Prediction: If iPhone is a hit, Microsoft will follow with its own version.

[sc_markt]

Just my thoughts...

- Mark

[Kickaha]

Windows Mobile smartphones - they're already in the market. They just don't have that Apple *zing*.

[sc_markt]

Windows Mobile smartphones - they're already in the market. They just don't have that Apple *zing*.

Shoot, your right. What was I thinking (or not thinking)?

Hey mods, delete this thread before too many people read it. It makes me look like an idiot... :)

- Mark

[e1618978]

And the 200 patents will get in the way of Microsoft, creative, palm, etc. They will have trouble making anything too similar.

[ebaydan777]

no, because i think smartphones are crap to this apple, and will be even more crap when version 2 of iphone is released in later years...plus the 200 patents was probably specific to bill gates, knowing MS stole a lot of what OS X already offers...and like he said, he will be defending those patents, so im not too worried about people like LG, Moto and Windows coming out with devices and software that will resemble the iPhone at all, even tho there are rumors of it already on drawing boards, it wont happen plain and simple..apple will be the only apple with the iphone and anything to do with the iphone...

[Padilla79]

Microsoft still has to support their utter failure that is the UMPC (which is, btw, a really good idea, just managed poorly). However, UMPCs don't have phones built in, which is a problem. Between Windows Mobile and the Zune, I'm sure they'll think of something "brilliant." They'll probably revamp WMobile and upgrade it again, even though an update is coming in a few months or something like that.

[sc_markt]

Just my thoughts...

- Mark
Don't know if this is true but...

http://crunchgear.com/2007/02/01/source-microsoft-zune-phone-in-the-works/

[addabox]

Don't know if this is true but...

http://crunchgear.com/2007/02/01/source-microsoft-zune-phone-in-the-works/

That's quite the credulous fan site. The "article" is a weird mix of "they've started talking about doing this" and "here's what it will be like, isn't that amazing."

[addabox]

Current Windows Mobile phones are Windows 95 to the iPhones OS X (or so it would appear from what we've seen).

If the iPhone is a hit, MS will begin the laborious process of aping its UI cues without, apparently, understanding why they are there.

[gordy]

Well, if Apple attains & maintains any dominance, M$ will try. In the process, they will piss of all of their OEMs, a la Zune.

[jApple]

Well, if Apple attains & maintains any dominance, M$ will try. In the process, they will piss of all of their OEMs, a la Zune.

And Microsoft will be no weaker because of it. <begin rant> This is what annoys me the most about Microsoft is that they have so much money and power that they can do whatever they please. Kill web browsers - check! Kill game consoles - in progress. Kill PDAs - in progress. Kill music players - in progress. Kill video formats with wmv - in progress. Trap consumers with endless DRM - in progress. No other company in a capitalist environment can afford to make as many boneheaded poorly executed endeavors <end rant>

[Ireland]

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/132/379966738_2fdd4a47f5_o.png


Taken from this (http://mizine.de/?p=293) website.

I'll quote it for the visually impaired;

"The Apple iPhone is something not to be missed - it really is a very radical departure from the mobile phone realm - some people might just be able to get rid of their computers and live with this device ..."

[Chucker]

Except, of course, that that quote is not from Microsoft.

[Ireland]

Except, of course, that that quote is not from Microsoft.

Yes, but none the less it's a quote Microsoft has chosen to display on big screen at one of their conferences, talk about, and pay attention to.

[ApplePi]

I don't think it's a matter of if the iPhone succeeds as much as it's a matter of if the Zune succeeds. I don't think there is any doubt the iPhone will succeed. But Microsoft is testing the waters with the Zune to see if they can pull off an iPod-like cultural following. If they can I don't see any reason why they shouldn't try a mobile phone of their own. Could anyone really blame them?

[Ireland]

I don't think it's a matter of if the iPhone succeeds as much as it's a matter of if the Zune succeeds. I don't think there is any doubt the iPhone will succeed. But Microsoft is testing the waters with the Zune to see if they can pull off an iPod-like cultural following. If they can I don't see any reason why they shouldn't try a mobile phone of their own. Could anyone really blame them?

Blame? They have already announced since the Zune shipped that they will eventually release a Zune phone.

[addabox]

The Zune is failing because MS didn't so much build a product as try to figure out an angle on the market.

They thought they could hook up with some of that myspace social networking action by putting the weak wifi implementation in there.

You can almost hear the meetings: "OK, it's just another MP3 player, what can we do to differentiate it? Glow in the dark? Pre-loaded with porn? Shoots poison darts? Wait, WiFi, we can do a campaign about sharing and networking with pictures of hip, pretty kids. The Youtube crowd will love it."

Compare that with Apple's drive to make the best possible product-- they invented the iPod demographic by making it really good.

A Zune phone doesn't improve on that model, and the iPhone just makes the difference even more glaring. Rest assure that when and if a Zune phone materializes it will be all about positioning in the market, not making a really good phone.

The iPhone is all about making a really good phone that works better than everything else.

[jApple]

The Zune is failing because MS didn't so much build a product as try to figure out an angle on the market.

I believe it's because they got greedy. I think they wanted (want) to do the same money making "trap" strategy as Windows, i.e. Marketshare. With the zune squirt feature (if it were dominate) you would buy a Zune because everyone else owns zunes because the only way to get in on the sharing is to own a Zune too. I can easily picture some Microsoft employee pitching the idea to the top-brass: "just think, we can extend our marketshare of windows, with the windows built-in music store, give the Zunes away for free and then capture the consumer with the sharing ecosystem and make huge profits off of our new domination of the future online music boom." Bill says: "Brilliant! Realistically speaking though, we can only afford to bankroll the losses for 4 years. Nah, maybe for 20."

Hopefully, Zunes will only be sucessful enough to spur continued excellence in Apple and no more.

[Trendannoyer]

[IMG]I'll quote it for the visually impaired;

perhaps you could change that to something less offensive?
the picture is just blurry & compressed :)

[JeffDM]

I don't remember where, but I am certain that Microsoft reps had said several months ago that a Zune phone was in the works. The real test of Zune is whether a flash-based Zune can get traction. Hard drive based players are a niche segment. They might actually be #2 in the HDD space, but that doesn't say much. Staking out the high end at the expense of the low end seems like an Apple thing to do, I don't think it will work for Zune.

[ghiangelo]

Don't know if this is true but...

http://crunchgear.com/2007/02/01/source-microsoft-zune-phone-in-the-works/

... and i bet it'll be available in exciting BROWN.

[Ireland]

perhaps you could change that to something less offensive?

Ok, for the blindo's?

[SpamSandwich]

Shoot, your right. What was I thinking (or not thinking)?

Hey mods, delete this thread before too many people read it. It makes me look like an idiot... :)

- Mark

Too late! :lol: ;)