Microsoft Confirms: No Plans To Build Handsets

[Rocco Augusto]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/9/where-is-microsoft-s-smartphone-everywhere-says-redmond' target='_blank'>http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/9/...re-says-redmond</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Unlike Apple or RIM, which design both their phones and operating system, Microsoft (MSFT) has been taking a different approach for several years -- focusing on the OS and letting partners figure out what the gadget will do and where it'll sell. This is sort of what Google's doing with Android and its Open Handset Alliance. Despite having its own gadget design teams -- which make the Zune and Xbox -- Microsoft has 'no plans to build our own phone,' says Scott Rockfeld, group product manager for Windows Mobile. 'Right now we're happy to share the limelight,' he adds."</em><br /><br />Well to be honest, this is pretty unsurprising news. I know in the past I have been a huge supporter of Microsoft building their own Windows Mobile device so they would not have to worry about their partners cutting corners and releasing unattractive and hard to use devices that can hurt their brand. Recently however with Steve Ballmer&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/news/show/90114/do-we-really-need-a-zune-phone.html">internal memo</a> that was floating which stated that Microsoft would "work with hardware vendors to ensure that we can provide complete experiences with absolutely no compromises," I am more faithful that we will see more fun and stable devices in the future. Here&rsquo;s hoping we hear something tangible about these new devices soon, I'm getting antsy.</p>

[mbranscum]

"... Microsoft (MSFT) has been taking a different approach for several years -- focusing on the OS...

Well with all that time for "focus" on just their OS, why are they lagging so far behind on so many of their abilities??? :confused:

It seems they would be head and shoulders above the competition! ;)

[Rocco Augusto]

It seems they would be head and shoulders above the competition! ;)

What? Microsoft has a dandruff problem?! ;) :p :D

[MadSci]

What? Microsoft has a dandruff problem?! ;) :p :D

That's why their Operating Systems are so Flaky :rolleyes:

(Badoom Bah! and a RIM shot :p)

MadSci

[Pony99CA]

Well to be honest, this is pretty unsurprising news.
Nope, it's not. When Microsoft bought Danger, some people thought they'd be making their own hardware. I figured they were buying them for their software, though.

Making their own hardware would pretty much alienate all of their partners, so unless Microsoft thought they could go it alone like Apple and RIM, they'd be screwed.

Maybe Microsoft could get the Danger people to build a reference platform that could be given to OEMs, though. That might be the best of both worlds.

I am more faithful that we will see more fun and stable devices in the future.
This makes it sound like you blame the OEMs for unstable devices. I don't know if that's true, but if a bunch of devices from different OEMs are unstable and share the same OS, it's logical to blame the OS. And that seems to be what a lot of people are doing.

Steve

[Rocco Augusto]

This makes it sound like you blame the OEMs for unstable devices. I don't know if that's true, but if a bunch of devices from different OEMs are unstable and share the same OS, it's logical to blame the OS. And that seems to be what a lot of people are doing.

I blame the OEMs for a large majority of the unstable devices out there. Building a phone is hard and at times I feel as though a lot of the manufactures rush devices out the door to meet deadlines ignoring little bugs here and there. There should be no reason why one feature will work wonderfully on one handset and the same feature will be buggy on another handset. It all really comes down how well the developers intergrate Windows Mobile into the hardware and how careful they are during their QA (quality assurance) process.