The End Of Windows Mobile?
Mar 10th, 2008 by Tariq Bamadhaj
Last week I asked readers what they looked for in a Pocket PC and they let their thoughts be heard which were lated consolidated with mine in this post. It went pretty well and so this week, I would like to ask you, the reader, another question. This one pertains to Apple and their announcing of the iPhone SDK as well as their licensing of the Microsoft ActiveSync/Exchange earlier last week. There were a lot of reactions from both supporters of both camps and a lot of sites were covering this announcement. But my question to you is rather different. Instead I ask you:
Is It The End Of Windows Mobile?
Here are some points that you might want to consider when you leave your comments:
- Exchange was the only thing that prevented the iPhone from coming into the corporate world, which was Microsoft’s and RIM’s playing field. Why do you think Microsoft licensed it to Apple?
- With their SDK due out soon, do you think most developers of Windows Mobile will switch camps? Considering that the cut Apple will take is significantly lower than what Handango (which is supported by Microsoft) is taking, wouldn’t it seem more attractive to them?
- Why would anyone want to buy a Windows Mobile device over and iPhone?
- What do you think Microsoft can do to help Windows Mobile?
- Or is all this just something that is blown out of proportion?
Feel free to add your thoughts that covers points that I did not bring up. In addition, here are some articles that you could read about what other sites are saying on this issue:
- Just Another Mobile Monday’ Is Windows Mobile Still Relevant?
- pocketnow.com’s Dear Apple:My iPhone No Longer Is A Good Paperweight
- msmobiles.com’s Downfall Of Windows Mobile Due To iPhone SDK And Help Of Microsoft
- BoyGenius Report’s iPhone SDK Honeymoon Over - No Background Processes?!
I am sure you can find many more articles to read up on. It’s still fresh news so expect more sites to come up with articles on it soon. In the mean time, feel free to leave your comments below. But please do so before March 16th because that is when the comments will close.
























My iMate Ultimate 6150 is already in sale, I might sell it for $500 if I don’t receive more bids
YES, SDK was the only thing preventing me to switch to iPhone, now I can have a phone that plays music (16 GB), compatible with iTunes, and now I can install programs, games…
I even installed a program on a iPhone Touch that synchs the lyrics of the songs, so my phone is a karaoke!
It gets the lyrics from the internet, displays them (synched), and if they need synch, I can synch that myself, just by pressing on the album icon while hearing the song
Beat that Windows Mobile
Oh yeah SPB Mobile Shell 2.0 came out. That means $15 more for me, I DID BOUGHT SPB Mobile Shell 1.0
So instead of feeling happy for the new version, I need to pay over 50% for the upgrade?
with an iPhone EVERYTHING will be free
I know how to jailbreak and unlock the iPhone now, I feel like a hacker again
Yes, I already ordered an iPhone, big screen, nice colors, only thing missing is the compatibility with that an the Kenwood in-dash
BUT, I am happy, now I will only need one device on the gym, I can workout, answer calls, and use notes to keep track of my progress
Beat that windows
I’ve got nothing against the iPhone… I just can’t stand the douchebags that use it.
Seriously though, it’s waaaaay to early to tell what impact the SDK will have. Consumers need options, so unless HTC, Motorola, Sony, and countless other 3rd parties just decide to shrivel up and die, Windows Mobile has plenty of time to evolve.
“Exchange was the only thing that prevented the iPhone from coming into the corporate world, which was Microsoft’s and RIM’s playing field. Why do you think Microsoft licensed it to Apple?”
For money. Now Microsoft gets money from Apple and they can say “HA! Apple needs us.” Would Microsoft really be so stupid to think “Sure, let’s help Apple become more succesfull at the cost of our WM platform without us profiting!”? I think there has to be something in for Microsoft as well. I just hope that they will use that to keep WM alive and not let it die and use the benefits they gain from this for other stuff.
“With their SDK due out soon, do you think most developers of Windows Mobile will switch camps? Considering that the cut Apple will take is significantly lower than what Handango (which is supported by Microsoft) is taking, wouldn’t it seem more attractive to them?”
If they do that, they prove to be very unloyal to their Windows Mobile userbase. That means that we can still use the excellent applications currently out there, but that we should question if we still WANT products of those unloyal developers, and if we want them to get our money. However, IF most developers will switch, and WM7 apps will be incompatible with WM6 apps, there might be the situation that there are no longer good applications (thinking SBSH, Ilium, and WebIS stuff, etc) for WM, and people will switch to iPhone because of the better software offering. But that would be a very large change (from not allowing 3rd party software to beating WM in 3rd party software offering) and I don’t want to see that happen just yet. If it happens, please let it be gradually so that everyone can adjust to the new situation and everyone can purchase iPhones which will hopefully be affordable and get a less exclusive/restricted character.
“Why would anyone want to buy a Windows Mobile device over and iPhone?”
A history of third party software development, and an existing, experienced, consumer base. Lots of solutions/forums/software/tweaks are already available.
“What do you think Microsoft can do to help Windows Mobile? ”
Improve consumer advertising, and make sure they get it right with WM7. It not only has to beat iPhone 1.0, but also the new one with 3rd party apps, activesync, that kind of stuff.
“Or is all this just something that is blown out of proportion?”
I think we’ve already seen that the iPhone is a serious risk for MS (remember the Google folks who thought the great amount of iPhone visiters was an error in their reports?). But even if it wouldn’t be, Microsoft should still get the message that people want a large step ahead in WM! (And I believe that they got the message, since I want to have faith in WM7)
Hmmm I´m a bit in a iPhone hate mood this morning, which is weird, because I´ve really started listening to podcasts a LOT the last few weeks, so I do really like the iPod…

I agree with commenter “Gbot”. The iphone fanatics scare me… otherwise I’d totally get one. They look great!