HTC Porting Sense UI To Windows Phone 7

[Nurhisham Hussein]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/24/htc-sense-coming-to-windows-phone-7-after-all/' target='_blank'>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/24/...ne-7-after-all/</a><br /><br /></div><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1280053215.usr14226.jpg" style="border: 0px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>One of the consequences of Microsoft's lockdown of Windows Phone 7 specifications was that 3rd party UIs were essentially left out in the cold. Now it seems that the restriction isn't going to be as all-encompassing as it originally sounded - HTC is indicating they will port their popular Sense UI to Windows Phone 7 and Android 3. We can only speculate how much of it will actually make it into HTC's WP7 devices, but the fact that <em>some </em>customization is possible should be encouraging - for personalization if for nothing else.</p>

[Paragon]

This is good news. In fact, if true, it would be enough for me to give WP7 another look.

For all those who don't like or want Sense, simply turn it off. For all those who believe it leads to fragmentation, it does NOT! It gives the end user a choice. It adds variety. It is good! It is good for the end user, and it is good for the OEM's to differentiate themselves. Don't forget, if you don't like it, simply_turn_it_off!

I wonder how many people reading this have a home screen on their desktop or laptop that looks identical to anyone else's? Probably none. So why take something as highly personal as a cellphone and force everyone to use the same interface? It's ludicrous. It is the same as if General Motors told all their customers, their cars have to be black. All cars must have the same motor. Al cars must have the same interior. All cars must have hand crank windows, and so on....It sounds absolutely absurd doesn't it?! Especially for an option that can be turned off if you don't want it. Oh, and please don't tell me I can change Tiles in WP7, that is just so not enough. Changing tiles simply does not offer any where near enough flexibility.

I think the concept of a single locked interface is a serious miscalculation by Microsoft, that hopefully HTC can force them to change. Don't forget that even if you don't like Sense, this can still be a good thing because if HTC does manage to get this changed, then not only Sense can be added, but many other interfaces can be as well, not just now but in the future, and who knows what fantastic UI may show up in the future that would otherwise be unavailable, thus sending people off to another platform where they can get it.

For those who believe this has a negative effect of direct updates from Microsoft I don't believe this is the case. The ability to update firmware at the file level has existed for some time. In fact I recently had an Experia X10 for awhile. Although my carrier has not released an update for it yet I was able to go directly to Sony Ericsson's site and download the update and install it without loosing any of the carrier, or OEM specific material.....So worrying about the update process should not be necessary.

If true, I see this is as a win win situation.

Dave

[virain]

I really hated that Sense on my TP2 , Finally , I've replaced it with SPB 's and I love it! In case of WP7 I do understand why MS doesn't want any customizations. MS banking big time on visual effect of its new platform, because its stripped of functionality in some very important places! Kinda super model that looks hot until she opens her mouth and start talking.

[Craig Horlacher]

I thought that one benefit of Windows Phone 7 was going to be that OS updates would be available right away straight from Microsoft. That seemed like a good idea to me. I guess Microsoft decided that wasn't a big deal - or HTC told them it was their way or nothing and Microsoft didn't want to loose a major partners.

[efjay]

Pretty pointless if you are going to introduce a new OS, claim you will be in control then allow HTC to introduce their buggy, resource hogging "Sense" into the picture. The whole point of WP7 is that its different, new UI for the start screen, applications and menus. Why would anyone want HTC putting their own crap on there which on WM has never followed the UI conventions? If customisation is such a big deal WP7 is obviously not for you, stay with WM or move to android, WP7 is fine just as it is.

[randalllewis]

I think we may be reading too much into this comment. I doubt very much that Sense is going to be loaded on top of the WP7 UI and- if Microsoft allowed that- I'd agree they were nuts. I suspect that HTC will place a Sense type of hub on the phone with some of their functionality installed. A Sense tile (which I understand can be customized by OEMs) on the Start Screen would take you to that hub. That would be fine with me. I doubt I'd ever use such a hub. I have been a fan of Sense since it was called Touch Flo because it was a nicer looking and more functional alternative to Windows Mobile. But frankly, the WP7 UI is much nicer than any version of Sense I've ever seen.

[BBF]

Well, with the Copyright Office's ruling that "jail breaking" phones is legal... this announcement from HTC makes more sense... (no pun intended.) Since MS cannot legally prevent third parties from installing software on WP7 phones anymore by hiding behind DMCA DRM-circumvention provisions. Too bad MS, Apple got 3 years of protection hiding behind DMCA, MS gets no such protection with WP7. However, somebody's still got to figure out how to "jail break" WP7 phones, I really doubt that MS will make it easy and all of sudden open WP7 up.

Although I abhor the Sense interface (too bloated, too slow on my older MSM7xxx devices) I can understand why HTC wants to implement it, and why MS would want to block it. The Sense UI is generally the same on both WM6 and Android platforms, making it transparent to the user no matter which OS underlies the UI... which is exactly why MS doesn't want to allow it on their WP7 platform, it'll just make it look just like the other android and WM6 phones out there... and HTC wants it because it gives them OS independence that they can sell to the carriers.

[randalllewis]

I believe the jailbreak decision applies to users of phones. It does not prevent Microsoft from setting conditions on what else an OEM can place on top of their OS. And, as I said before, I expect what HTC wants is just a Sense hub on the phone.

