Earlier this week we told you guys that Windows Mobile 6.5 was going to stick around after Windows Phone 7 hits the masses. It would even take on a new name — Windows Phone Classic. With everyone sticking around and playing nice at this party, you’d think that maybe current WinMo 6.5 handsets might get a little Windows Phone 7 love. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Microsoft Mobile Communications Business Director Aaron Woodman told CNET Asia, “I don’t know if any Windows Mobile 6.5 device today meets those specifications.” It sounds like your average Microsoft move: if you want the new software, you’ll also have to get new hardware because your old junk just isn’t gonna cut it, baby.
The new handsets are getting primo parts such as Qualcomm’s 1GHz Snapdragon processor (no Tegra, sorry). WinPho 7, being a fresh OS and more intensive than its predecessors, will undoubtedly need hardware resources that most 6.5 devices just don’t have, but don’t fret. Unlike everyone staying on Windows XP when Vista came out, upgrading to WinPho 7 out of WinMo 6.5 is definitely a move in the right direction. WinMo 6.5 is going to stick around for enterprise and developing countries, so unless you’re tied to the OS for those reasons, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind ditching your current 6.5 handset for a shiny new WinPho 7 device when it comes out.
[via WMPoweruser]
Lie…
XDA-Developers will make it possible
Well, is there anything the XDA devs can’t do?
My friends around who owns a Winmo 6.5 device will be pretty upset when they learn this. Come on, M$, is this your way of ‘taking good care of your customers’??
Funny, before the windows phone 7.. there has been alot of conceptualization about this phone, it was even called windows mobile 7.. with some realistic looking screenshots.. But I guess the real windows phone 7 looks more simpler which makes it more enviable to use. See the old concepts: http://bit.ly/windows-mobile-7-concept
Who cares if 6.5 people will upgrade to 7, I figured that wouldn’t happen before the question was asked. The important question that people should have asked is whats the upgradablilty from WP7 and newer versions of WP.
Microsoft…or vendors if they have to pay per upgrade, usually don’t get newer versions of the OS. I’m wondering since the phones will have similar specs will we be able to get newer versions of WP from 7 and up?
I can see how this can be done, if the vendors have to pay for each upgrade they can have a system that if you want to upgrade you pay for the upgrade on your phone then they push it. For example when WP7.1 comes up you can press upgrade and it’ll say something to the effect “To upgrade to Windows Phone 7.1 we will have to charge your account $20. Is this ok?” And you press yes or no.
It would be nice if upgrades for WP would be more like for PC than see Microsoft keep going the way they are which is most phones won’t see an upgrade.
This is sort of incorrect. He was probably speaking out of line. They have openly said that the HD2 will be upgradable to WP7 and it has a Snapdragon. As for Tegra, it’s not that it can’t be used. It’s simply that MS has, to date, only certifed Snapdragon. All that means is they need to do testing and ensure that the hardware and software play nice but it doesn’t rule out a Tegra chip. MS is doing more testing and ensuring that their hardware and software play nice so isntead of just letting everything under the sun go into their phones the want an optimized experience.
I don’t get the problem. I just bought a nice, open, flashable and fully customizable T-Mo Touch Pro2. If I wanted something that was locked down and a pain in the ass to jailbreak, I’d get an iPhone. 6.5 may end up being the sweet spot. (Farewell, Handango and freewarepocketpc.net.)
dont care.. dont want it.. ugly stupid poop
I can’t wait to try out Windows Phone 7.
I don’t get it…It looks like a step backward to me.
Why have these great high resolution screens like my TP2, when you’re going to use flat 2D graphics and 8 colors?
Looking at all the screenshots, I see no reason to upgrade.