Windows Mobile, Android, Flash make headlines at Mobile World Congress

Two of Apple's rival mobile platforms announced news this week at the 2009 Mobile World Congress, with Windows Mobile 6.5 on the way, and a new Android-based handset from HTC.

Windows Mobile has updated its user interface to more closely resemble the iPhone's. I can imagine the brainstorming session:

Developer 1: "It needs to look, work, and feel like the iPhone, but -- you know -- not be."

Developer 2: "Instead of putting the icons on a rectangular grid, let's do a (one two three four five six) hexagonal one!"

Developer 1: "Brilliant! Book it. Done."

I kid, I kid. I'm sure it was more complicated than that. Anyway, Windows Mobile will also feature two new services, a "My Phone" synchronization service, and a new marketplace that will sell mobile applications from both phones and desktops. It's like I've heard this song before, but can't remember exactly where.

Also at the conference, HTC announced the Magic, a handset to run Google's Android operating system. Unlike the G1, the Magic will not have a slide-out keyboard. It will first be available to Vodafone customers in the UK, Germany and Spain, among other European carriers. Cult of Mac's Ed Sutherland suspects T-Mobile will carry the handset in the U.S. because it can handle the phone's transmission protocols.

Both the Windows Mobile and Android platforms also announced they'll support Flash (along with Symbian and Palm's new webOS) in 2010. And what of the iPhone? No dice: Adobe lobs the ball back in Apple's court, saying during the announcement, "We would love to see it on the iPhone, too, but it's Apple's decision on when and how they support any new technology. So we will continue to work on it."

[Via Hardmac, MDN, and IGM.]

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/tag/Mwc2009/

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Two of Apple's rival mobile platforms announced news this week at the 2009 Mobile World Congress, with Windows Mobile 6.5 on the way, and a...

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JoolsG4

The Sony Ericsson IDOU looks like fierce competition for the iPhone, and betters it in a few departments:

- 12.1 MP camera, 4256 x 2832 pixels, autofocus, xenon flash
- Video recording, video LED flash, secondary VGA videocall camera
- Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP
- 360 x 640 pixels, 3.5 inch TFT touchscreen, 16M colors
- MicroSD cardslot
- MMS
- FM radio with RDS
- Voice memo/dial
- Java MIDP 2.0

February 17 2009 at 3:07 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

4 replies to JoolsG4's comment

koogz

I'm looking forward to the competition, it's just not going to be from Microsoft Mobile Windows.

Linux w/ Compiz would be cool.

February 17 2009 at 2:39 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Tanner Osborn

I'm confused as to why there is a "Read More" link. I've noticed it on a few articles that show the full story on the main page. Way to get our hopes up thinking there's more!

February 17 2009 at 12:59 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Tanner Osborn's comment

My thoughts exactly!

February 18 2009 at 4:08 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

I'd be surprised if we didn't hear a flash announcement for the iPhone, between now and June...

February 17 2009 at 12:33 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Ed's comment

I'd be surprised if we did hear a flash announcement for the iPhone, between now and June...

February 17 2009 at 3:19 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

elean

Flash will not come to the iPhone for about 1-3 Years at least (if ever). This is a political desiccation to make the new web (the mobile web) more open than what the old web is / has become with all the proprietary plugins and bad CSS, DOM and JS implementations.

That's because apple (and google as they need an open web for indexing) are afraid, the web could be bound to one single platform or company they canot control, so they try their best to keep the web open and bound to (open) standards. And that's exactly the spirit of the web. It lives because it's open, it's as widespread because it's open.

Flash is not. Silverlight is not.

February 18 2009 at 5:29 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Dave

One thing i have noticed is that people whine about the exclusivity of the iPhone on O2, AT&T ect, but there was less of a fuss with the G1 on T-Mobile and to be honest networks have had exclusivity agreements for years and it still happens with the Storm and now the Magic.

Windows Mobile 6.5 looks slick, but Vista looks pretty, doesnt mean it works...

And C'mon, gimme flash already...

February 17 2009 at 12:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Allan

I don't know about everyone else... but I really dislike that "honeycomb" look for the new Windows Mobile. Just ends up looking like there's a ton of wasted space and looks like things are out of place.

February 17 2009 at 12:21 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Allan's comment

indiekiduk

They never even bothered to center the icons in the hexagons. To reorder you have to hold click and do move to top or move down that is going to be tedious.

February 17 2009 at 12:24 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

varun

Y'know... I really love my iPhone and I enjoy using my little Mac Mini (and am waiting for an update to it), but every now and again, the fanboism and elitism starts to bug me.

Seriously. Competition is good, particularly in the fledgling world of mobile OSes. They're the future of how we interact with information, and having a variety of different approaches - including those from Microsoft and other older players - will help people decide what works, what doesn't, what needs work, and what is perfect the way it is.

I for one would welcome cut and paste and am still waiting for background notification messaging on my iPhone - things which Windows Mobile has done for a very long time. Don't hate the other players, even if you think you're using a superior product. What works for you and me may not work for others.

February 17 2009 at 12:15 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to varun's comment

Alex Morach

I totally agree.

February 17 2009 at 1:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jash Sayani

Doesn't matter. Neither Windows Mobile 6.5 nor HTC Magic can shake the iPhone!

However, I guess Palm Pre would be a thunder for Apple :)

February 17 2009 at 12:11 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Jash Sayani's comment

Level 5

I gotta tell ya buddy, people who do REAL business and want REAL customization for their device don't buy iPhones. This whole article isn't even relevant to TUAW aside from the mention of Flash for iPhone.

To the author, the honeycomb comment is 1 - false, and 2 - irrelevant. Windows Mobile icons have been in the grid formation since 2001. Palm has had theirs for about as long. How is this ripping off the iPhone? If anything I would say the iPhone rips these icon displays. But see, then I'd have to ask, HOW MANY WAYS can one arrange icons on a phone screen? REALLY?

I'll let you guys in on another little secret. Apple just does not want Flash on the iPhone. They may change thier tune in time, but as of now, they don't want it. Look at our aforementioned WinMo. Flash has been available on WinMo devices for YEARS. Here's the argument that makes the whole processor/battery/RAM argument moot.

In 2005, I had an HTC Apache. 400 Mhz processor, weaker than iPhone. 64MB total RAM, less than iPhone. No graphics acceleration, unlike iPhone. And the shittiest battery you can possibly put in a mobile device. Guess what sports fans, it not only ran Flash with very little RAM usage, on the EXTREMELY unoptimized WinMo 5.0, it ran it without a hitch, at full speed, up to 60FPS, and drained the battery no more than any other program being used on the device. In the 2 years with my Apache, it NEVER EVER crashed the phone. In the 1 year on my HTC Tytn, it NEVER crashed the phone. In my 1 month on the HTC Touch Pro, take a guess.. never crashed.

iPhone can handle Flash. Unless the iPhoneOS is somewhat unoptimized in itself (and let be real here, we know it's not), there is zero reason other than politics that it is not on this device. Even better, my HTC Touch Pro runs CIRCLES around Flash within Opera Mobile. Circles. It has similar specs to the iPhone (though the iPhone edges it out spec-wise I believe). Again, no additional battery drain, crashes, or whacked out RAM usage.

It will happen. Be patient. And good god guys STOP turning everything into an iPhone vs everything debate. The shit makes me sick.

February 25 2009 at 5:22 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply