Windows Mobile splits to target both ends of the market
Microsoft is to target both Android and the iPhone with its future Windows Mobile plans. The company will effectively have two different “latest” editions of its mobile software by the end of next year.
While Windows Mobile 6.5 should still launch in November, with a touchscreen upgrade in February, Microsoft won’t be phasing the system out when it releases Windows Mobile 7 towards the end of 2010.
Instead it will keep both systems in play, but will cut the price it charges manufacturers to use version 6.5. The idea is that this will then become the Windows system of choice for low-end handsets which aim to compete with Android-based devices. Meanwhile version 7 will be targeted to more expensive handsets which need the latest features.
Ed Hansberry of InformationWeek puts forward a credible theory: the upgrade to 6.5 next year will probably see its look revamped to match that planned for version 7 to make sure there’s consistency across the range of Windows Mobile devices when both versions are on sale.
While the strategy makes sense on paper, it doesn’t change the fact that version 7 is going to wind up well behind schedule. A year-plus delay simply isn’t good enough for Microsoft to compete at full strength: to keep what market share it still has left, it needs to be countering both the marketing appeal of the iPhone and the budget pricing of Android handsets now.
It also appears Microsoft is banking on promoting Windows Mobile devices by winning over app developers who are disgruntled by dealing with Apple’s vetting lottery. The Register notes that should be more of a hope than an expectation: there’s no indication yet that many developers want the hassle of switching developing systems; meanwhile those who do abandon the Apple ship may concentrate their efforts on Android or even Palm devices instead.
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January 12th, 2010
[...] we’ve previously reported, Microsoft is believed to have adopted a creative strategy for its mobile system. The recently released version 6.5 will remain available when 7.0 comes out but will be slashed in [...]