Windows Phone 7 Will Not Initially Offer Copy and Paste

[Pete Paxton]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/microsoft-windows-phone-7-series-will-not-initially-offer-copy/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/19/...lly-offer-copy/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Here you go, folks, an official statement from Redmond itself on the perennial Windows Phone 7 Series / copy-and-paste discussion. First and foremost, from the onset, there will be no copy and paste in the traditional sense; Microsoft is hoping to bypass the issue by integrating into the OS contextual, single-tap instances for viewing an address on a map (let's hope it has some good recognition algorithms here), doing Bing searches based on highlighted terms, dial a phone number, and so on. But the book isn't entirely closed here, apparently, as the statement goes on to say the company "will continue to improve our feature set over time based on what we hear." We've also got a statement regarding the hacked emulator, to which a representative told us, "we have been very clear that [it] is based on early code and is not reflective of the final user experience," which is a nice way of saying don't get your hopes up on those fun little surprises (task manager, anyone?). Full statements after the break."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1269043820.usr11642.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>What I find interesting is the statement <em>"will continue to improve our feature set over time based on what we hear." </em>So do they really not hear us shouting that we want copy and paste? Perhaps as we use the new OS we won't find we need copy and paste but I really don't think that will be the case. With all the hype and attention lately, this is a golden opportunity for Microsoft - I hope they don't blow it. So as you post your comments, how important is copy and paste for the Windows Phone 7 series?</p>

[frankenbike]

Of course, this might work...so long as everything you could want to do is only done in Microsoft apps, maybe. If you want to look something up on IMDB, Wikipedia, YouTube, Google Maps (which so far are superior in every way than Bing/Live maps), paste info into a travel app like Trip Case or an airline reservation app, copy/paste a serial number or password, add something on a calculator and copy it and paste it into a response to a facebook chat...

Even if everything you installed became an item on an option menu for context selection, that list could grow really large.

What we're seeing, is that Microsoft selected the most ignorant, technology phobic people they possibly could for their focus groups, avoiding all of their current customers or anybody who was technology savvy. Because that's what they think iPhone users are.

[starstreak]

This is so dumb! Wasn't it the Windows Mobile crowd that laughed at Apple for not including a simple thing as cut and paste? Now now MS does it to us.
That's like Honda laughing at Toyota bringing out a Hybrid that needs new batteries every 5 thousand miles. Then Honda releases their 1st full hybrid that needs new batteries every 5 thousand miles.

[warptime]

Deal killer for me. No copy/paste, no Windows Phone 7 device. I copy passwords out of Flex Wallet and paste into email to send to my laptop. Much easier than typing 16 oddball characters by hand into a blind password text box. I copy and paste for other purposes as well.

Guess i will look at the Sprint Touch Pro 2...

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Meh, we know the drill. Wait for version 2.0.

[jmjstandin]

Despite being a loyal Windows Mobile customer for many years, I would NEVER touch Windows Phone 7 if it does not have copy and paste. There are just too many uses for it across all kinds of applications and they will never be able to foresee them in the interface. I don't want a dumb phone.

Maybe it's off topic, but I also don't want a phone which relies on Bing to do its search. Not until Bing takes notice that there are people who do not live in the USA. Here on the outskirts of a major city like Geneva, distances are shown on the maps in miles (this is the 21st century!!), there is no weather anywhere nearby (temperatures would probably be quoted in Fahrenheit anyway) and local search is pretty useless (not one of hundreds of restaurants, it completely misses the 10 or so nearest hospitals so don't rely on Bing in an emergency, ...). Fortunately my HTC HD2 has Google Maps as well as Bing. GM immediately finds all nearby restaurants (even across the nearby border).

[virain]

Windows, even if it is a "Phone Series" without copy/paste is like a car wihout steering wheel, pretty much useless. I don't remember if Android 2.1 offers copy/paste, if not, I believe new version of iPhone will, and multitasking too.... Somehow Apple looks better and better everyday.

[psyjohn]

This is just one more reason that I won't be getting a Win phone 7. I have always used my device first for business. It's nice to be able to use it as an mp3 player, ebook reader, photo viewer, etc., but those are not the primary uses for my phone. Win Phone 7 will certainly entertain, but it looks as if it's going to be all style and no substance. I'll stick with 6.X until I ultimately make the move to another OS, probably Android.

[Don Tolson]

While I use my phone fairly extensively as a mobile work tool, and an extension of my laptop, I have to admit that I've only used 'cut and paste' on the phone itself rarely.

Now, that's not to say that it's important to some people -- it's just not what I would consider a 'deal-breaker'. I'm more concerned about the integration with the Outlook and Office suite.

I'm also wondering if MS is actually going to provide 'over the air' updates, as was promised in WM5 or 6 I think it was, but never delivered. It would be cool if MS actually started sending us updates to the Metro(?) interface and experience directly to our phones -- instead of giving them to the vendors, then having US wait to see if our vendor actually wants to pass the new features along to the users.

