the iPhone tick: it is the halo effect. People love iPods. Most mp3 players are iPods. People associate Apple as a cool company and buy an iPhone because it is aesthetically pleasing and has a cool touch screen interface. And all the apps etc… but often to replace an iPod.
I personally think the iPhone is way too far overpriced and it is difficult to justify the cost at all. It is awful that it is only available on contract on one network carrier.
Microsoft will struggle to ever take over the iPhone though because regardless of how overpriced the iPhone is, people still buy it, and Microsoft doesn’t know, acknowledge or try to learn a lesson from why people buy an iPhone. If Apple release the iPhone on all networks with a cheaper model available, Microsoft could probably forget all about having ANY share in the market.
May 2nd, 2009
Microsoft views the client OS as a platform to run their server products, and that includes Mobile, CE is a different product.
It’s worked pretty well, not being able to fully use the benefits of Exchange was the biggest reason the iPhone didn’t get wide traction in the Enterprise.
They understand the halo effect quite well, they just use it from a software and not hardware perspective. They used the consistency of interface of Windows and Office to take the Server market from Novell.
I hated Mobile 5 on an Apache/HTC 6700. I’m currently using Mobile Pro 6.5 on an HTC Touch Pro. It’s better, but you still have to hack the crap out of it to make it work well. To be fair, many of the most irritating issues were put in by Sprint to hawk their premium services.
I flashed the ROM with a different version that was tweaked for actual performance instead of to sell me stuff I don’t want, but most people won’t be doing that. The same registry system that’s a nice little security hole in the big Windows versions make customizing Mobile pretty easy.
I don’t have an iPhone, excellent as they are, because I like a real keyboard, swappable batteries and the MicroSD slot. I’m with Akers that the iPhone is way overpriced for the hardware you get. I tried to hold out for Android, but it’ll have to my next phone.
Microsoft is more likely to grab market from Blackberry with this. Smooth interaction with it’s other business software is still going to be the biggest reason people use Windows Mobile.