So What (I Think) Happened to Windows Phone (7 Series/8/8.1/10 Mobile)

I am writing this in part because I’m sort of tired about writing around the subject.

So no one knows what the hell Microsoft is planning to with its mobile platform. What is known is it has been split off from the desktop version of Windows 10 into a branch called feature2. Microsoft has said Mobile will be reintegrated into the main Windows branch known as OneCore sometime in the future. But most Windows watchers think this is cover for the fact mobile is now retired.

So as of right now no one knows anything and all guesses point to the exit.

It is the end of the line or (if you’re a half full type) the next point in the Windows Mobile journey.

SO how did we get here?

Well in hindsight we have been living with Windows Phone being dead for awhile. I mean if you want the list of what went wrong you have prime choices. There is the obvious app gap where without (insert app) Windows Phone was doomed. The lack of hardware maker/carrier support. There is the Nokia deal and the effect it had on the platform (good and bad). Microsoft’s internal strife. Microsoft’s deciding to bet on Cloud and not so much on mobile. The debacle that was Silverlight and XNA’s deprecation. The Nokia deal. The chaotic nature of the Entertainment and Devices group. Windows Phone’s hardware requirements. Android. The Microsoft KIN.

Take your pick.

No one thing derailed Windows Phone; all of it did.

Windows Phone was born at the wrong time in so many ways. And it came right at the moment where things at Microsoft were coming to a head.

I wonder if people remember Windows Mobile 6.5 or even the mobile landscape back then. I mean for everyone else on earth the iPhone was the first smartphone; and its emergence rocked everyone. The big players had to scramble to respond. And a lot of the early ones were lipstick jobs pushing touch layers on top of phones not necessarily designed for them.

In hindsight iOS and later Android were the sign of things to come and the mobile market before it was this weird period before it.

I mean in hindsight any damn body could explain and solve Microsoft’s problems with Windows Phone. Because we are talking after the fact. We are also talking from the perspective of fans who want this to work.

I mean in every post mortem about Phone no one discusses what Android did right in pushing out on the stage. We don’t discuss the fact Android exists largely because Google didn’t want Microsoft keeping it out of mobile. Or the fact Android basically copied the what both Windows Mobile and Symbian offered but for free so a phone maker could do what they did for those platforms to Android.

In retrospect Microsoft should’ve been looser in terms of requirements. They should’ve had an enterprise angle in addition to the consumer one. They should have aggressively added features to keep parity with Android and iOS. And yes they should have treated Android like the natural threat it was.

I mean let’s go further down and talk about Nokia and Lumia.

Nokia was the platform’s greatest boon and its biggest issue. Stephen Elop had to CONVINCE former CEO Steve Ballmer to do the deal. It was a deal in which Espoo received money to keep them afloat because Nokia was not in the best shape. It was a Hail Mary pass for both; and to Nokia’s credit they were in much more than Microsoft.

And we got Lumias, but we also lost Samsung and HTC because the deal looked like it was exclusive. I mean the deal soured relations between Samsung and Microsoft until very recently.

And speaking about Lumia, it was great for the low end but it faced serious headwinds with high end devices. Nokia was applying the same flood the market strategy but it didn’t work. Also The 7 billion dollar hardware deal was a waste of money because Microsoft is not a hardware company.

(Also Microsoft did not need the hardware just the designers and HERE because the company was expanding into services).

Now Microsoft’s sins are plentiful.

At some point the company had to see the writing on the wall. Mobile was and is the future mass computing platform and having no presence is death sentence. Microsoft’s responses have either been half hearted or so early they retreat before the market is there or just starting.

Mobile never seemed core to Microsoft.

The precursor to Windows Phone was Windows CE; an ARM based platform loosely based on Windows. CE was run by the Entertainment and Devices group; the group behind Zune and Xbox. Windows Mobile existed in the shadow of big Windows and running on pre-iPhone mobile devices. It was tucked away and sold to phone makers to skin and resale as their own device.

