About a week ago I commented on how Microsoft would fare against the emerging Apple iPad. Microsoft’s mobile platform has declined in recent years, and while it still remains a solid workhorse for embedded applications it’s no longer the favourite amongst business executives. While Apple, Palm, Blackberry and Android are appealing to the data-heavy smartphone user, Windows Mobile seems to cling on in a variety of special niches such as portable ticketing systems and electronic point of sale.
Windows Media Center: Possibly the cleanest Microsoft UI
Microsoft hasn’t always been wedded to the idea of menus that either drop down or scroll up. Back in 2005 they released Windows Media Center, an application that ran on top of Windows XP. WMC was intended for use as a home entertainment hub, with an iTunes style music interface and video capture amongst it’s features. The original release never really caught on in the UK, with capability being replaced by either the Sky or Virgin Media set top boxes, or by videogame consoles like the XBox.
The interface itself was specifically designed for use on a large widescreen TV and would be controlled by a remote. Options were bright and bold, with information sliding into view. In terms of control, it worked as an opposite to regular version of Windows: slick, clean and uncluttered. It still exists today, available in both Windows Vista and as an improved and cleaner version in Windows 7.
Zune HD: Notice something familiar?
It’s clear that Microsoft have taken cues from Media Center and incorporated them into other products. The Zune HD, a portable media player only available in the US, has all the hallmarks of a device styled by the same team. Despite being the same size as an iPod Touch, the unique style and interface make it unique and desirable. Unfortunately the device is unlikely to hit European shores, as the content the supports many of the functions isn’t available outside of North America. That said, it does seem to indicate that Microsoft is willing to develop embedded operating systems that feel completely different to the standard Windows Mobile interface we’ve been used to.
With both these things in place, you can’t help but feel it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for Microsoft to develop a superb touch-based tablet interface, either by expanding on the Zune HD or the Media Center technology they already have. There are even hints on the direction they’ll move in, with Seesmic Look being a strong example of what an MS tablet based app would feel like. Add to that the rumours that Microsoft will be announcing a Zune Phone later this month and it begins to feel like potential is building up.
My concern out of all of this is the sporadic nature with which development has happened. It’s taken five years to go from a large screen interface to a personal media player. Will it take the same time again to produce a high quality interface, leaving Apple to clean up in the tablet market? Will Microsoft surprise us with a restyled interface to sit inside the HP Slate? Will the stylus finally make it to the dustbin of history? Chanses are, 2010 will hold all the answers.
Tags: Apple, HP Slate, ipad, Microsoft, tablet, Windows Media Center, Zune
I have an HTC running Windows Mobile 6.1. I can honestly say I’ve never been so disappointed with a phone in all my life. I had a Blackberry for all of 5 minutes, literally, before my boss produced the HTC. “Its touch screen!” he said “It’s got Windows Mobile!” he continued, “You’ll love it”.
How wrong was he.
My main issue with it is how completely useless it is for touch screen. All the menu buttons are tiny, and I regularly need to get the stylus out or slide the keyboard open to access features. This shouldn’t be a huge problem, but the phone is the size of a brick, weighs twice as much and is clunky to say the least. Being able to quickly access info with a quick tap of a finger should be easy in this day and age, but instead I have to faff about with the stylus or the keyboard. I wouldn’t mind, but the first work phone I ever had was an HP iPaq back in the day (the day being 2005 I believe). It ran Windows Mobile 5, and as far as I was concerned it was the best thing ever. In fact I think it still is (I powered it up at some point last year to compare and contrast my 2 Windows Mobile devices). My concern is that the ipaq was pretty good at what it did, and the Windows Mobile interface worked fine, but Windows Mobile 6.1 doesn’t seem to have improved things much, and it doesn’t take into account how people use Smartphones in this day and age (i.e. with their fingers). How did Microsoft get it so wrong? I understand (from speaking to them in Reading during a recent work meeting) that it takes “ages” to develop new platforms etc, but did they really not see the touchscreen phenomenon coming? If they missed the boat on that one, what else will they miss this time round?
Microsoft have a struggle on their hands, Apple can afford to spend as long as they like developing the next big thing, because it’s the next big thing – it might have existed before (Blackberrys etc before the iPhone, other mp3 players before the iPod etc etc) but when you’re the people setting the standard for new and exciting you can take as long as you like. Assuming you have a great PR machine behind you winding up the market like a tightly sprung coil, you’ll always be able to launch with a big bang and make your product seem like the best thing since bread was first sliced. Microsoft on the other hand seem to be playing catch up all the time, and with such a long release to manufacture process, I doubt they’ll ever catch up and be leading edge.
The thing that gets me is the lack of a clear strategic vision these days. I’d love to know where Microsoft sees itself, the direction it wants to head in and the products it wants to provide, but it seems to be losing focus. It’s obvious there are some very clever people working there otherwise we’d never see product like the Zune and Courier emerge, or how they managed to turn round Windows and make 7 a great product that people want to buy, but you can’t help but feel that these are exceptions rather than the rule.
I would really like to see MS surprise me at MWC. I would even more like to see a stunning tablet PC interface from them. But I’m not betting on it.
Apple have realised the value of controlling the whole hardware-software experience. Google have too with the Nexus One. Sometimes a software firm needs to make great hardware just to get other hardware firms to raise their game. I think that’s what Google is hoping with the Nexus One, and it’s what I think MS should do with Windows Mobile 7.
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