Bsquare Takes Over Licensing Of Windows Mobile

[Ed Hansberry]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.istartedsomething.com/20091106/microsoft-gives-windows-mobile-licensing-rights/' target='_blank'>http://www.istartedsomething.com/20...censing-rights/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Just when I thought Windows phones had already one too many layers between the end-user and Microsoft, they've just decided to add in one more for good measure. Announced today, Microsoft has signed on a third-party, Bsquare, to be the first and currently exclusive distributor for Windows Mobile licenses worldwide."</em></p><p>This seems to be a total outsourcing move. According to the blog post, not only will Bsquare take over licensing of the OS to mobile phone manufacturers, but they will "also provide reference designs, communication stacks, technical support, training, testing and the like to OEMs."</p><p>Licensing doesn't bother me. That is the business end of Windows Mobile and has little to do with the platform itself. I do worry though that by turning over testing, tech support, reference designs, testing and more that Microsoft is further insulated from the device maker, retailer and end user. I am not sure how this will lead to improving the platform overall. Windows Mobile is woefully behind the competition in the marketplace today. Does anyone think this will help close the gap? I'd love to hear the reasoning behind such a view because the logic of it totally escapes me.</p>

[Phillip Dyson]

I'm not sure about improving the experience or innovation. However, I think this removes some of the conflict of interest arguments about Microsoft entering directly into the hardware/device business.

In theory if MS wanted to create a mobile phone device, they would have to get it from BSquare and not themself. I think this would be a concern for OEMs whether MS' device was based on Windows Mobile or not.

[MAK11]

This is totally wrong (istartedsomething twisted to whole thing and everybody seems to have copied what he said) , MS isn't outsourcing WM licensing see here:

http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2009/11/09/bsquare-to-distribute-windows-mobile-the-real-story/

[BevHoward]

Damm pesky, irritating users... the mobile business would be so much nicer without having to deal with their problems all the time ;-)

Haven't heard the name bSquare for a number of years... hearing it immediately recalls the fact that they did an excellent job of avoiding users back then... an excellent choice by ms.

Beverly Howard

[Gerard]

While I did not (and still don't) understand the details, it was well known 'back in the day' that BSquare were responsible for crippling performance of 133MHz and 150MHz MIPS processors used in the Casio line of PPCs. This was in large part responsible for the death of Casio's otherwise stellar MIPS-based devices.

In 2001 I paid BSquare $50 for a VoIP application, called 'BInTouch' if memory serves. It never worked. They supplied a second license 'free' at the point of sale, which I gave to a friend living quite far away so that we could use it for conversations rather than the telephone or email. We tried, and tried... and tried some more. Nope, never worked. Once he heard me, for about a second, as a sort of blip which might have been part of a word, maybe. I never heard anything. Lots of error messages though. I contacted BSquare Support, told them I had previously purchased their BSquare Utilities Pack (another $50 - all wasted, as EVERY SINGLE APPLICATION WAS BROKEN IN CRITICAL WAYS... I learned more about software testing and bugs from that suite than any other developer has taught me, though got not a bit of feedback from BSquare about my reports), and now this, and would kind of like either some support or a refund. They told me that it was unfortunate, how their VoIP program did not work over dialup (I didn't get high speed access for another 3 years) and that unfortunately they would not be able to make a refund... as I should have read about this limitation in the support files. Which, were, um, only available after purchasing the program! Brilliant support and customer service. NOT.

So now BSquare is being given responsibility for something to do with WM distribution, and perhaps architecture? Awesomely stupid. Thanks, Microsoft. As I recall wondering all those years ago and now wonder again, does someone at BSquare have someone at Microsoft over a barrel? Some naughty pictures perhaps? I don't understand what else would explain such incompetence being part of the equation at all.

[Fritzly]

While I did not (and still don't) understand the details, it was well known 'back in the day' that BSquare were responsible for crippling performance of 133MHz and 150MHz MIPS processors used in the Casio line of PPCs. This was in large part responsible for the death of Casio's otherwise stellar MIPS-based devices.


Give us Back Bill Gates; maybe we are still in time....... well.............. might be...........

[Jason Dunn]

http://www.mobiletechworld.com/2009/11/09/bsquare-to-distribute-windows-mobile-the-real-story/

Thanks for posting this - it makes more sense now. :)