So when Windows Phone came along it jettison CE and in particular the ability for phone makers to skin the OS. This did-incentivized some partners. It also made Android look like a more agreeable platform.

And then there is the app gap; which now includes Microsoft as much as any other app maker. At this point I don’t what there is to say. Microsoft never did the all in thing that happened with the Cloud on mobile. In fact mobile has only entered into the core of Windows after a change in CEO and head of Windows.

You know at this point as a fan I a amazed there are still Windows phones out there. Just like I am always amazed at how outside the gadget bubble real people liked their Windows Phones.

But I also look back and see a lot of missteps. The Nokia deal was bad because Microsoft wasn’t committed to pushing Windows Phone as a platform. And the deal caused rifts between Microsoft and other OEMs who could’ve pushed the platform in ways Nokia couldn’t. Also at some point the Lumia hardware became more important than the software and honestly the community got toxic.

In the end what happened, happened.  Now all that can be done is to move forward.

 

 

Microsoft Windows 10 Devices Event Preview

So the folks over at Windows Central have a countdown clock, and we have 7 hours 2 minutes and 27 seconds until Microsoft reveals its latest versions of Surfaces and Lumias in New York City. I’m glad Microsoft is doing the event on the East coast, but it’s really early in the morning.

I think most of us can already guess what Microsoft will show off in a few hours. There will be a new Surface Pro model, two new Lumias, and peripherals. The next iteration of Microsoft’s wearable, the Band, is also widely expected to be on hand.

Microsoft is expected to unveil the Lumia 950 and 950 XL. Both phones have flagship specs with the larger model supposedly coming with support for inking. Both models will be encased polycarbonate plastic and include wireless charging. Both Lumia models are also expected to be sold across carriers except for Verizon; however both 950/950XL work on both CDMA and other bands.

image: Microsoft

The Surface brand will be the star of the show with the possibility of multiple devices. Of course many expect to see an updated Pro model. The Surface Pro 4 is expected to be a modest revision with the biggest update being under the hood. The Pro 4 is rumored to be packing Intel’s new Skylake processor. There are also rumors of another Surface device that is at least 14 inches. One story reported by WinBeta is that it is a 12 inch Surface model which can switch the screen to be 13 inches like Intel’s North Cape concept. Another rumor posted by Paul Thurrott says this potential device is a 2-in-1 with a foldable keyboard making this Pro model Microsoft’s first laptop.

Early rumors indicated a new model Xbox would be announced but that was squashed by Xbox chief Phil Spencer. However many believe the Xbox Slim is still in the works. Microsoft is still rumored to show off the second iteration of Microsoft Band which should improve on the first model. Band 2 is rumored to be a more curved model to better fit the wrist and improved sensors.

I am hoping Microsoft may show off a Surface 4 model for those of us who like portability. Also new versions of the Surface Pen and TouchCover. However I think the biggest news will be around applications. Recent rumors have announced the possibility of Google finally creating apps for Windows 10.

If you want to watch the event it will be available online HERE.

Also know various tech sites will be doing liveblogs:

Windows Central

The Verge

Thurrott.com

Nadella and Windows

courtesy of the Verge

I think Windows 10 will be a test for Satya Nadella. I think no one questions his commitments to services or to cloud computing. He gets enterprise and helped build the platform that will grow the software giant, but is he cut out for rebuilding Microsoft’s consumer market? He has said some interesting things in his short time as CEO about hardware and about consumers.

Now in Nadella Microsoft has a man who is comfortable with the enterprise side of the software giant. He was head of enterprise and development before becoming boss. His background is not in consumer software; he was in charge of Bing and Online services. His conversations so far around Windows and Xbox has been broad but not really specific. The same is true of his views on the company’s growing hardware component.

His obliqueness has made many wonder if he intends to pull out of the consumer computing market. I know it is something many a pundit has advised. Many took the appearance of Office on iPad before Windows as a sign that the new CEO had no place for it.

