Today Microsoft set the scene for the availability of Windows Phone 7 handsets next month by revealing several details about the devices that will be available when they launch over the next several weeks and into the 2010 holiday season.
I have put together a lot of resources that are available to bring you up to speed on things in case you missed it all on this Columbus Day holiday in the US.
Of note during the press conference:
- U-verse from AT&T will be available for free on Windows Phone 7 handsets to current U-verse customers and at a low cost for those who do not. This is also coming to the Xbox 360 gaming console soon for Xbox Live.
- There will be three handsets available from AT&T for the US Launch and Availability on 08 Nov 2010. They are the HTC Surround, LG Quantum and Samsung Focus. Each will be priced at $199.99 and it was not specified if that was upgrade pricing or not.
- Zune Software for your PC was updated to version 4.7 which makes it compatible with Windows Phone 7 and opens the Zune Marketplace up to an international audience.
- Joe Belfiore revealed at the end of his demo that the feedback had been heard in Redmond about Cut and Paste capabilities. They will be added in January 2011.
- Speaking of updates – Joe also mentioned that updates are pushed from Microsoft and not the hardware manufacturers. That means everyone using Windows Phone 7 gets the update not just those the hardware manufacturer chooses to push. This is a great thing for all those frustrated when your handset does not get updated by the OEM.
- Windows Phone 7 Marketplace is active in the Zune software already. Not a lot of apps listed there yet but we are still a month from launch. Reports are that there will be nearly 2000 apps at that time. A Twitter app was noticeably absent in my search of the apps.
- You will log onto your various accounts (social, email, Xbox Live) just once and then access to that network will be ready anywhere lese you might come across it in Windows Phone 7.
- EA mobile is a US launch partner and will release a suite of mobile games for the new Windows Phone handsets. The collection will include The Sims and Need For Speed Undercover!
- Microsoft Office is thoroughly integrated into Windows Phone 7.
- Three standard buttons on every Windows Phone 7 handset. Back, Windows Start and Search.
- Search has its own button for a reason on a Windows Phone 7 handset.
- Zune has its own place in the Windows Phone 7 OS as well. Zune is to Windows Phone 7 handsets as iTunes is to the iPhone.
- There are also Windows Phone 7 devices being launched from other US mobile carriers as well as international ones. I have mentioned some of them below. This announcement in NYC focused on AT&T hardware.
During the live event someone tweeted that Microsoft starting over on Windows Mobile was a good choice because of the innovations in Windows Phone 7 and I could not agree more. I believe that is also what made Windows 7 such a better OS when its development was kick started. At least it certainly seemed to work in these two cases.
Here is a collection of news and stories about today’s announcements for you to peruse. I know many will be many similar but there always seems to be a unique tidbit in different stories:
- WindowsObserver.com Live Blog Replay
- Windows Phone 7 Keynote Video On Demand
- Windows Phone 7 Revealed: What You Need To Know
- Curated List of Windows Phone 7 Tweets from @Scobleizer
- AT&T’s Windows Phone 7 page
- 3 New Windows Phone 7 On AT&T Network
- HTC Windows Phone 7 portfolio announced
- HTC 7 Pro Windows Phone 7 Smartphone Officially Announced For Sprint
- Samsung Omnia 7 Windows Phone 7 Smartphone Specs & Features Now Official
- Copy & Paste On Windows Phone 7 In Early 2011
- 10 New Mobile Handsets for Windows Phone 7
- Zune Desktop 4.7 hits Windows Update
- Microsoft Shows Off Rich Variety of Windows Phone 7 Devices
- Backstage in October: The new Windows Phone available in U.S. stores November 8.
- A gallery of Windows Phone 7 devices
- Video: Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer on the hot seat on Today Show
- Windows Phone 7 advertising pokes fun at our addiction to mobile phones
- Windows Phone 7 adverts hit the web
- WP7: Highlights and recap of Microsoft Windows Phone 7 news conference
- Video from WindowsPhone YouTube channel: devices, ads
- Microsoft reveals Windows Phone 7 mobile devices
- Blog Post: Windows Phone 7 Phone Lineup Announced
- Windows Phone 7 Europe Hardware
- Windows Phone 7 US Hardware
- Australian range of Windows Phone 7 devices
- Microsoft shows off 10 new Windows Phone 7 devices
- WP7: Watch the first Windows Phone 7 ad
- Windows Phone 7 press materials
- WP7: Why Microsoft went with the name "Windows Phone"
- T-Mobile Gets Two Windows Phone 7 Devices
- AT&T U-verse Confirmed For Xbox 360
- Windows Phone 7: Which network is offering which phone
- Windows Phone 7 Now Official: Europe on October 21 & North America on November 7
- New Devices on Display as Windows Phone 7 Availability Dates Announced, watch live event
- In Depth: Behind the scenes with Windows Phone 7
- Windows Live and Windows Phone 7
- Windows Phone challenges us to pull our heads out of our phones
- Windows Phone 7: Ending Bad Phone Behavior With Better Phone Design
- Microsoft and Partners Unveil Windows Phone 7 Global Portfolio
- EA Mobile to Publish Games for Windows Phone 7
- Windows Phone 7: A Fresh Start for the Smartphone
- Here come the Windows Phones
- AT&T’s Windows Phone 7 Lineup
- Download Zune 4.7 Update from Microsoft Download Center
- Hey, look! It’s Windows Phone update!
- First look: IMDB on Windows Phone 7
- EA Mobile joins Windows Phone 7 Launch
So will you be buying a Windows Phone 7 handset? Check out our poll in the right hand side sidebar and let us know.