i730 with Windows Mobile 2005?

[cooders]

Well, my verizon contract ended and im looking to get a new phone... a PPC phone. I like everything about the i730 but the fact that it is Windows Mobile 2003 and 2005 just came out (like the i730 itself) and is for both regular PPCs and SmartPhones now. Any news if samsung will re-release this phone with 2005 in the near future, or a very similar model with 2005? Id buy the phone now if it only had WM 2005 :(.

Thanks for any info.

[Janak Parekh]

I don't think there's anything definitive in this regard. I'm in the same boat -- I want an i730 but not without WM5 if I can help it, so I guess I'm in a wait-and-see position.

There's a very busy forum on the i730 on pdaphonehome.com if you want to take a look. As of this moment, I see no WM5 news for the device. :(

--janak

[tange1]

I think its safe to say you wont see any updates for any PDA's for 6m to 1y. Perhaps longer on a verizon PDA phone.

[Janak Parekh]

I think its safe to say you wont see any updates for any PDA's for 6m to 1y. Perhaps longer on a verizon PDA phone.
Yeah; I wouldn't mind waiting if I knew if it were to be offered, though.

--janak

[CoreyJF]

Well, Since I am stuck with Verizon as 85% of the people I call are on VZW, and I didn't see any WM5 phones being offered by them, I took the plunge yesturday. I hope they offer an upgrade, but half expect that if they do, it would be at the point I am ready for a new PPC phone anyways.

So for it is an amazing device

[Charles Pickrell]

Here's a quote from a PDA Phone Home forum:

I ran into a Samsung rep a couple of weeks ago...I asked him about the new OS...he said the i730 was built to handle it and said they are planning a Q4 release for WM5 on the i730...likely be a free upgrade if you purchased the i730 within a certain time window and nominal fee outside the window. We'll see...

and another from the same thread:

Formal statement from Verizon Wireless regarding i730 WM5 upgrade commitment -

Here is welcome positive news for i730 owners and Microsoft CDMA subscribers, subject to the conditions outlined in the statement below. Verizon Wireless has committed to supporting Microsoft internally with WM5 on the i730 in this fiscal year. There are no terms or specific schedule expressed at this time, we will advise as these details and ITWEB/helpdesk support options are formed.

Verizon Wireless, in partnership with device OEM, Samsung, the Windows Mobile 5 (WM5) product team, and Microsoft IT, have committed to support post-sale WM5 enterprise upgrades for Verizon Wireless subscribers in FY06.

This is subject to WM5 Enterprise delivery and successful Verizon Wireless 90-day trial completion. The lead-in device model involved is the Samsung I-730 which is available to Microsoft today. This upgrade option to WM5 will extend the application integrity, usable lifecycle, and investment value of this Pocket PC phone device.

[Janak Parekh]

That's great news. :D Charles, do you have a link to that post?

--janak

[Charles Pickrell]

Sure:

http://www.pdaphonehome.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=51284

[natecorbitt]

New to the forum and to Pocket PCs in general here. I have been reading this thread because I just purchased an i730. When I read the statement above from Verizon, I decided to call their Customer Support. I was told that if I take my phone into a Verizon store, one of the technicians will be able to flash the phone and install Windows Mobile 2005. I have not yet had a chance to go to the store near me and try it, but I will check it out later this afternoon and hopefully get back to everyone.

Is there anyone else that may have tried this already?

[Sven Johannsen]

I was told that if I take my phone into a Verizon store, one of the technicians will be able to flash the phone and install Windows Mobile 2005.

Anyone taking bets?

[natecorbitt]

Well, I called two of the stores near me. Neither of them had WM5 yet, and there is no timetable that they know of when it will be there. They did say, however, that once they did get it, I could bring my phone in and they would upgrade.

[natecorbitt]

Just to give everyone an update, I called Verizon today to help me with a technical issue I was having. While I was on the phone with a "wireless data technician", I asked about the WM5 upgrade. He said it could be a while before Verizon releases it, because they spend a long time testing it before it goes out to the customer. He told me that when WM2003 first came out, Sprint and Cingular released it without thoroghly testing it, and it caused problems for several customers - i.e. phones crashing, data loss, etc. Verizon took almost an extra year to test everything, and it looks like they are doing the same thing with WM5.

Hope this helps.