My personal read on Satya is that I think he is open to things; the guy is clearly a thinker. I think it is interesting that in his  comments about Windows he makes a point about appealing to customers and design. Actually the fact he brings design up at all as a differentiating factor is important to me because it signals someone who knows that the OOBE is something one should get right.  He has talked about a focus on productivity, in some ways getting back to basics. Nadella has talked about what is core to Microsoft (and no it is not Candy Crush). But he has also talked about the importance of gaming and of the need for devices being about work and play.

The push in making services truly cross platform has been rough on some Windows fans. Some have wondered aloud if Windows makes sense if you get the same if not better on iOS and Android (and they have the apps). I admit I have said it myself. It will be an issue Nadella must answer on the 21st when Microsoft unveils the next update to Windows 10.

Here’s hoping we get an answer (we like).

image: New York Times

Microsoft Hardware: Predictions for 2015

In 2015 Microsoft will be releasing a new version of its Windows software and along with it will come the army of new PCs along with a few tablets and a smattering of phones. Amongst the many device makers will be Microsoft itself. In the three years since Windows 8 Microsoft has the Surface line of tablet PCs; it now has Lumia handsets and of course the Xbox game console.

This year has been mixed for Microsoft’s hardware division. There has been growth in sells for the Xbox but only after price cuts and major mea culpas after a slow start against SONY’s PlayStation 4. The Lumia line has been selling but in the low end and not significantly enough in America or China. After a close to billion dollar write down the Surface line up recovered to point where the device didn’t lose the software giant money; actually making a small profit. The Surface Pro 3 has been met with accolades even as reviewers complained about the lack of a real keyboard and made stale lapability jokes. According to CFO Amy Hood all three brands are on their way to profitability.

2015 will be an interesting one for Microsoft hardware. The new CEO has made a point to say that first party hardware will play a role in selling the larger Microsoft stack. Some observers have seen Satya Nadella’s comments along with others made by COO Kevin Turner as signs that Microsoft is quietly backing away from hardware. I don’t view it as that. I do think Microsoft wants a strong showing by their PC partners and they want more handset makers to make Windows phones. But I also think the company through a mix of success (if small) and necessity is seeing hardware as a serious asset in selling software.

So we are weeks away from the start of the next Tech cycle of conferences, trade shows, and developer events. The first being CES and the first Microsoft based one being later in January. I wanted to make a few predictions of where I think Microsoft hardware will be.

Okay so this year we saw the Xbox struggle to get ahead of the PlayStation right until the holidays when they dropped the price, created Kinect-less bundles, and pushed serious deals. The Xbox One still has the stigma of not being next-gen enough but it has been making steady progress. Given how early into this console generation we are a refresh for the One is likely out of the question. What may happen is we get a new, low cost device in the vein of an Xbox TV or Xbox Arcade. This would be a low cost, disc-less device that sits firmly in the living room. Now I am guessing about this device and if it does exists it will be part of any gaming stream service Microsoft is planning. With rumors of a Streaming team and previous efforts an Xbox TV could replace the Xbox 360. Outside the console there are new rumors that the Xbox team is preparing a VR headset. Previous information had the device codenamed Fortaleza and it could premier at the coming E3.

In so many ways the Nokia hardware team was a must buy. In every way this was the only company making any headway with Windows Phone. Samsung and HTC were and are fair weather partners; coming when they need to or feel like it. And so Redmond took the hardware off of Nokia’s hands. The big question for the Lumia brand is will they make any flagship devices or will they continue to push through on the low end where they’re successful. A lot of interesting things come into play when talking mobile. My hope is to see the Lumia lineup shrink and gain some focus. At most I think six would work, splitting between high/middle/low. I expect to see at least two flagships. One will be a successor for the 1020 and the other a phablet that could push pen input. All other models would likely split the difference on technologies. The big issue for the Lumia lineup is going to be carriers. Carrier exclusivity is an issue as is making sure updates are sent out in a timely fashion. Microsoft will also have to deal with making Lumia work without the Nokia branding .

