Exclusive Windows Phone 7 updates from CES 2011
by Patrick Kortendick on January 7, 2011
We’re live in Vegas this week for CES, and today we had a chance to ask some questions to the Windows Phone team. While some content has been touched on before, we were also able to nail down answers for a handful of those ever-lingering questions.
· The first update for Windows Phone is likely not coming in January (as previously thought). Per a WP7 Product Manager, we can look for it in “30-60 days.” Additionally, Microsoft confirmed the fact that the update system will be more ‘service pack’ based (my term) that an iterative system (i.e. 7.0.1, 7.0.2, 7.1, etc)
· Updates to Marketplace search that permit you to only search within apps, music and games will come at the same time as the initial phone update, as well as copy/paste, and CDMA support for the upcoming Sprint and Verizon launch. We’re also in for some unannounced ‘surprises.’
· Look for the HTC Mozart and the Samsung Omnia to be the two launch CDMA devices. It’s unclear as to whether both will be available on Sprint and Verizon, but the devices are confirmed for the respective launches. EDIT: I believe that the rep meant the HTC Trophy, not the Mozart.
· There are no plans to advance SkyDrive. If you want two-way sync, there are no imminent plans for that. Worse, it sounds like the team is still debating what direction things are headed, so don’t expect any updates in the near future. (More on this to follow later this week)
· As eluded to in the keynote, official Amazon and Flickr apps will be available in Q1 2011.
· Microsoft is not expanding Xbox Live achievements outside of premium Xbox developers (so no Indie devs or otherwise).
· Expect around 2 Xbox title releases per week that appear late Tuesday/early Wednesday with announcements being made just prior to availability (to keep the excitement up, balance the portfolio, and avoid last-minute delays).
· The balance of the ‘launch’ titles is almost done and then they’ll move on to other titles.
· Full House Poker is set to launch in early 2011 and allegedly is turn-by-turn based so you can play against other mobile devices. It sounds like this will not extend to 360 consoles, but your credits will be shared between the console and phone.
· Game Room will also come in early 2011, and the first 3 titles will be Asteroids, Centipede, and Shao-Lin Road.
· A significant Bing Maps update is coming but since MS is taking so long to certify software expect iOS and Android to have a better Bing Maps experience for a few months. The update is expected to include an updated client, and hopefully voice navigation. Presently, the Bing team is focusing on updating the mobile client (m.bing.com) to support all mobile platforms.
· API updates (including camera and compass access and the ability to download game add-ons within a game) will not come until the ‘Mango’ Windows Phone update in the 2nd half of 2011. This is somewhat annoying since this is a Marketplace restriction (they simply won’t approve the apps) and not a restriction of the phone software itself.
David K contributed to this article.
Category: Windows Phone, Xbox | Tags: CES, Windows Phone 7 14 comments »
January 7th, 2011 at 6:24 am
So no real skydrive support, so why tout that as a feature when there is no real support for it apart from syncing onenote, which doesnt require 25GB? MS still doesnt get it.
January 7th, 2011 at 7:04 am
[...] coming to CDMA, no Compass API until second half 2011 January 7th, 2011 | Author: Surur ShareMobilityDigest has unearthed some more details and rumours about the upcoming updates for Windows phone 7, and as [...]
January 7th, 2011 at 7:56 am
I will agree with your SkyDrive comment. Devs are starting to make use of SkyDrive for its syncing potential but I don’t understand why Microsoft would not take advantage of it for storing/syncing other Office files, syncing video (maybe with a cap or WiFi only), and things I have not yet thought of. A definite fumble IMHO.
January 7th, 2011 at 9:01 am
Did you mean Omnia or 7 Pro for the other CDMA launch device?
January 7th, 2011 at 10:10 am
@The Fight: I spoke with a Business Manager on the team, and those are the two devices he told me. He stumbled the first time around, but then confirmed it with another rep and told me it would be the Mozart and the Omnia.
January 7th, 2011 at 2:03 pm
[...] [...]
January 7th, 2011 at 2:07 pm
Just wondering on the CDMA devices, did they even hint on a time frame, will it be in Jan or will we be waiting 6 months ?
January 7th, 2011 at 3:37 pm
RT @TopsyRT: Exclusive Windows Phone 7 updates from CES 2011 http://bit.ly/e6MolE
January 7th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
[...] form, or if new phones were to be released. We are unsure as to the potential of new hardware, but we do now know which handsets will be up for purchase first: The Samsung Omnia 7 and the HTC [...]
January 8th, 2011 at 1:54 am
[...] CDMA carrier will be first ???? (WP7) So, what have we learned this week so far….. Exclusive Windows Phone 7 updates from CES 2011 The 7 Pro (FCC approval 10/15/10) and The Trophy (FCC approval 1/6/2011)will NOT be the release [...]
January 8th, 2011 at 6:53 am
[...] other…tidbits or crumbs or odds-and-ends reported by the Website but they’re about as exciting to read as presumably they were to write, since all of the main [...]
January 16th, 2011 at 11:33 am
[...] and restore points via the Zune client. With the late announcement, we can only hope that more ‘secrets’ are set for the first update.While we still don’t have an official date, we can nearly confirm [...]
January 20th, 2011 at 3:57 pm
[...] would be possible through SkyDrive and Live Mesh. I was therefore sad to read this excerpt from mobilitydigest There are no plans to advance SkyDrive. If you want two-way sync, there are no imminent plans for [...]
February 26th, 2011 at 10:29 pm
Regarding the HTC Mozart and Samsung Omnia 7, where’s the information stating that they are going to be CDMA? Where did that information come from? I haven’t heard that anywhere else…