Are The Number Of Apps WP7's Weakness

[Richard Chao]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.macworld.co.uk/business/news/index.cfm?newsid=3268116' target='_blank'>http://www.macworld.co.uk/business/...?newsid=3268116</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"When I consider which phone to buy or recommend to friends, I'm quick to rule out Windows Phone 7, but not because of apps. The platform's lack of multitasking and HTML5 support are much bigger drawbacks."</em></p><p><em><img height="251" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/wpt/auto/1301947393.usr117680.jpg" style="border: 0;" width="345" /></em></p><p>Macworld UK has posted an article stating Microsoft's slow adoption rate is not due to the lack of apps but a lack of multitasking, HTML5 support and other features. &nbsp;In fact, they believe the biggest bright spot of WP7 is the amount of quality apps in the Zune market. &nbsp;</p><p>An interesting note is that many of the missing features cited by Macworld UK are ones that were not present on the iPhone when it was released and yet it has seen&nbsp;phenomenal success. &nbsp;Of course this is by no means an excuse for the lack of them but it does give me some comfort knowing that if a product and interface is solid, the lack of features may not be crucial to the average person. &nbsp;Coupled with NoDo's release and Mango coming soon it will only be a matter of time before WP7 will be in parity with iOS and Android.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

[txa1265]

An interesting note is that many of the missing features cited by Macworld UK are ones that were not present on the iPhone when it was released and yet it has seen&nbsp;phenomenal success.

Thing is - that was nearly four years ago, in a world before App Stores, before Android ... all you had was Blackberry, Nokia, WiMi and java apps. And still Apple was pounded for not including copy & paste and so on.

My point - things that were annoying but forgivable in 2007 are not in 2011. Note that he also says he is "quick to rule out Windows Phone 7". As is everyone else - WP7 lost 1.2% market share in the last quarter, the second sequential loss of share since WP7 came out. At that rate it will be lucky to survive, let alone thrive.

[Fritzly]

An interesting note is that many of the missing features cited by Macworld UK are ones that were not present on the iPhone when it was released and yet it has seen&nbsp;phenomenal success. &nbsp;Of course this is by no means an excuse for the lack of them but it does give me some comfort knowing that if a product and interface is solid, the lack of features may not be crucial to the average person. &nbsp;Coupled with NoDo's release and Mango coming soon it will only be a matter of time before WP7 will be in parity with iOS and Android.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

The missing point is that these "features" were available with WM 6.XX and are missed with WP7.
Furthermore I would not call something rumored to be available by late 2011 "Coming soon".

I need a useful, usable calendar yesterday not six months from now; same with tasks, categories, the option to have an unified inbox and sync with my desktop without the need to use the so called "Cloud".

While the OS have many interesting concepts it was a half baked release; not a death blow if MS had followed an aggressive (read fast) schedule to add these basic, missing features. Unfortunately, so far, there are not even comments about not when but if these features will be ever added and a lot of people are getting more and more uncomfortable.