Windows Mobile 7 to Focus on Touch and Motion Gestures

[Kris Kumar]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://microsoft.blognewschannel.com/archives/2008/01/06/exclusive-windows-mobile-7-to-focus-on-touch-and-motion-gestures/' target='_blank'>http://microsoft.blognewschannel.com/archives/2008/01/06/exclusive-windows-mobile-7-to-focus-on-touch-and-motion-gestures/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>&quot;Microsoft is currently developing Windows Mobile 7, the first revolutionary change to its mobile device operating system. Recently, I was given a document by a source inside Microsoft that details the touch and gesture plans for Mobile 7. This document is a confidential internal use only document, used to explain the plans for Mobile 7, and contains well over a hundred pages of designs, ideas, and changes to the way we interact with our mobile devices. ... The document appears to be from the past summer, and some of the details may change before the product is announced. However, the touch and gesture plans appear to be set in stone, and will be the focus of Windows Mobile 7.&quot; </em></p><p><em></em><em><br /></em><img border="0" alt="" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/500/spt/auto/1199665903.usr266.jpg" /></p><p><br />I have not read the complete article yet, but I can confidently predict that every reader would be impressed by the elements going into the next generation of Windows Mobile. This is not the Windows Mobile 6.1 update that we have been hearing about recently but the next major release of Windows Mobile slated for 2009. While on the surface it may seem like Microsoft is imitating Apple's iPhone, but readers who have been following the innovations over at Microsoft would easily notice that the Windows Mobile platform is&nbsp;borrowing features from the ZenZui (now <a target="_blank" href="http://www.zumobi.com">Zumobi</a>) and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.microsoft.com/surface/">Microsoft Surface</a> projects. Now, let's hope that all this true. And that Microsoft will pack in more surprises for the users when the next generation of Windows Mobile ships in 2009 because the competition is not going to sit idle in 2008.</p>

[Rocco Augusto]

I have to say, I'm not a huge fan of finger-based touch environments, but everything else looks like a drastic leap forward in where Windows Mobile should have gone a few versions ago. I'm excited :D

[alese]

They (Microsoft) didn't do anything with the interface of PocketPC/Windows Mobile for 8 years, and they only reacted after Apple gave them the wake up call - just sad.

[Mike Temporale]

They (Microsoft) didn't do anything with the interface of PocketPC/Windows Mobile for 8 years, and they only reacted after Apple gave them the wake up call - just sad.

Really? It's sad that you think all this was only done after Apple. I imagine you have no experience in development and product planning. 7 has been in the works for a long long time. When I saw a demo of 7 there was no talk on the street about Apple creating a device.

[alese]

Well, I never did work on Phone or any other OS, that's definatelly true, but I have done my share of programming and projects over the years so I actually have experience...

As for 7, if they started it before Apple, then Apple is sure fast for creating a product almost from nothing 2 years before Microsoft, which started before them. And they sure had to have a spy in Microsoft since it's really hard to believe that both companies developed almost identical features independently.

In any case it's the impression, and the impression is that Microsoft is copying Apple and believe me I'm no fan of Apple, I'm a Windows Mobile user since the first version and I would love to get WM7, I'm just not sure if I can wait another year and a half for features that should have been in WM6.

[subzerohf]

... In any case it's the impression, and the impression is that Microsoft is copying Apple and believe me I'm no fan of Apple, I'm a Windows Mobile user since the first version and I would love to get WM7, I'm just not sure if I can wait another year and a half for features that should have been in WM6.

I concur. Apple did such a great job with the iPhone user interface, anyone afterward would look like a copycat. That said, I won't be disappointed either; as long as Microsoft does a good job copying. Which company can claim they never ever copy anything anyway? :)

[stevew]

Well if nothing else Microsoft decided to let some of what's in WM7 out of the bag to keep current WM users from jumping ship like many have already done.

[BBF]

Really? It's sad that you think all this was only done after Apple. I imagine you have no experience in development and product planning. 7 has been in the works for a long long time. When I saw a demo of 7 there was no talk on the street about Apple creating a device.

No matter what the case was. The facts are:

Apple released an ALL NEW mobile device with an "easy for fingers to use" UI with seamless application integration in the middle of 2007. Microsoft plans to upgrade their existing OS with a similar UI for release sometime in 2009, at least 1.5 years AFTER apple. How can that not reflect badly on MS?

No matter how you spin it, I don't care if MS has been prototyping the damn thing since 1904, if they haven't released it for consumer use in real products, it's a moot point. So saying "we've been working on it MUCH earlier than apple" just means Microsoft's Mobile division executives are too conservative, marketing doesn't listen to their users' needs or wants and/or development teams are sloths... none are positive.

[dstrauss]

Well if nothing else Microsoft decided to let some of what's in WM7 out of the bag to keep current WM users from jumping ship like many have already done.

Well said (or is that just the definition of FUD?) These early leak about WM7 remind me of all the glowing chatter about Longhorn; new file systems; universal searches; etc. Then they deliver Vista. Over-promise and under-deliver. And no, I have no Apple products (unless you count my kids' iPods).

[Mike Temporale]

In any case it's the impression, and the impression is that Microsoft is copying Apple and believe me I'm no fan of Apple, I'm a Windows Mobile user since the first version and I would love to get WM7, I'm just not sure if I can wait another year and a half for features that should have been in WM6.

I agree 100% - there's no question that Microsoft has a problem in this area. Part of the problem is that the carriers and the manufacturers take their time getting products to market. So Microsoft can't do the big hyped announcement and have products shipping that week. It's just too hard for the carriers to do. Plus there's too many leaks. I'm guessing that a large number of these are coming from the carriers too. Although, in this case it was internal.

[stevew]

edited - rant retracted by author

[Jerry Raia]

After playing with the TouchFLO on my HTC Touch Dual I can say it is nice to use and makes one handed operation a bit easier. The problem though is once you navigate to where you want to be you are back the same problem of needing a stylus etc.