Windows Phone 7 in Nokia Deal – what it means for your new phone |
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 You have probably heard about the partnership between Nokia and Microsoft that has recently been announced. Whilst this provides Microsoft with a powerful ally in their quest to dominate the mobile market, what does it mean for the average consumer?
Early rumours suggest that the Nokia phones will come in cheaper than the current devices, which should make the smart phone market more competitive and affordable. With smartphones currently priced so highly on Pay as You Go as to be unaffordable to most, and the contract deals requiring a noteworthy monthly fee, a cheaper player would be popular choice – especially among the younger, teen market.
As the smart phone has evolved from a business tool through to an entertainment device, the type of person likely to consider purchasing such a device has changed. The business players are likely to continue to require the sophisticated Office integration and Outlook capabilities of the more expensive smart phones, however the social media, and entertainment aspect of smart phones appeals to a wider audience of teenagers through to their grandparents.
Microsoft are making an exception to their strict minimum phone specification to allow Nokia to make these lower spec devices. This means that the devices may not have as punchy a processor as their pricy counterpart, although they should be perfectly adequate for the average non-business user. So the teen who wants to check Facebook, and beat their friend’s high score in Angry Birds, along with their Gran who likes to keep updated with Alan Titchmarsh’s latest tweets could both benefit from an affordable, basic smart phone.
It seems that Microsoft and Nokia have identified a key market to target in their smart phone revolution, and if the rumoured devices do reach us by the end of the year they could well be the first to cash in. Rumours have already stared about an iPhone Nano however, so it looks like the race is on to become the first smart priced smart phone.
So if you are looking for a bargain smart phone, keep your eyes peeled!
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Windows Phone Update – March |
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 The update, initially expected in February, will be released in March according to the latest rumours. This eagerly awaited update will include the long-awaited copy and paste functionality, as well as faster apps and games. Third party app multi tasking has also been rumoured, so we can keep our fingers crossed.
Will the update cause a flurry of new converts? We don’t know. Of those we have spoken to, many WP7 users have been managing OK without copy and paste, although will welcome it. For them, the refreshing new interface, ease of use and gaming functionality is what attracted them to the platform and made up for any apparent ‘deficiencies’.
While some reports state that handset sales have been a little slow for the Windows Phone 7, this update brings it to a level with its competitors in terms of functionality.
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 Acer are rumoured to be working on two Windows Phone handsets due for release in September. Acer will join Dell as a manufacturer more associated with the PC than the mobile, which has embarked upon providing handsets for the Microsoft platform. The Dell Venue Pro has been well received, with its sleek design appealing to business and personal users alike.
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Windows Phone 7 – developer interest increasing for 2011 |
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 Some research carried out by Urban Airship revealed some interesting figures about the year ahead as planned by app developers.
With the majority still developing for iPhone and Android, there was a surprising 10% drop in the number of developers expecting to continue developing for the iPhone. Whether this is due to the oversaturation of the App Store, or perhaps the appeal of other platforms we are not certain, but it is an interesting figure.
Even more interesting, the 5.9% of developers working on Windows Phone 7 apps in 2010 is set to increase to 24.4% in 2011 – a massive 300% increase. This percentage exceeds the number of Blackberry developers and firmly establishes Windows Phone 7 as a major player.
With the WP7 Marketplace already boasting 6000 apps in the first 3 months, this number looks set to further skyrocket throughout 2011, perhaps enough to make it a real competitor to Android and iOS.
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 Microsoft may have been late to the smart phone party with Windows Phone 7 (most would agree that Windows Mobile 6.5 was never really ‘at’ the party), but have they won the race to be the first gamer phone?
With the xBox a very successful gaming platform, and its competitors Nintendo and Playstation already having established their portable versions, it would appear that Microsoft was once more missing the boat. However, Senior Director of PC and Mobile Gaming, Kevin Unangst is reported to have explained that Windows Phone 7 is their portable platform for games.
Remembering when the iPhone was released: an iPod which could also make calls, access the internet, and allow you to play silly games – leading the way for the multifunctional smart phone. Could Microsoft have the same success with the first smart phone with real gaming?
Playstation are already working on the PSP phone by Sony Ericsson, but will Windows Phone 7 become the gamer’s phone?
Only time will tell.
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