Verizon and Sprint Onboard With WP7 By June

[Nurhisham Hussein]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2013865334_ces_2011_verizon_and_spring_will_carry_windows_pho.html?syndication=rss' target='_blank'>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ht...syndication=rss</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Verizon Wireless and Sprint will start selling Windows Phone 7s by the end of June...In his keynote Wednesday night, Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer said the software would be ready for Verizon and Sprint. Today, I spoke with Aaron Woodman, director of the mobile communications business atr Microsoft, who said devices would be ready on both networks by June 30."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1294373432.usr14226.jpg" style="border: 0px solid #d2d2bb;" /></em></p><p>Unhappy with AT&amp;T and T-Mobile? On another network but hankering for Windows Phone 7? You'll have to wait awhile, but news from CES 2011 indicates that Microsoft is working with Sprint and Verizon to get WP7 handsets by the end of the 2nd quarter of 2011.&nbsp;&nbsp;There's nothing yet beyond this bare news, like pricing plans or subsidies, and it's a little longer than expected, but having some official confirmation on the timing is nice - time to save up the pennies!</p>

[robert_biggs]

Good timing for me, as I'm eligible for a discounted upgrade from my Touch Pro2 for Verizon on 6/20/11. Unfortunately, I have been so disappointed with MS' handling of Windows Mobile over the last 3 years--and lately Windows Home Server--that my trust in them to support and update the WP7 platform over the next two years is very lacking. The Kin is only a further example of why MS has lost my faith.

It's sad because I was a big MS fan ever since I purchased my first PPC in 2002. But to be honest, I'm more excited right now about the launch of the iPhone on Verizon than WP7. I'll probably check out the WP7 units for Verizon when they launch, but I'll most likely hold out another month for the possible launch of the iPhone 5. Android doesn't even interest me as it looks and feels too much like Windows Mobile with lipstick over it.

[BBF]

It's good news, but IMHO also too little too late...

I don't want to sound like a broken record, but Apple has beaten MS to the punch yet once again. Why does MS do this all the time? This will give the iPhone 4+ month head start on Verizon.

Apple had no CDMA iPhone, so MS decided to launch WP7 GSM only and ignored the CDMA market... but made sure that it was all over the news it planned to launch for CDMA by the first half of 2011 about a year ago... well, what do you know, Apple is launching a CDMA iPhone in the first QUARTER of 2011... well played Microsoft... well played... :rolleyes: Yep... I "buy" the line that MS fed the press that MS didn't have the resources to produce a stable CDMA WP7 build, so decided to focus on GSM... yeah, right, it's not like they haven't been selling Windows Mobile for CDMA phones for YEARS with hardware partners that have been building CDMA phones for YEARS.

I'm no Apple fan, and have only owned MS OS smartphones, but this is just too stupid of MS. I can't stand it. It's like watching a train wreck in slow motion. :(