[Rob Alexander]

I've already spoken to my feelings about copy/paste in the first thread on the topic, but I'll add this. In the big scheme of things, it's really important to me. However, I can't make a blanket statement about what I will and won't do because I'll just have to see what my options are and how they stack up to each other at the time I replace my Imagio.

When I think of the things that my Imagio doesn't do well, though, that would make me move to a WP7 or some other device, it's always about handling my data (which, yes, copy/paste is also about). I just saw a Palm Pre commercial that showed their phone integrating your Exchange, Google and Facebook calendars into a single calendar (and, I presume, keeping the items straight as to where they come from). Now a feature like that would be worth a lot to me.

Other data-oriented features would also be valuable, and might make me live without copy/paste. How about cloud syncing between your PCs and phone and including all Outlook data types in an Exchange sync? How about integration with common cloud-based backup and sync servers (Syncplicity, Mozy, Carbonite, etc.) so that you had integrated access to your files from your phone. I don't mean you can login through a browser, I mean you would have full-time seamless access to your files. How about an integrated email client that can actually talk natively to Gmail and would include real Gmail controls when you're looking at that account, and not make duplicate sent items, but Outlook controls and saving a sent item when you're looking at that.

And I'm just touching the tip of the iceburg here on having a phone that could integrate your data from all over. What if MS specified database specs, like they do now for outlook data, but for all types of databases? Then they could build interoperability into the OS, but we could use whatever 3P app we wanted based on how well it works for us.

There are lots of things that MS could do that would be so compelling that I would still consider it even without copy/paste. The problem is... if they can't even get copy and paste done, then what makes me think they can do a bunch of other cool stuff like this? I think that's the real disappointment to me... the growing realization that this is likely to be a pretty face on a very lightly featured product. And then, really, what's the point?

[Bob Anderson]

Meh, we know the drill. Wait for version 2.0.

Well, I think the saying is we'll wait for version 3.0, but the meaning is the same!

I won't rule out WP7S becasue it doesn't have cut-n-paste, however what I will say is that the other features better make up for the loss of that and others! No file system? No removable memory? No Multitasking? No "sideloading" of apps?

My thought at this point is that it seems like we're giving up a lot, and I'm not convinced yet that we'll get enough back in return. I commented over a year ago on these forums that I anticipated backward app compatiblilty would probably be dropped in favor of a fresh start - and I was (and am) OK with that, however I'm not a huge fan of losing all the stuff that really set the Windows Phone apart from the competition.

Long live "cut-n-paste" ... I use it regularly to copy items to OneNote mobile, into/from eWallet, and all kinds of things with e-mail and contacts... MSFT: if you can build an OS that can move this data back and forth without some kind of clipboard functionality - more power to you - but I suspect you can't (how would you know I want to copy a song name from a website, for example?)

[Pdaholic]

My guess is that the MS programmers are trying to come up with a form of copy-and-paste for touchscreens that doesn't function like that on iPhones. Especially given how sue-happy Apple is. I really don't care for the copy-paste function on my iPhone (seems awkward sometimes), but it is better than not having the function at all.

[virain]

My guess is that the MS programmers are trying to come up with a form of copy-and-paste for touchscreens that doesn't function like that on iPhones. Especially given how sue-happy Apple is. I really don't care for the copy-paste function on my iPhone (seems awkward sometimes), but it is better than not having the function at all.

Cut and Paste existed on a touch screen Microsoft devices long before iPhone! If anyone should file a law suite here, that would be Microsoft VS. Apple

[Fritzly]

Cut and Paste existed on a touch screen Microsoft devices long before iPhone! If anyone should file a law suite here, that would be Microsoft VS. Apple

It existed yes but worked with a stilo which in many devices like the HD2 is not available anymore.
It is a different game.......

[virain]

It existed yes but worked with a stilo which in many devices like the HD2 is not available anymore.
It is a different game.......

You could use your finger, toothpick, etc... Stylus was a comfortable solution, but not a requirement. :)

[rlalouche]

I completely agree, as a long time "PocketPC/Windows Mobile now converted to iPhone" user and programmer, I cannot believe Microsoft is actually contemplating releasing Phone 7 without cut/copy/paste. It was clearly a mistake for the omission on the iPhone, but Apple's overall revolutionary interface change made that ommission tolerable. Now, with iPhone "emotionally" on top (even if the number of users don't rank them there), and Android coming out at least a strong second, Microsoft has left us loyal users/programmers in the dust. By the way, if the iPhone weren't a slave to AT&T and were also on Verizon, the game would be over - Apple would already have the whole market sewn up.
PLEASE, Micrsoft, don't mess this up - you may not get a second chance. You must one up Apple in every way to regain your leadership in the Smartphone market, not just come close. Are you seriously contemplating repeating one of Apple's few mistakes? With your VAST resources, I cannot believe you can't put together a beautiful UI for this issue in plenty of time. If its not perfect, improve it later, but don't leave it out. Even if we rarely need it because all your other features are so slick, WE WILL STILL NEED IT!