Windows Phone 7 Series' cutting room floor is an extravaganza of bright colors and chunky fonts

It's hard to argue that Windows Phone 7 Series' Metro UI concept isn't utterly unique in the mobile world, but it was wasn't the only option Microsoft considered -- far from it, in fact. The company has published a bunch a design concepts it churned through on its wild, wacky journey to finalizing Metro as we know it today, and one thing's for certain: they'd clearly planned on simple, square lines, partially-obscured typography, and in-your-face colors pretty much from day one. After careful consideration of everything they've got here, we still think we like the production design best, but that's kind of besides the point -- why, pray tell, couldn't these have just been user-selectable themes?

Olé, Contoso: Windows Phone Marketplace will integrate carrier-branded stores

So we noticed this odd "Contoso" label on Microsoft's Windows Phone Marketplace press image earlier today, and we finally got to the bottom of it: Microsoft's Todd Biggs says it's a placeholder entry for a carrier-branded section of the store -- instead of having a separate portal and / or store, Verizon or AT&T or whoever can simply sell their content to customers directly through Marketplace. So why Contoso? Todd says it's a random trademark owned by Microsoft used in place of carrier names that doesn't actually mean anything, although we think it suggests adventure, white roadsters, and finely-groomed mustachios. And now you know.

Windows Phone 7 Series will be WVGA only at launch, HVGA later

Microsoft's driving home the point that developers are going to know exactly what kind of hardware they're targeting as they whip up Windows Phone 7 Series apps -- and naturally, a biggie is screen resolution since that affects how UI elements are going to be placed, how cool they can look, and how small they can realistically be. In a session at MIX10, Microsoft's Charlie Kindel has laid down the law that WP7S will be 800 x 480 -- just 800 x 480 -- at launch, a message we heard at MWC last month, but the new tidbit here is that there'll be 480 x 320 in the pipe for an unannounced later date. All devices will have precisely the same amount of available RAM and the same capacitive touch capability, and as we've already know, manufacturers will be able to tack on a keyboard if they like.

Microsoft: No Windows Mobile Compatibility on Windows Phone 7 Series

Microsoft has confirmed that there will not be Windows Mobile compatibility with the release of its next-generation Windows Phone 7 Series operating system; instead, Windows Phone 7 Series will make a clean break from apps. The good news is that despite the loss of a large app repository for Windows Mobile 6.5, the Redmond, Washington based software giant will be working with developers to ensure an easy transition as well as bring games and a consumer-centric feel to the modernized OS. For developers, Silverlight, XNA, and .NET will be supported for Windows Phone 7 Series. According to Microsoft, "If you are Silverlight or XNA developer today you're gonna be really happy."

The company is also going on record to state that Windows Mobile 6.5 will continue to appear and get support for many years to come. Businesses who rely on Windows Mobile applications can sit out the messy transition initially, at least until applications for their vertical markets get ported. Consumers can be excited with the Xbox integration and all the jazziness that the new OS presents. For now, if you're joining the Windows Phone 7 revolution, there's no looking back--at least as far as apps are concerned, and we're applauding Microsoft in making some tough, bold decisions and remain focused in the smartphone war.

Zune HD UI Makes a Peek at a Newer Windows Phone 7 Series Build?

It's uncertain if the new mockup of Windows Phone 7 Series that was posted on Charlie Kindel's Microsoft blog is a newer build or an older build of Windows Phone 7 Series, but the new shot does show that Windows Phone 7 Series and the Zune HD UI are closely related. The new mockup does not have the clean look that we've seen at Mobile World Congress, but for those that are complaining that Windows Phone 7 Series has a lot of wasted space on the main screen--particularly the black areas at the right edge and the bottom--the new mockup show that Windows Phone 7 Series make better use of available screen real estate, for better or worse.

LG to launch Windows Phone 7 Series device by November

An earlier rumour (that was tweeted out during before the MWC during a LG Design Lab meet), which let on that the first phone to feature the Windows Phone 7 Series OS would be a LG phone, seems to be true, or at least, the LG phone in question seems to have a release date ahead of any other phone as of now.

Engadget’s Chinese chapter met with LG Mobile in Hong Kong on Wednesday evening, and have confirmed that the LG phone that will feature Windows Phone 7 Series OS will be launched between September and November of this year. Meanwhile, this seems fit well with Steve Balmer’s announcement during the MWC of a Windows Phone 7 launch before the “holidays”.

Windows Phone 7 Series: The good, the bad and the ugly

Earlier today, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced Windows Phone 7 Series at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The new operating system is a bold move for Microsoft, which is looking to reinvigorate its mobile strategy. But how bold is Windows Phone 7 Series in context of other mobile platforms? That's the question this post seeks to answer.

