You’ve seen the slick UI, seen screenshots of apps, heard about support for Netflix “watch now” and saw an impressive list of developers on board. Everything’s good right? Yes and no. It appears Microsoft is hell-bent on creating a consumer experience for “Life Maximizers“. What’s that mean? It means they are going to control a number of aspects when it comes to the Windows Phone 7 experience. If you read this list, courtesy of Sacha Segan at PC Magazine, it appears Windows Phone 7 Series has plenty in common with Apple’s iPhone ecosystem.
- Windows Phone 7 Series will not support user replaceable memory cards
- Applications cannot be sideloaded and have to be installed through Microsoft’s Marketplace
- No support for third party background apps (some apps will get wider access, such as Pandora) As a general rule, no apps in the background.
By controlling the user experience and ultimately the hardware through required specs, they are hoping to deliver a uniform experience. While it certainly make sense, it will no doubt alienate a good portion of Windows Mobile users who enjoy the freedom of truly controlling all aspects of their phone.
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