Microsoft: Windows Mobile 6 has no upgrade path to Windows Phone 7

By on Mar 1, 2010 at 10:23 AM
mobile March 1, 2010

SN_WINDOWS 7 Mobile

Natasha Kwan, Microsoft’s General Manager for Mobile Communications Business in the Asia-Pacific market, has spoken, and Windows Mobile 6 owners are not going to like what they hear. When asked about the possiblity of a Windows Mobile 6 upgrade path, Kwan dropped this bomshell to tech blog APC: “Because we have very specific requirements for Windows Phone 7 Series the current phones we have right now will not be upgradable.” And that includes the HTC HD2.  While the HD2 meets the extensive list of hardware component requirements, it fails to fulfill one superficial prerequisite: it has more than 3 dedicated buttons. Perhaps this is one of the first, albeit painful, steps in a better Windows mobile platform experience for all. However, we now know this for certain: if you want to run Windows Phone 7, you’re going to need some new hardware. Though we’re sure the crew at XDA will change that if you’re a daring individual. Read

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  • Hollaman

    this falls under the obvious category… “wait, i can’t put this new awesome os on my blackjack?”

    OBVIOUSLY NOT

  • BS Thinker

    Thank god I ditched my omnia for my droid. I get a phone where I can do something and I don’t have to pay extra to make it useful.

  • Sup Dooder

    –BEGIN TRANSMISSION–

    I AM MICROSOFT. HEAR ME ROAR. HEAR ME FLEX MY MUSCLES.

    SCREW YOU HTC! SCREW YOU WM6.5 USERS. YOU ARE ALL IDIOTS. WHY WOULD YOU USE AN INFERIOR MOBILE OS?! WE ALL USE IPHONES. WE DON’T CARE ABOUT IDIOTS USING WM6.5, BECAUSE YOU ARE IDIOTS.

    PEACE OUT!

    –END TRANSMISSION–

  • TIG

    This is actually I smart move. Having a standard platform to build on will only help developers and make adoption of the product easier for consumers.

    Yes there will be some heart ache for (very few) people holding on to old hardware but you have to cut ties with the old at some point.

    Microsoft is on the right track here. I predict much success for them in this market.

    Ohh and I am still buying a HD2 when it comes out on the 24th.

  • Derek

    Too bad M$ wont do that with their Windows for desktops. Windows could be soooo much better if they just came out with a fully new version. Apple did it going from OS8 to OS9, then again from OS9 to OSX. Sometimes you just have to do it to better your product.

    • Dee

      and 7 isn’t fully new?? you know they restructured the whole kernel system for Windows 7 right? its nothing like Vista or XP. Windows 7 may not be completely different on the outside but they did so much inside of it.

  • xarus

    i am in 6.53 for long time..
    i am ok..byt..
    i dont want 2 see my omnia .zune :)

  • Dee

    Alright, I understand if they are trying to make it uniform by having all Windows 7 phones have the 3 button thing.. but atleast they should give the option to upgrade if people want to use the software… If the hardware is capable on windows 6.5 phones to upgrade to 7, then Microsoft should allow it. What does a few more buttons have to do with using some damn software! This doesn’t affect me, I have an iPhone, but it is still unfair for Windows phone users. Especially the ones who just recently dropped 200-300 bucks on those new HTC phones.

  • Summerkand

    It fails to fulfill one superficial prerequisite: it has more than 3 dedicated buttons
    …WWW

    !!WWW

  • JM

    The HD2 will apparently run Android just fine. I really enjoy Windows Mobile and think that much of the dislike for it is unfounded. However, if MS wants to move on I can too. HTC makes some great devices for Android as well as Windows Mobile and I am happy with either. WM is my preference but my Nexus One is not disappointing me either. Windows Phone 7 Series (what a name) is not a good look at all. I am uninterested thus far. I really don’t understand why they don’t just call it the Zune phone and keep the real OS.

