What will happen to Windows Mobile?

[NinjaDuck]

So after using my Zune, I asked myself why MS can't make a phone this stable. I thought it the natural order of things for the two devices to merge. What I was not expecting is that they would just add some apps and a phone to the Zune and that would be the future.

Does anyone have any insight as to the roadmap for legacy windows mobile?

• Does it just die?
• Do they maintain two platforms?
• Would the business community embrace a device list the new version?
• Is development on the new platform limited to XNA?

I know there are other threads that discuss this, but I am looking for comments from those in the know, not a bunch of MS bashing. I have spent a lot of time building up expertise on this platform and want to know if I need to start again.

I love what I can do with my WM phone and am worried that the only other place I can have this level of flexibility in the future will be with Android (which I like BTW).

Thanks for your thoughts,

Ninja

[iknight8]

Originally Posted by NinjaDuck

So after using my Zune, I asked myself why MS can't make a phone this stable. I thought it the natural order of things for the two devices to merge. What I was not expecting is that they would just add some apps and a phone to the Zune and that would be the future.

Does anyone have any insight as to the roadmap for legacy windows mobile?

• Does it just die?
• Do they maintain two platforms?
• Would the business community embrace a device list the new version?
• Is development on the new platform limited to XNA?

I know there are other threads that discuss this, but I am looking for comments from those in the know, not a bunch of MS bashing. I have spent a lot of time building up expertise on this platform and want to know if I need to start again.

I love what I can do with my WM phone and am worried that the only other place I can have this level of flexibility in the future will be with Android (which I like BTW).

Thanks for your thoughts,

Ninja

my two cents would be to improve on MS mobile that we currently use rather then release windows 7 which mocks the iphone... i mean we love the multitasking and the fact that we can customize our phone to our liking which makes it so much fun and interesting!!!!

[Journeyjeans]

Well....to answer your question in the title....it will just die a slow death.

Oh no, not all at once, not at all. But like PalmOS, it will just fade into oblivion.

I was a former Palm addict. Began with the M100/IIIc and, ended with the Treo650.

I know the signs of a dying OS, as I've seen them before. I'd say 2 years from now, 90% percent of ppcgeeks will have moved on to SOMETHING, because they have to, just like I had to.

And just like I wasn't about to move to WebOS, alot of folks aren't gonna move to Windows Phone 7 either (as judged by this poll), but that's another topic altogether, lol!

Just my opinion @ 1AM. Don't hang me, LOL

[nrfitchett4]

they are keeping winmo 6.5 and renaming it. it will be supported for awhile yet, but yes it is probably on the way out.
phone 7 will eventually get to the point of winmo 5 and 6, it will just take longer because it is completely new.

[gTen]

[*]Does it just die?

Yes and no, microsoft said they will still support it but it is obvious their focus is elsewhere.

[*]Do they maintain two platforms?

Simply put yes...they are probably keeping it for the business community, until they cook up a new business version..but at this point they are after iphone crowd.

[*]Would the business community embrace a device list the new version?

I doubt..many will end up switching platforms is my guess or keeping wm6.5

[*]Is development on the new platform limited to XNA?

XNA, the .net platform and silverlight

I know there are other threads that discuss this, but I am looking for comments from those in the know, not a bunch of MS bashing. I have spent a lot of time building up expertise on this platform and want to know if I need to start again.

sorry M$ does suck :/

I love what I can do with my WM phone and am worried that the only other place I can have this level of flexibility in the future will be with Android (which I like BTW).

There won't be any flexibility with windows mobile anymore, even if a new business version is made next year or whenever its had to see it happening. Android isn't bad but still has a bit to go to catch up..that said microsoft is starting from scratch so no matter how you slice it android is a more mature platform as it stands.

[kabuk1]

This honestly makes me sad. I feel like an old friend just got diagnosed with a terminal disease or something. I hope they keep 'classic' WM alive for a good long time, at least till I can come to terms with eventually having to switch to android.

[chronster]

We have each other and that's all that counts. So long as there's something called windows mobile, there will be geniuses within the community tearing it apart and man handling it like a $2 hooker

Wait until WM7 comes out and we'll see what's happening. If it turns out that 6.5.3 is truly the last of what we understand, we will collectively move to Android and tell MS to stick it where the sun don't shine.

One thing's for damn sure: I'm NOT going to an iphone.

[kabuk1]

^ Hell yeah.

As long as I can keep backwards compatibility, multitasking, and my today screen, I'm happy.

[Noir]

backward compatibility unsure but backward portability is greatly possible seeing whats been going on at meizu m8 (built on the same ce 6 core)
multitasking has been reported as a yes
and finally today screen...well we have all seen that =/