The rumor mill (DigiTimes) has suggested the next Surface devices will go bigger or smaller; from 13 or 14 inches to an 8 inch model. The only thing we do know is Microsoft will be making another Surface and all current accessories will work with it. Personally I think there is the possibility of at least four devices. One will be a hardware refresh of the Pro 3 (updated chipset; possibly fan less), a larger Surface, and two smaller Surfaces. I don’t think Redmond will make an ARM based device.

The larger surface will either be a tablet PC or a pure laptop. Given the markets that have developed an interest in the Surface Pro, things like artists, a larger Surface could be marketed at graphics professionals. Now from the perspective of the lineup a 14 inch Surface wouldn’t make sense because it would be too big to use sans a keyboard. And while many may view the Surface as nothing more than a laptop it still needs use as a tablet. With Windows 10 refocusing on the desktop there is a remote possibility that Microsoft adds a laptop to the brand. In my mind that Surface 13 will work like every other Surface model but will come with a keyboard that makes it a true laptop. On the other end of the spectrum I expect a refresh to the non-Pro lineup. I don’t think there will be an 8 inch Mini but I do think something in the 10 inch range will be offered. There is a gap in the lineup for those who want the improvements of the Pro3 but with a smaller, lighter device. This device and the Pro 4 will most likely be fan-less devices. All these changes will also bring new TypeCovers. I think there will be a refresh and that new covers will be the type that will appeal to those who thought current TypeCovers too flimsy.

And those are my predictions for the coming year. Do not hold me to these unless they come true then I want an analyst check.

Surface versus Lumia

There has always been this weird uneasiness when its come to he relationship between Nokia and Microsoft. Maybe unease is the wrong word, its been a kind of tug of war. This has been especially the case for fans of both companies.

When Nokia adopted Windows Phone a few years ago it brought with it not just hardware and software but its cadre of admirers. Online these new Windows Phone users would clash occasionally with the Windows Phone users who were coming from the Microsoft side of the fence. Mostly it was over who did more for Windows Phone or who was moving the platform forward.

Now I bring this up because yesterday professional tech leaker @evleaks posted information about changes in the naming and branding of Microsoft hardware. Now I’m not as concerned about Microsoft extending the use if the Nokia brand, even though the idea of using the phrase, “Nokia by Microsoft”, seems absurd. The real news is about the Lumia and Surface. According to Ev, Microsoft will discontinue the Surface brand and opt to use the name Lumia for all its consumer offerings. This would be an interesting development given the release of the Surface Pro 3. I should add this rumor has some legs given a recent mention by about branding changes reported by WP Central’s Mark Guim and Sam Sabri.

Now how well you receive this will depend on how you sit on Nokia/Microsoft spectrum. I know a lot of Nokia fans think this is perfectly reasonable given the brand recognition of Nokia and thus Lumia. A few have said Lumia is simply more recognizable and is in more markets. Now I can’t refute this as I am in the US, but I wanted to point a few things out.

As a name the Lumia is synonymous to most watchers of mobile. For Windows Phone fans its THE phone if you’re on this platform. I think for everyone else it is a Nokia phone. Case in point my sister asked me about my 520 but she called it a Nokia and later a Lumia. I think the Lumia name has grown but that it is a weak brand. It’s simply not on the back of the phone. People may argue that Lumia is a better brand but exists in name only.

My second issue is that Lumia doesn’t fit what the Surface sells. The Surface as I see it is built around computing from the tablet on up to notebooks. It’s this modern looking device made of magnesium and glass that stands out from the black slabs and clamshells that make up the PC landscape. Lumias by contrast are pure mobile, pure color, and authentically (high quality) plastic. The Lumia line also isn’t simple. Surface is built on two devices (yes I know its for but the current line up is two) and the Lumia is built on at least seven or eight. Also as Paul Thurrott points out the name Surface is simple and describes what it is perfectly. It also translates well (how quickly people forget the Lumia lost in translation story).

And the last point brings me to this, I think if Microsoft is listening, that what they need to do is keep both names. I like the name Lumia but its not plastered on the back of anything yet. The Surface I think is solidly becoming a brand in its own right (and I might add is old IP for Redmond). I think dividing the hardware between Surface and Lumia keeps it simple for users and for Microsoft.

