Rumors of Microsoft doing a smart phone on its own have been around for a long time, most recently with talk of a Zune Phone, or zPhone. OK. But we have to take the latest example of this rumor with a grain of salt because of the source, the long-time Microsoft Haters at the Inquirer, a UK-based virtual tech rag that makes a mockery of objective journalism, good writing style, and technology. Read at your own risk. And don’t believe it.
What do you get if you take an Iphone, remove the clean UI, user friendliness, nice industrial design, battery life, cachet, functional OS, and in general everything else that makes it worthwhile? The new Microsoft phone, powered by Nvidia.
Yeah, you heard it right, MS is going to make its own branded phone, after all, everyone kicking the company around the block has one, so it should too! If you were wondering why Nvidia never mentions the phrase Linux when talking Tegra, even though it is the most appropriate OS for the chip, now you know. NV appears to have sold Linux out to get the MS flagship deal, how nice of them.
The phone is slated to be announced at 3GSM this coming February, so if you plan on attending, please look surprised when MS unveils it. No word on when it will hit the streets but it probably won't be long after that.
We think this 'me too' phone will have all the success of the Zune. With that device, MS showed they know how to make an MP3 player that people want, great design, a UI that is vastly superior to the competition, and enough added bells and whistles so it is sure to disappoint the eight kids who find them under a Christmas tree.
Then there is the whole problem of partners.
I will say this. With the sole exception of the traditional PC/server industry, Microsoft’s business model of relying on partners to deliver products like Windows CE/Windows Mobile smart phones/portable devices, Windows Media Center PCs, Windows Media-compatible devices and services, and other products has been an abject disaster. So while we can all wring our hands when Microsoft decides to take matters into its own hands—as it has, finally, with the Xbox, the Zune, AV/anti-malware software, hosted Exchange, and other things—the truth is, sometimes Microsoft can simply do it better on its own. And let’s be honest, Microsoft’s partners are at least 50 percent responsible for the problems with Windows Mobile; and they are absolutely 100 percent responsible for the lengthy amount of time that passes between the release of a new Windows Mobile version and its appearance in the market.
So. I would like to see Microsoft makes its own phone, actually. I don’t think this article proves that. But I would like to see it, if only because most of Microsoft’s partners simply let it down, over and over again.