Microsoft can’t save WinMo. 3rd party applications are the problem. WinMo has to work on all sorts of hardware that Microsoft has little control over, so the applications need to work in lots of different environments – i.e. touch-screen based, keyboard based…etc. That means each application can’t take full advantage of the input methods on WinMo, whereas on the iPhone, they’re all designed to be used with touch. If Microsoft want to save the platform, they have to scrap all the 3rd party applications (and hence their competitive advantage), and work with tougher hardware restrictions (maybe even their own phone). But Microsoft has always been about business, and software licensing is much more profitable than full system design, so that’s the road they’ll choose to go down. Which will bring the same problems we have now, with the software not taking full advantage of the hardware, and hence offering a sub-par user experience. Oh, and then there’s the control over what software goes on the phone -you need a strong hand to force the device to go in the direction you want it to, for its own good.

It’s Microsoft trying to be all things to all people again. They don’t understand that if you don’t control the ecosystem, it’ll destroy itself. It’s anarchy. You need to think of it as constantly in a state of collapse, and you need to be active and strict in constantly propping it up.

At least nobody here thinks MS copied Apple with multitouch right?

Apple has basically vertically integrated everything seamlessly. They have their own phone hardware, operating system and what not and the same with the iPod. The iPod is Apple’s own hardware and firmware, they have iTunes which is designed to work specifically for the iPod and iTunes is tied into THEIT OWN music store, not emusic or napster. Apple doesn’t rely heavily on any other third party vendors for hardware or software for their devices, it is all their own products. This includes their laptops and desktops also! They only made OS X work on their hardware for a reason, it is much easier to design and keep reliable and compatable. They know every single inner working of everything they make which helps them keep every one of their products working flawlessy with one another (or at least most of the time) (OOOH watch out MS, I see a serious trend and problem forming here.)

On the other side Microsoft does have their own Zune hardware and firmware and the Zune player and the marketplace, they did a good job with the vertical integration thing there…but… when it comes to the smart phones or PCs, they can’t compete. Microsoft, as stated before, has to design a user interface for 2 totally seperate markets, the enterprise market and the general comsumer market. This basically means they have to design an OS that will work on the older click-a-button to navigate hardware and they also have to have it compatable with the newer touchscreen devices. Also along with those two setbacks they have to worry about the device itself, no two phones are the same. This is causing major heartache for them. People want a super intuitive and nice looking interface that just works flawlessly, just like apple. The problem here is that microsoft has to be worried about compatability and they aren’t focusing on the UI as much, the UI seems to be a last minute throw-it-together kind of operation. The problem here as stated before is that they have UI inconsistancy between all of their (or most) products and people get upset about this. Microsoft really needs a lot of luck and some “pixie dust” (as Karl said). The new WinMo ABSOLUTELY HAS to be revolutionary before we start to see diehard windows users moving to apple.

Personally I feel that Apple has bit the bullet and taken the risks they needed, they have come back from one failure in the past and they used their resources to get ahead. Microsoft on the other hand has tried to use the same tactics since the late 80’s and they aren’t willing to change and take the risks they need. I think personally that apple is going to have smart phone sales drop if MS can’t pull off the new windows mobile layout.

Personally I just bought a Blackberry curve over the Blackjack and the iPod, my reason…It was, in my opinion, easier to navigate and the UI made more sense to me, and I didn’t have 300.00 to spend on the phone with extra “bling”. I mean, A START MENU ON YOUR PHONE? Come on MS! You dont see the RIM OS having a start menu, you dont see apple placing a start menu on their phone. The phone UI should be categorized like the iPone and the RIM environments are. Place your most commonly used tools in front of you and have other categories for the more uncommon features.

Mobile Phones are not just cell phones anymore, they are becoming a neccesity. What made me buy the iPhone is I asked myself, why would I buy a new Sony Ericsson and buy a new iPod… when I can buy an iPhone and it has everything I need AND MORE! Anyways I’m heading on a rant here lol

Point being, Microsoft has lost this battle, and will never win it.

But in response to the hardware-control thing: That has been Apple’s advantage in multiple products. It’s easier to support 5 computers, each with only a few truly different configurations, than any combination of thousands of pieces of just core hardware. Therefore, its easier to concentrate on the more “fun” things in their OS, like the UI and still get it out the door quickly. Microsoft doesn’t have that advantage, and it’s pretty safe to say they never will. Meanwhile, Apple takes advantage of it every single chance they get. Its obviously working.

That’s the plan with WinMo 8.