Of….Microsoft and Branded Phones

Apologies upfront to the Nokia fanboys, but the Lumia is not the highpoint of Windows Phone hardware design.

And to be honest the HTC 8x and 8s look nice, but neither OEM is the subject of this post. Last week rumors surfaced (Pun pending) on a Microsoft branded phone that either was planned or being designed for a 2013 release. Now the story was verified by three separate tech blogs.

There is an argument to be made that Microsoft shouldn’t get into the phone business. Mostly this argument involves Nokia and its “sacrifice”. You could also make the argument that a branded handset would be both a sign of desperation and would lead to OEMs abandoning the platform. Lastly, there is the specter of the KIN devices; which have replaced the Zune as the one note joke of Microsoft. From all reports a branded Windows Phone device is Plan B; and I think the plan was in place way before the Nokia deal.

Despite the negative, I like the idea of a Windows Phone device built by Microsoft. And after the announcement of the Microsoft Surface I can see Microsoft wanting to do the same in the phone space.

At this point Microsoft is in a similar situation in phones as it is in tablets. Its OEM partners left Windows Mobile for Google’s Android system in droves. For a while they made money hand over fist as Android essentially became Windows’ mobile equivalent. But in time the only company making money from selling Android phones was Samsung. And after issues with Apple and Microsoft around patents, OEMs are looking back to Microsoft for a fallback.

So this fall Samsung and HTC will return with new handsets that look nice. But I can’t help but wonder if the experiences of the past haven’t lead to Microsoft to think differently about its partners. As they say a man can’t serve two masters and OEMs can’t easily do both Android and Windows without issues. And hardware is as much part of the equation as hardware.

Now I don’t think Microsoft will abandon its partner model but I do think Redmond feels that in some spaces it needs to create something to show how it needs to be done. The Surface was the first sign of this change, maybe a Surface phone is not far off.

 

(This post went completely somewhere else so there will be a part 2)

Image Jonas Deahnert

A Marriage of Convenience

We should get one thing clear first, the deal between Microsoft and Nokia was a strategic move on the part of the two companies. Microsoft wasn’t Nokia’s first choice in terms of partners and Microsoft had to be convinced to make the deal.

Yes, there design teams meshed well. Yes, the Lumias are some of the best designed Windows Phone devices out; but this is a strategic marriage. Both are committed to building up Windows Phone, but there will be conflicts due to divergent needs. For Nokia, the deal was about getting in on the ground floor of an ecosystem on which they could move quickly and have an impact. They wanted to make use of their assets, such as Maps and Nokia Music. The platforms they had before lacked the developer interest seen on iOS or Android. When Nokia began to hold talks with Google and Microsoft, they were looking to partner with an existing ecosystem and have an actual say in how it was constructed. I believe this is why the talks with Google fell through; Nokia wanted more than to just be an OEM skinning Android. With Microsoft the need was for a partner who would take Windows Phone seriously. The launch of Windows Phone had created buzz, but the handsets didn’t sell in major numbers. OEMs like Samsung and HTC were shifting more focus to Android because it sold more and they could skin it thus differentiating their devices. Other OEMs like Dell and LG left the platform. And what devices Windows Phone did run on could best be described as hand me downs. So Nokia needed a platform the big app makers could be convinced to write for and Microsoft needed a phone maker that could make devices that made Windows Phone look good, thus a union was forged.

Now here we are a year in and people are screaming Microsoft is trying to kill Nokia and Nokia is trying to take over Windows Phone. To hear people tell it Microsoft screwed Nokia over by doing the Surface and working with (longtime) hardware partner HTC. There is also the lovely urban legend of Stephen Elop being a Microsoft Mole. On the other side, Nokia’s exclusive app deals are hurting the platform and Nokia’s focus on the Lumia brand distracts from Windows Phone. Also the deal really hurt Microsoft’s relationships with other OEMs. A lot of this debate over Microsoft’s and Nokia’s intentions toward each other can be boiled down to people who are fans of Nokia and people who are fans of Microsoft.

