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Windows Mobile 7 confirmed for debut at Mobile World Congress

By: , IntoMobile
Thursday, January 28th, 2010 at 5:07 PM

windows-mobile-7-logoWindows Mobile fans should have reason to get excited for the Mobile World Congress show next month in Barcelona, Spain. The world’s largest mobile-related trade show will apparently be where Microsoft will finally take the wraps off its supposedly revamped Windows Mobile 7 operating system, according to the company’s CFO Peter Klein. In just a few weeks, Microsoft will show the world the new version of Windows Mobile, which is expected to bring Microsoft mobile operating system into the capacitive touchscreen era.

WM7 should bring with it a completely overhauled user interface that centers more on finger inputs and easy-to-navigate controls rather. Compared to the impossibly tiny buttons and incredibly frustrating menu-based interfaces of past WinMo versions, WinMo7 should be an impressive refresh, and could give Microsoft a chance at competing with Android and iPhone. We know that WM7 will support Zune functionality and will support multi-touch. There’s also talk of Windows Mobile 7 having minimum hardware requirements that bring tears of joy to our eyes – 1Ghz processor, 800×480 touchscreen, 3G, WiFi, and GPS.

Microsoft has been steadily losing smartphone market share to the likes of the iPhone and the many high-end Android phones that are gunning for the top of the smartphone list. Mobile World Congress may very well be the turn-around point for Microsoft’s aging mobile OS.

Keep it tuned to IntoMobile, as we’ll be bringing you live, in-depth coverage of MWC from beautiful Barcelona!

[Via: Electronista]

About The Author

Will Park

Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...

  • Jeff

    There will be high expectations for Microsoft’s new mobile OS. It has to be better than the established competition (Android & iPhone) if it wants to gain market share from them. It will need to be a revolutionary new OS, or people just won’t take notice.

    Microsoft also needs to get it to market very quickly, as the current Windows Mobile is at the end of its life. Also, people may not be keen buying current Windows Phones, knowing that it is the end of the line for that platform.

  • Steven

    I hope this is not a hoax, like the Verizon iPhone rumor was. Anyhow, it is not good enough WM 7 to compete. In order for MS to compete, they have to be BETTER than iPhone and Android. (I’m not holding my breath.)

  • Kevin

    WM 6.5 is the first solid, reliable WM version I’ve used in ten years (excepting the non-touch smartphone versions).

    WM 7 is based on CE 6.0, which is a large update to the OS and should improve things again.

    The iPhone proved that it’s never too late to come to market in the smartphone world.

    The iPhone is also starting to prove that, like WM before it, staying static too long is a bad idea. Apple needs to up their game as well and add multitasking, a homescreen and better notifications.

  • Ahmed Eltawil

    I totally agree. I am gonna be watching Microsoft’s event at MWC like a hawk. I am also gonna be having high expectations for Windows Mobile 7…let’s say extremely high expectations, that’s the only way it can survive the battle with the other more popular platforms that took already over.

    If WM7 was just another interface ‘refresh’ like 6.5, then I will be looking at Android to get my smartphones.