Filed under: Software, Windows Mobile
For many (if not most) iPhone developers, the App Store’s overheated competition and bloated inventory have led to scorched-earth pricing that makes it virtually impossible to parlay mobile development into a valid for-profit business model without turning to subscriptions or in-app advertising. RIM’s tried to nip that behavior in the bud by capping the minimum sale price at $2.99, and it sounds like Microsoft feels the same way in light of the flowery, motivational language being thrown the way of developers at learning sessions ahead of the Marketplace’s launch. “I know, 99 cents is interesting — yes, consumers like to pay 99 cents for applications,” admits Microsoft’s Loke Uei, “but 99 cents, come on, I think your app is worth more than that.” You heard it straight from the horse’s mouth, people — your app is worth more than that. Ultimately, Uei says the goal is to set the bench higher by keeping low-quality apps out of the Marketplace, but to start out and beef up, they might consider taking all the crap they can get and worrying about stroking devs’ egos after the fact. If the store’s client app makes it easy enough to browse, search, and get to best-of-breed content, this point should be moot anyhow.
Microsoft tells WinMo devs they’re beautiful, worth more than 99 cents originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 02:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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The evidence that Windows Mobile 6.5 could soon be moving beyond the stylus to gather finger-friendly, multi-touch, capacitive screens into its long, loving arms has been mounting with the leak of the HTC Leo ROM and TouchFlo 3D 2.6. Such a move would quickly put Microsoft back on track to compete with the iPhone and Android devices like the HTC Hero. Now DigiTimes, based on sourced information from Taiwanese handset makers, is reporting a “touch interface” version of Windows Mobile 6.5 set for release in February 2010 — an upgrade to the initial Windows Mobile 6.5 launch expected on October 1st. However, instead of phasing out Windows Mobile 6.5 with the Q4 2010 launch of Windows Mobile 7, DigiTimes asserts that Microsoft will lower the price of WinMo 6.5 to compete against open-source Android devices while positioning WinMo 7 to go head-to-head with the iPhone. In other words, Microsoft appears to be adopting a dual-platform mobile strategy like we’ve heard before, regardless of Steve Ballmer’s recent grandstanding against Google’s dual-platform approach.
Windows Mobile 6.5 ‘touch interface’ update in February to coexist with WinMo 7? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Software
We’ve all been a bit up in arms about the apparent lack of a push for apps on the Zune HD given the platform’s obvious strengths, but news from Daring Fireball seems to suggest that may not be the whole story. According to John Gruber, after publishing a short story on the ZHD and Microsoft’s seeming lack of developer interest, he was contacted by an iPhone dev who claimed to have been pinged by Redmond to code for the new device. According to the source — a Twitter client-maker — he was asked to port his software to the Zune platform for “a bucket of money,” though he ultimately declined the offer. Details beyond that fact are scarce, though apparently this dev is “certain” the offer was for the Zune. We won’t argue for the benefits of having your application on two high-profile devices (clearly a personal decision), but it is extremely encouraging to hear that Microsoft sees the need to bring more than just basic functionality to a device like the Zune HD. Now, it’s just a question of how smartly they go about it.
[Via The iPhone Blog]
iPhone devs offered cash to code for the Zune HD? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Games, Windows Mobile
Are you a currently unemployed Software Engineer? If so, here’s a recession antidote of an altogether different stripe: Microsoft is taking applications for a LIVE Community Director, whose job it will be to manage “LIVE community strategy and execution across a range of properties, from Xbox LIVE to Windows Mobile.” The posting then goes on to discuss how the team will be tasked with constructing a next gen, LIVE-enabled platform across the web, the console, mobile and more… which, you know, sounds a little bit like the Live Anywhere concept. Either way, it sounds like the company might be doing a little more than merely contemplating its mobile strategy, Shane Kim’s recent interview notwithstanding. What are you waiting for? Dust off that resume and hit the read link.
[Via Ars Technica, thanks Adrian]
Is Microsoft gearing up for Xbox Live on mobile? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Software, Nokia, Symbian
We didn’t expect too many fireworks from Microsoft and Nokia’s joint teleconference this morning, and, well, we didn’t get any. As expected, Office Mobile is coming to Symbian, along with Office Communicator Mobile, SharePoint, and Microsoft System Center, and the two companies also said they’ll be working on “future user experiences” for Nokia customers. Don’t get too worked up about that, though — Nokia said it was “deeply committed to Symbian,” and that “there are no such plans” to work on a Windows Mobile device. So much for that. We did ask whether this partnership would affect Nokia’s rumored Maemo plans, and we were told that development is Symbian-focused for now, but that there might be “other business opportunities” in the future, so at least that door remains open a hair — but for the most part this is all about Microsoft and Nokia trying to stake out a stronger enterprise position, not anything else. Video after the break, if you’re having a hard time taking that nap.