Nokia fans are all about Nokia and what’s best for the company; some agree with the move to Windows Phone while others wished they’d went with Android or kept working on MeeGo and whatever else. Some of them also feel that because of the risks Nokia is taking, Espoo has earned the right to build the premier or flagship mobile Windows devices.For some Microsoft fans, the concern is that Nokia is fragmenting the platform with application exclusives and other actions. They have issues with people being more concerned with the health of Nokia and Lumia than of the platform and OS the Lumia runs. Both side have points but they are also not looking at the bigger picture.

Nokia wants to get the bulk of Windows Phone business because of its investment. So it pushes the Lumia brand and bringing in exclusive apps that appear on the Lumia phones before going. But also, they need Windows Phone’s marketplace to grow so they aren’t going to horde apps.Microsoft wants and needs to see other OEMs build handsets running WP. It also needs to ensure that Nokia’s exclusives don’t fork the OS. They aren’t trying to kill Nokia, their focus is on the OS.

I get (sort of) the sentiment some have that Microsoft owes Nokia something; they appear to sacrificing a lot. But those people need to get realistic about a few things. First Nokia’s deal was around Windows Phone; Windows is a different division run by totally different people. Second this is business, the only things owed are what was agreed to in a contract. I was really glad that Stephen Elop stressed the fact that there is a written agreement between Nokia and Microsoft. It reminds everybody that this is a business matter and while we may like to turn this into a damn drama, the people involved treat it with a bit more maturity and sense.

The problem I see is twofold; if something bad happens to Nokia, Elop and Windows Phone will get blamed, regardless on whether its the truth or not. He was the last one in. Secondly focusing solely on Elop and his strategy, even his Burning Platform memo, distracts from all understanding how Nokia got to this point. Its funny how Nokia’s problem is simply Windows Phone and the solution is to go to Android or back to MeeGo. Its as if all the complaining about Symbian and MeeGO and Espoo’s own slow reactions to changes in the Mobile market never happened.

I’m not saying there aren’t inherent issues with the Microsoft deal, but it does seem that people have forgotten how we got here. This is a partnership, one in which both are invested in the growth of Windows Phone. But it also is an alliance that can end and shift. The situation in which the deal was made is not the situation we are in now. Microsoft is shifting its business model to add branded devices and OEMs are slowly coming back, so the story still unfolds.  

This is Lumia: the Lumia 820 and 920

 

 

So the day foretold a week ago has passed; in New York Nokia showed off it’s two flagship Lumia devices, the 820 and 920, along with new accessories today. Now it was an odd event. The day before Nokia’s CEO Steven Elop said that today Nokia and Microsoft would fully show off Windows Phone 8 and the Lumia devices. Now he didn’t lie, they showed the devices and their capabilities. But Windows Phone 8? Well that was a bit of a Burlesque occasion.

Joe Belfiore, Windows Phone’s program manager, showed off one function of the new operating system; the camera and the new Lens capability. Now the lens stuff was interesting because it follows in the Windows Phone tradition of decoupling apps from their behavior as siloed programs and into a shared space.

The Lens feature works by letting an application take over camera functionality from within the camera. While this was cool, it was a bit disappointing that we didn’t get a full run down of Windows Phone 8. Belfiore went over the new Start Screen and the ability users have to change the Tile sizes and thus reducing some down to basic icons and other to full Live Tile status (showing dynamic information).Now I should say that Belfiore prefaced his appearance by saying that Microsoft wouldn’t be showing off all the features until later. I will return to this in a minute.

The presentation, however, was really about Nokia showing off its hardware prowess and the things it brings to the Windows Phone platform. First let’s look at the 920. The 920 is basically the flag bearer of the line. The 920 reflects the larger trend in mobile phones of well larger phones. It has a 4.5 display with a curved glass front similar to Nokia’s N9 and Lumia 800.