  • Jim Riz

    That is f*&^$ up. All these winmo 6.5 phones and users out there and then come april/may….they will have to pony up big bills to get the newest winmo os. File that under the “corporate scumbag move” section!!! What a joke. I feel for you winmo users!!! Unfreaking believable!!

    • boogalooboy

      How is this different from past OS upgrades on WM? Lots of WM 6.1 devices did not get an upgrade to WM 6.5, why is this so different?

      • mole

        because Windows 7 mobile or whatever it’s the name is a different super funky OS and everyone wants it :)

  • sheen

    uh-oh.. I guess we just wait now and see if there’s a mod/hack for that…

    Basing from the reviews and sideglances on the Windows Phone 7, it appears its a bold yet refreshing way for a mobile OS to start. Hopefully it’ll become a success:

  • http://ffh.squarespace.com Bill

    “it fails to fulfill one superficial prerequisite: it has more than 3 dedicated buttons. ” – that’s why I’ll be sticking with BlackBerry – dedicated buttons are great! I can pause my BB without turning it on or removing it from the case. This move to minimalism in buttons is a stupid cost-saving measuer and not ergonomic.

  • Sgt. Cell

    Sound’s like someone wants to push their own hardware “Zune phone” or whatever it’s going to be called. I’ll still be purchasing the HD2, best thing to hit T Mo since the original curve.

  • Andariego

    That’s it…I’m switching to a different OS. Fuck WM.

    • http://- agachart

      And fuck microsoft ,i hope android will support
      .net runtime quick for freedom dev (^_^)
      (do it ,this is your(gg) change.)

  • Cadillac Cowboy

    The HTC HD2 got knocked-back because it has too many buttons?

    That’s a bit harsh, especially considering this device is still pretty new…

    Personally, I would’ve made a one-off exception.

  • @rellyonsmash

    this just deflated a lot of people’s hopes and dreams

    • Geez

      Aww poor thing… Guess you won’t get to to be a fireman some day.
      That’s what’s worng with this world today,people placing their hopes and dreams in a fucking phone instead of real things like curing cancer or even being less of a pussy!
      Grow up an get a new phone G*d Dammit!

  • OBGYNDOC

    As an individual who has waited a long time for this phone with the Windows 7 update this sucks!! But i may still have to get the phone.

  • ron

    Just get an iPhone. Come on – you know you wannit!

  • Analyzer

    I think I will go with the awesome HD2 as is and wait for MS to work the bugs out of their new win phone 7 software and compatible hardware on the true bleeding edge phone geeks. I am just fine with the interface that HTC has overlayed on winmo 6.5.

    Besides, I think that MS will use this opportunity to implement a whole lot of CONTROL (like Apple) on their OS. I would like to see how that plays out first before I jump in.

    Wait and see … that’s what I will do … while I enjoy my HD2 for a while.

  • Chona

    Ouch. Well they gotta do what they have to do. But it really makes you question WinMo’s reputation and credibility. It does make them look really incompetent.

  • toaSt

    what I really want is to upgrade windows mobile to a useful os….like Linux

    • http://- agachart

      Oh it’s MonoDroid ,but uncertainly .net fw version?

      and if Google(Droid) wanna jump,just do it, ^_^

  • thurasoehtike

    hi gen,i’m very bad.why,i ‘m forget my password for my windows mobile.and than,this is a user password,now,this is information to me,wait a 3 days and 5:00 clock,and than,begin,i m get 0000 password,,,and than,,,,i ‘m changes to there,,now ,i ‘m forgered,,so,,i m very request to you,so ,,,do you have way ?to my mobile windows 6..i m wait,,,

  • dave

    Funny, wasnt winmo 6.5 released to be an upgradeable version. Good old rip off Microsoft miss sold thousands of units again.

  • http://www.applebythehour.com Jarrett

    Windows and sucks in the same sentence, strange.

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