Continue reading Microsoft and Nokia announce Office coming to Symbian
Microsoft and Nokia announce Office coming to Symbian originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Nokia, Others
We’re not sure what to make of this, but we were just invited to a joint Microsoft / Nokia teleconference during which the two companies will announce an “alliance.” Yeah, there are some pretty wild possibilities there — Nokia going WinMo? Redmond going Symbian? The creation of MaeWinMo? — but considering the featured speakers are Stephen Elop, president of Microsoft’s business division, and Kai Öistämö, Nokia’s EVP for devices, we’re guessing the real announcement will be something more pedestrian, like native Exchange support on Symbian or possibly that upcoming Atom netbook running Windows 7. Otherwise, hell — Nokia would be supporting three different mobile OSs, and that seems just a little too crazy, even for Espoo. We’ll see — it all goes down tomorrow at 11AM Eastern.
Update: This is probably unrelated, but Microsoft’s Mac BU just called its own presser for Thursday, so if you’re looking to spend the night weaving wild nonsensical conspiracy theories, we’d say all the pieces are in place.
Nokia and Microsoft to announce an “alliance” tomorrow — what? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Software, Windows Mobile
It’s been a hot minute since we first laid eyes on
those WinMo screen grabs featuring big ol’ buttons at the bottom of the display — signaling, we hoped, an all-around effort to minimize stylus use in the mobile OS — and now we have a video for you that seems to further make the case. While WinMo 6.5 build 23022 is still pretty clumsy, those finger-friendly (well, at least, “finger-friendlier,” or maybe “not as finger-hostile”) buttons grace the bottom of the display, and there is an iPhone-esque magnifying glass option for zooming in on and editing text. Technical details for this build are available at the read link — but first, make sure you peep the thing in action at the break.
[Via SlashGear]
Continue reading WinMo 6.5 build 23022 caught on video, in all its finger-friendly glory
WinMo 6.5 build 23022 caught on video, in all its finger-friendly glory originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Software, Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile 6.5 has already started to take baby steps in the all-important direction of finger-friendliness, and the latest leaked build is showing a seemingly innocuous addition that’s actually really, really exciting: big, ugly soft buttons along the bottom. It’s not clear whether this is some experimental feature, something Microsoft plans to shoehorn into the 6.5 RTM or a future AKU, or an addition that was intended to be left on the cutting room floor, but anything that the team out in Redmond can do to make 6.5 a little less stylus-dependent will be more than welcome. Are the buttons down there pretty? No, but at a glance, they look awfully functional — and as platforms go, WinMo may express the “form follows function” mantra better than any other.
[Via pocketnow.com]
New WinMo 6.5 build shows fingers even more love originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Handsets, HTC, Windows Mobile, Android
Uh oh Microsoft, this can’t be good news. HTC, the premier manufacturer of Windows Mobile handsets is rumored to be shifting half of its inventory to Google’s Android OS in 2010. To put this in perspective, HTC lists 28 devices on its European website and of those, just 2 run Android, the rest are WinMo. DigiTimes‘ sources claim that HTC is on track to make 30% of its 2009 handsets Android-based which means that several of Andy Rubin’s 15 to 20 Android handsets coming this year would have to be HTC branded for this to be true. DigiTimes also claims that HTC will launch a handset that’s simultaneously a “high-profile 3G handset” and “entry-level model” with touchscreen and TouchFlo 3D / Sense UI. HTC is said to achieve this seemingly contradictory feat by basing the handset on Qualcomm’s BREW Mobile Platform when it launches in September or October. Of course, none of this is confirmed, but will undoubtedly be a topic of discussion when HTC reports earnings on July 30th.
HTC adopting Android on 50% of its handsets in 2010? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Handsets, Software, Windows Mobile
Microsoft’s attention may now be focused on
Windows Marketplace, but a recently filed trademark application seems to suggest that the company could maybe, possibly have something even bigger in store for the future. As noted by
istartedsomething, Microsoft is going after the name “ONEAPP” (or “One Application”), which it describes as a trademark for “online retail store services facilitating the download of computer software for use on mobile phones, media players and other portable electronic devices.” Now, putting two and two together, that would seem to indicate that Windows Mobile phones and devices like the Zune HD would not only share a single branded app store, but the actual apps as well — which isn’t so much of a stretch, if not for the fact that Microsoft has already invested itself so heavily in Windows Marketplace. Then again, it could very well be just yet another name that Microsoft likes but has no real intention of using.
[Via istartedsomething, thanks Chris]
Microsoft trademark application hints at cross-platform “OneApp” app store originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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