The two biggest new features that stick out are the 8.7 megapixel PureView camera and the ability to wirelessly charge your phone. Now PureView technology first appeared in the Nokia PureView 808 phone. That device had a 41 megapixel sensor that basically gave the phone the ability to act as a DSLR (translated as nice ass digital camera). Now many seem to be sadden by the lack of 33 extra megapixels, but as I said yesterday Nokia is thinking about PureView as a set of camera technologies that enhance the phone. Also the 808 is bulky and I don’t think that is what everyone was looking for in a smart phone.

The 920 is thick looking and unlike it predecessor the 900, its polycarbonate plastic shell was dipped in gloss (which is okay but I liked the fact that the 900 didn’t pick up fingerprints). Now the 820 is .2in smaller and has rounded edges. Like the Lumia 610 (600), the 820 has a replaceable back (including one for wireless charging). It has a 8 megapixel camera but without the PureView goodness of the 920. All in all today’s Lumia announcement was about refining the design.

 

Now for the wireless charging; Nokia is integrating Qi wireless charging technology into the 920 and 820 (through a special back cover). Nokia is also working with JBL and Fatboy, creating accessories for speakers and chargers. Amongst the first type of accessories are a wireless charging speaker, charging plate, and a charging stand. 

Now back to Windows Phone. Now as I said earlier they showed little of the changes to the platform outside the Camera and the Start screen. The one new app announcement was for an Angry Birds app; even though I think Rovio is porting both Angry Birds in Space and the Pig centric game to Windows Phone 8. And at the event today, none of the assembled reporters and bloggers could show apps. Pulling a Zapruter, It appears that CNN, All Recipes, Foursquare, and Michelin (the restaurant guide) have probably been given access to the new OS. Also Microsoft has tweaked the Tile interface a little. For example the CNN app is shown both in the regular sized tile with a modified look and also a large Tile that resembles the ones found in Windows 8. For developers Microsoft finally announced the release of the new Windows Phone SDK (September 15) along with other information.

 

Before I go I want to mention the non-controversy controversy over the Nokia Lumia teaser; the one where the girl is riding the bike. Well today the other part of the campaign was uploaded to YouTube showing off the 920’s PureView camera. Now if you saw the teaser and you were expecting a Lumia PureView you may have called fowl at the reveal of a camera crew filming parts of the commercial. My take is its a damn commercial and the parts which were clearly labeled to show of the PureView were labeled so. However Nokia apologizes.

Extras (Because this is interesting and I want to link)

Nokia: Synaptics Introduces Advanced Touch Experience in Nokia Lumia 920 and Nokia Lumia 820

Nokia: Nokia and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® form partnership to introduce wireless charging to cafés across the United States

And that’s it, later people 

 

images: Nokia and Conversations by Nokia

Things are About to Change: Nokia and Microsoft

 

Tomorrow Nokia and Microsoft will have the first unveiling of Windows Phone 8. Actually its the second unveiling; there was a developer preview a few months ago. Also this isn’t the first Windows Phone 8 device shown either; that title belongs to Samsung’s ATIV S. But nevertheless this is still the big debut.Now for those that haven’t been reading, Windows Phone 8 is the next version of Microsoft’s mobile Operating System.

The biggest news with with Windows Phone 8 is the move to Windows NT, the kernel used in Windows. This gives it greater compatibility with Windows 8 and Windows RT; it also allows the Operating System to move to chipsets that can handle multiple cores (which means little to me). Now on the surface Windows Phone 8 will see some small cosmetic changes.First, users will now be able to change the Tile sizes (small icon, regular Tile, and the Large rectangular Tile reserved for Windows). Additionally Microsoft is adding the ability for camera applications to act as filters on the phone’s camera, new messaging capability, and a new e-Wallet solution.