Because I'm miserably sick with the flu today, I'll limit this post to three areas: Windows Phone 7 Series as Microsoft's mobile Manhattan Project, mobile applications competition and garnering developer interest.

1. Mobile Manhattan Project

The Good. Finally, Microsoft is on a path of reinvention, which its mobile operating system desperately needed. Windows Phone 7 is something new, deriving heritage from Zune. Windows Phone 7 Series is a refreshing departure from Windows Mobile -- it demos well, anyway. Microsoft finally is making the kind of commitment necessary to once again be a major competitor in the handset market. Microsoft also seems to have at least some sense about how the mobile device market is changing.

Last week, IDC reported that the mobile sector, which now is an $850 billion market, accounts for nearly 60 percent of the global telecom market. Combined analyst data puts the worldwide mobile subscriber base at 4.6 billion. IDC predicts another 1.3 billion subscribers will be added by 2013.

"The mobile sector is in transition from its prior focus on subscriber growth," Courtney Munroe, group vice president of IDC Worldwide Telecommunications, said in a statement. "The expanding demographics of smartphones and new operating systems, the arrival of mobile broadband, and the explosive growth of applications and content are combining to reshape the landscape of mobile telecommunications."

The point: Microsoft still has time to recover lost momentum and consumer mindshare.

The Bad. The transition from Windows Mobile to Windows Phone 7 could cost Microsoft market share, as manufacturers transition from one operating system to another and consumers delay purchases (or buy a competing handset). Today's announcement makes Windows Mobile even less appealing, because something new is coming.

In fourth quarter, based on a survey of 30,000 US consumers, ComScore put Microsoft handset subscriber share at 18 percent. Research in Motion: 41.6 percent. Apple: 25.3 percent. Google: 5.2 percent, up from 2.5 percent three months earlier.

The Ugly. Microsoft is taking too long to bring Windows Phone 7 Series to market. Today, Microsoft announced holiday 2010 availability for new handsets, which isn't soon enough. In between, Apple will start selling iPad and is sure to release a new iPhone. What's trendy from Microsoft today could look less appealing come the holidays. New Android-based and Nokia handsets are sure to ship in between, too.



IDC predicts a mobile operating system transformation in 2010 because of open-source operating systems (like Android) and user-interface and user-experience (UI and UX) improvements in new categories such as iPad. Microsoft's time to market will put it on the tail-end of this transformation.

2. Mobile Applications

The Good. Microsoft has done well to leverage existing products or services, such as Xbox and Zune, for Windows Phone 7 Series. The new Mobile IE will be based on the desktop version 8 and no longer 6, which should hugely improve the browsing experience and safety. Windows Phone 7 Series devices will also extend to Web services through features like "hubs" and "live tiles." However, I predict that Windows Phone 7 Series poses greater risk to BlackBerry, rather than Android-based handsets or iPhone.

The Bad. Microsoft's core leveraged applications are games and music, where Apple has a huge lead, with consumers and developers, on iPhone, iPod touch and presumably forthcoming iPad. Microsoft's core entertainment push knocks up against Apple's huge lead. Microsoft will offer mobile Office on Windows Phone 7, which I contend is totally unnecessary for consumers, although it's good for extending and preserving Microsoft's productivity suite monopoly.

The Ugly. For years, Microsoft executives have talked about software plus services. But on mobile devices, Apple and not Microsoft has brought them to market. Apple claims about 135,000 mobile applications in the iTunes App Store and more than 3 billion downloads. Meanwhile, Google, which does offer the Android Marketplace, is pushing Web services, leveraging its strengths and offering alternatives to mobile applications. Once again, Microsoft's long time to market -- holiday 2010 -- will allow competitors to widen their leads.

3. Wooing developers

The Good. Microsoft is using the time between Windows Phone 7 Series' announcement and availability wisely, For starters, the company plans to woo developers during next month's MIX10 conference. Meanwhile, Microsoft is opening up its mobile platform to more third-party customization than does Apple (but not Google or Nokia). Microsoft also is a notoriously good development partner, providing lots of documentation and support.

The Bad. Windows Phone 7 Series doesn't really offer anything shockingly new for developers to embrace -- other than perhaps Office support. That's great for the enterprise market, but Microsoft needs to make a big consumer play. Microsoft will have to work developers all year long, and, once again, time to market -- meaning, when developers can profit from the platform -- is a deterrent to supporting it.

The Ugly. Apple already has huge mobile application developer lead among closed platforms. Meanwhile, today, Symbian Foundation announced open-source Synbian ^3. Nokia and Intel revealed that they will combine their Maemo and Moblin platforms into the single MeeGo. Like Symbian ^3 -- and Google's Android -- MeeGo is open source. Closed Windows Phone 7 Series must woo developers from closed iPhone OS and three open source mobile operating systems -- Android, MeeGo and Symbian 3.