[Russ Smith]

I mostly agree with the commentary. Microsoft should "modularize" WM to the point where the base OS can upgrade across all platforms. Each OEM would have to think about updating what would essentially be the GUI and some support software. That still leaves the problem of having an upgrade reset the entire machine. Basically, the Registry is the issue. When you make major changes in the OS, the easiest way to deal with it is to restart the Registry. The "solution" to that problem is for Microsoft to go in reverse, abandon the Registry, and revert to the days when each application had it's own installation data file.

On the other hand, as always, Microsoft and Apple have gone in two very different directions. Microsoft provides the OS and base applications, while the OEMs provide the hardware, support software, and additional apps. It's aimed at selling the software. Apple provides the hardware, OS, basic apps, support software, etc. All the Service Provider provides is the bandwidth for the device to connect. It's aimed at selling the hardware.

The fact that Apple controls both software and hardware makes this kind of an update easy.

Still, I'll give Apple credit. It's not at all typical for an update from Apple to be free. It's not typical for Apple to update software without hardware driving it (and thus forcing the user to upgrade the hardware to get the software). It's also not at all typical for Apple to listen to it's users. (Apple usually tells you what you want rather than the other way around.)

I do hope that Microsoft and all the WM vendors take a serious look at this and try to emulate it. I'll probably never own an iPhone (no memory card support, etc.), but I would like to see WM get more update friendly as a result of the competition.