Beyond the changes to Windows Phone, there are the new Lumia models. Right now the rumors have that the Finnish company will show off two phones; the 920 (4.5in./4.65in. ” HD AMOLED Display with ClearBlack screen, Near Field Communication, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi, expandable memory, Wireless Inductive charging, 8MP Carl-Zeiss rear camera with PureView technology, 2MP front-facing camera, Dual-core 1.5GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage) and the 820 (4.3” HD AMOLED Display with ClearBlack technology, Near Field Communication, Bluetooth 3.0, Wi-Fi, expandable memory, removable back plate, optional wireless inductive charging, 8MP Carl-Zeiss rear camera, 2MP front-facing camera, and a Dual-core 1.5GHz CPU)  

So what are my predictions for tomorrow’s announcement:

Well outside of application exclusives; look for Nokia to talk about its PureView imaging technology. Now one of the early rumors (which came with its own picture) had Nokia making a Lumia PureView phone. Now PureView is a image technology Nokia put into a phone last year which had a 41 mega pixel sensor and other tech making it one of the best phone cameras on the market. My guess is that Nokia won’t put such a big sensor in these devices but will put the technology into the phones. How well the public will take this news remains to be seen. I should also note that this event is just the start of Nokia news; this week Nokia developer conference, Nokia World, will also be kicking off over in Europe.

Now Tom Warren over at the Verge along with WPCentral have been cataloguing the news and rumors for the last few weeks and the links below are to some of their articles:

Nokia, Windows Phone 8 and New York City – Our rumor roundup and what we are expecting– WP Central

Exclusive: Nokia Lumia 920 to include wireless charging, 32GB storage, and 8-megapixel camera- The Verge

Nokia’s last chance? Here’s what to expect from a huge week for Windows Phone 8- The Verge

Elop: Nokia and Microsoft unveiling all of Windows Phone 8 tomorrow- WP Central

And as with other events if you want to follow live check out the links below to follow a live blog of the event and also watch it live:

Nokia (Live Stream)

The Verge

Engadget

image: @tomwarren

No Likes Being Against a Wall

Have you ever found yourself in a place you don’t want to be? Or having to do something you feel is beneath you?

I know I have of late found myself in those types of situations; the kinds where you find yourself having to go back to step one more times than you want. Having to take a path you didn’t want to. Lately I think that’s where a number of technology companies find themselves.

Microsoft, Nokia, and RIM are not in a good place; they are in places where they have to make fast decisions without the comforts of the place they were before. Nokia and RIM especially are in places neither company could’ve imagine themselves a decade ago or even five years ago. These two were the dominant mobile players in the world; and in some regions still are. But today they are struggling to be competitive in a bipolar Mobile landscape where Apple is the dominant overall brand and Google close behind.

Microsoft too is in this place, this kind of wilderness, where its dominance is eclipsed by the lack of growth of its partners and developers no longer making it a major priority. And while it still has reign over the majority of desktops it becomes clearer each news story about iPad adoption that its a kingdom sitting on sinking sand.

No one would want to be in this position.

I’m writing this in part because I think a lot of us who are into technology and who back a particular company and have adopted their fates as part of their own tend to loose sight of the bigger picture. We also view a lot things in hindsight. Too many times I’ve seen a post or response that begins “If only” or talks about X having a feature before the iPhone or Android. I know I’ve done it; hindsight is easy to exercise after the fact. If only (insert company) had implemented or done (insert platform/UI/Feature) they wouldn’t be in the place they are now. Or if they only listened to X or did Y so on and so on.

We fight over these minute details so hard and so long that we forget to really think. For example Symbian and Windows Mobile were built for a Smartphone market different than the one we have today. Symbian was built in part to stymie the growth of Windows Mobile, which itself was built to unseat Palm. There was no talk of ecosystems; Windows Mobile didn’t connect to every part of the Microsoft platform. A lot of fanboys also forget that Maemo and later MeeGo took a long time to come to market and weren’t tied to a device, it was a platform before device play that was rooted in the mobile game of the past and not the present.

What am I trying to say?

It’s this, and its something I learned a while back, there is no one point at which you can determine a mistake is made, but many. And the reality is that you can have a great idea but it only works if you execute well on it. Everything else is immaterial.