[Fritzly]

I believe the jailbreak decision applies to users of phones. It does not prevent Microsoft from setting conditions on what else an OEM can place on top of their OS. And, as I said before, I expect what HTC wants is just a Sense hub on the phone.

I do not think that HTC needed a ruling to deal with MS, they have enough weight on their own; what this decison means, among other things, is that neither MS nor Apple nor any other company will be able to lock customers to buy apps only from a predefined, exclusive market. Apple was able to leverage it for a couple of years, MS is late so it will not. Tempus fugit.
Bottom line: more freedom for customers is always welcomed.

[Jason Dunn]

I think too much is being made of this - HTC will not be able to put Sense on the home screen like some of you are thinking. Instead I think what we'll see are HTC Sense "apps" - or possibly a suite that you start up, and then boom, you get the HTC Sense experience. Imagine all the Sense apps in a single side-scrolling experience let's say...

Microsoft will still be updating the OS on the phones; nothing that HTC implements on their phones will change that.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

For all those who don't like or want Sense, simply turn it off. For all those who believe it leads to fragmentation, it does NOT!

....

In fact I recently had an Experia X10 for awhile. Although my carrier has not released an update for it yet I was able to go directly to Sony Ericsson's site and download the update and install it without loosing any of the carrier, or OEM specific material.....So worrying about the update process should not be necessary.


So, is the X10 you're using on 2.1, like most users who bought an Android device in the past 6 months, or is it still on 1.6? If it's on 1.6, that's the fragmentation bit for you. Lagging behind updates is not cool, especially now that 2.2 is on the way.

That said, Android is moving ahead at a ridiculous speed. I expect MS to be not as fast. :D

[Paragon]

So, is the X10 you're using on 2.1, like most users who bought an Android device in the past 6 months, or is it still on 1.6? If it's on 1.6, that's the fragmentation bit for you. Lagging behind updates is not cool, especially now that 2.2 is on the way.

That said, Android is moving ahead at a ridiculous speed. I expect MS to be not as fast. :D

It's on 1.6 which is what it came with. Although I don't understand how that is fragmentation?
BTW...the latest model of my car has a few upgrades from my year old model......I`m still waiting for General motors to send them to me. Is that fragmentation?

If you believe that with Windows Phone 7 that on the day an upgrade to the OS is announced every single phone will see that upgrade that same day, I think you are going to be very disappointed. They may be able push out minor updates with some success, but I highly doubt you will see major upgrades as you mention for Android jumping from 1.6 to 2.1 or even 2.2

This, in fact, leads to a point I have been making about Microsoft taking Apple's iPhone platform strategy designed around a single device made by a single manufacturer, and controlled by a single entity, and trying to apply it to their platform being used on many different phones, made by many different manufacturers, with different variations in different areas of the world, with end-users expecting immediate updates, and having the complicated process work flawlessly. This is the second serious miscalculation I think Microsoft has made. They've made lots of good choices with WP7, and seem to be setting themselves up properly to take a good run at it. I just see the extreme limits they have implemented for the interface, and application loading as mistakes, because they go far beyond what is necessary to ensure a "good user experience" It turns away a good chunk of marketshare unnecessarily.

BTW...I agree with Jason, that it is highly unlikely to happen the way we have been talking about it. They will more likely find a sideways way of doing it.

Dave

[Jason Dunn]

It's on 1.6 which is what it came with. Although I don't understand how that is fragmentation? BTW...the latest model of my car has a few upgrades from my year old model......I`m still waiting for General motors to send them to me. Is that fragmentation?

Aww comon' Dave, don't play games ;) - you know exactly what platform fragmentation is like. Every time there was an AKU or OS update for Windows Mobile, and some users got it and some didn't, that's fragmentation. Don't pretend there's a different standard for Android - when someone has a phone with 1.6 and there's a 2.2 update out but they can't get it, that's fragmentation. People with a first gen iPhone that can't get iOS4? That's also fragmentation.

If you believe that with Windows Phone 7 that on the day an upgrade to the OS is announced every single phone will see that upgrade that same day, I think you are going to be very disappointed.

Well I certainly can't see the future, I think you'll be quite surprised - in a good way - by the upgrade system that Microsoft has put in place for WP7.

[Paragon]

Well Jason, I wasn't trying to play games. I was trying to draw a comparison, and admittedly making an assumption that MS is going to have a very hard time trying to push out major upgrades with so many partners, with so many different devices around the world. That, mixed in with me being about a soft as you can be when it comes to the upgrade path. ;)

Because of your involvement I think your words carry some weight. Therefore I would raise my expectations of Microsoft's future upgrade success.....to maybe...hopeful. Or maybe even strongly hopeful. ;)

Dave

[Jason Dunn]

Because of your involvement I think your words carry some weight. Therefore I would raise my expectations of Microsoft's future upgrade success.....to maybe...hopeful. Or maybe even strongly hopeful. ;)

I kid you not: I've been trying for FIVE MONTHS to work with Microsoft PR to release a Q&A interview I did with a program manager from the team that handles the device updates for Windows Phone 7. FIVE MONTHS. I have never worked this hard in my life to get a story, but it's something I desperately want the community know about because there's some really good stuff in there.

[Paragon]

That just plain sucks!....Become a developer. ;)