It is Official-Windows Phone 7 is here

The official launch date has been announced and Windows® Phone 7 will launch in Europe and Asia on Oct. 21st and the first US handset will be available November 8th. There will be 9 different Windows Phone 7 handsets available at launch and the manufactures are HTC, LG, Dell and Samsung. AT&T is set to have 3 handsets available Samsung Focus, LG Quantum and the HTC Surround.

Windows Phone 7 is a completely different kind of phone for Microsoft®; they are basically starting over with a completely new platform and entering an already competitive market behind the curve. They have a lot of catching up to do.

So what makes it different?

Windows Phone 7’s main differentiating factor is its user interface. The phone utilizes live animated tiles in its start screen, which are refreshed wirelessly via the web. The live tiles or "hubs" allow users to quickly see everything at a glance that they care about. They can be quickly customized and constantly updated and depending on the app might give you a glance at pending messages, news, weather updates and friend statuses. The hubs are also grouped based on the tasks they perform.

Also being a Microsoft product makes it the only phone that easily syncs, using cloud sync capabilities, with other Microsoft software products and apps. It has Microsoft Office mobile built in and supports multiple Microsoft Exchange accounts for work. It also features Bing™ voice search, note syncing and the ability to locate a lost phone, heaven forbid you would lose your brand new phone, on the Windows Phone 7 website.

Another differentiating factor is that Microsoft is requiring hardware partners. This enforces quality control of the devices and makes sure that the partners meet Microsoft’s rigid hardware criteria in order to run the operating system.

Will the new platform change the marketplace?

Microsoft has a lot of ground to make up in order to increase its Smartphone market share against Apple®, Research in Motion and Google™. Microsoft is banking on its new user interface, cloud syncing capabilities and its casual gaming features to lure current Smartphone users to its platform and introduce new users to the Smartphone medium. They are also positioning themselves as both a business and pleasure phone, which could work for them or against them. There is a lot of loyalty out there for Windows and many have been waiting for Microsoft to get back into the game. It will probably take a while to see the true impact Windows Phone 7 will have up against Apple, Android™ and Blackberry®, but it should be very interesting to watch. As a custom mobile application solution provider we are very excited about the launch of Windows Phone 7. We are a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner and have been developing custom software applications for Windows Mobile® for a long time. With the reinvention of Microsoft’s mobile platform we look forward to the new functionality and features being given to the app developer in the new platform. It is exciting for us when new technology emerges and we are able to be on the leading edge of adopting that technology.

How will the new platform affect mobile app creators?

With 3 major platform players in the app development game, mobile app creators have had the option of creating and releasing their app for one platform or multiple platform; usually this decision is based on the type of app and type of user. Windows Phone 7 does not change the game; it adds a fourth player/platform. The addition should be exciting for app creators because they now have the opportunity to reach an even broader audience by releasing their app across platforms. It also means there will be more competition in the marketplace so successfully marketing your app will be even more important. In addition, app creators will have to really think about all four platforms and choose their platform wisely. At Amadeus Consulting we work with our clients to help them decide what platform or combination of platforms works best for their business model. If you are interested in custom mobile application development for any platform, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.