Microsoft Mum on Official Windows Phone 7 Partners

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.techworld.com/mobile-wireless/3233069/microsoft-refuses-to-name-official-windows-phone-7-partners/?olo=rss' target='_blank'>http://news.techworld.com/mobile-wi...rtners/?olo=rss</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"After divulging a list of five Windows Phone 7 in recent weeks, Microsoft late yesterday moved to clarify those statements. "Microsoft has not made an official announcement on device partners for Windows Phone 7 at general availability," a Microsoft spokeswoman said late yesterday."</em></p><p>After the news broke about <a href="http://www.windowsphonethoughts.com/news/show/99063/it-s-official-hp-not-making-windows-phone-7-devices.html" target="_blank">HP no longer being a Windows Phone 7 partner</a>, there was a scramble to confirm exactly who was still going to be making Windows Phone 7 devices, and the list <a href="http://forums.thoughtsmedia.com/f397/asus-dell-htc-lg-samsung-all-working-windows-phone-7-a-99035.html" target="_blank">seemed to have been firmed up</a>. The question I raised there was what happened to Sony Ericsson - that same day (July 22nd) I emailed a contact at Microsoft PR, and one at Sony Ericcson, asking them exactly that question. As of today, Microsoft PR has ignored my request for comment, and Sony Ericcson's response was, and I quote, <em>"Dear Jason. Have you tried: Log on to The </em><a href="http://blogs.sonyericsson.com/products" target="_blank"><em>Sony Ericsson Product Blog</em></a><em> for more information."</em>&nbsp;Sort of baffling, no?</p><p>Anyway, it seems like Microsoft is being coy about this in case they lose another partner before launch - HP's defection certainly didn't help matters.</p>

[randalllewis]

Anyway, it seems like Microsoft is being coy about this in case they lose another partner before launch - HP's defection certainly didn't help matters.


Really? I don't think the loss of HP was much of a loss, and hardly a surprise after the acquisition of Palm. HP wants to be a player in smartphones and WebOS may help them do that. They certainly haven't been much of a player before now. Every additional model of a Windows Phone 7 is a plus, but I really believe this decision by HP was not a blow to Microsoft.

[Fritzly]

While I am not surprised it surely was not helpful for MS.
There is not only WP7 on cellular phones at stake here but "Slate", or whatever these devices will ended up called. The only bright side for MS is that in spite of what people say they are not real Tablet PCs so if MS will keep improving "Real tablet" devices in that segment they have no opponents.