Windows Phone 7: New Name, New Everything
The name change is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many things that Microsoft has shown over the weekend. But right now, this all holds very little bearing as nothing presented or shown onstage will matter until the new Windows Phone 7 operating system finally comes out during the holidays.
HTC has already announced that they will have a WP device ready by then. Aside from that, it is anyone’s guess what kind of hardware the new platform is going to be available in (though we at least know that it will always be using Qualcomm technology).
Some people have wondered if Microsoft jumped the gun on this one. After all, we would have all been happy with a quick announcement that version 7 is on its way without delays. People actually expected to see more the recently launched WinMo 6.5.3 Maldives OS instead of the grand presentation given to Windows Phone 7.
Well, considering what we saw, interest in the operating system will not die out for a very long time.
If Steve Ballmer and his crew simply presented a system that worked pretty much like the Android or the iPhone OS, then it would have been impressive, but forgettable. Instead, they presented an OS so new that it makes the Android and the iPhone OS feel backwards and obsolete. And nothing will remind us of that more than using the smart phones we have today. WP7 was literally a sneak peek into the future with its new Tiles and the large bleeding menus. Aside from the new name and the new stylized user interface, Zune and Xbox Live Games are also present in the system (no games yet, too bad).
Speaking of the new naming system, see how it affects other Windows Mobile systems at Engadget.
