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    Hello - After a long history of Windows Mobile Phones (to date 6 of them!!), last year I finally switched over to the iPhone due to one nagging problem with Microsoft Smartphones - no rom upgrades!!!  :(  Since purchasing the iPhone, Apple has released several ROM upgrades - some to fix issues, but a lot of them to improve the functionality.  This is also the case with Blackberry.  Why can't you support the existing customers who have phones that fairly new, but are left out of the new features?

    The last Windows Smartphone I purchased was an HTC Touch with Mobile 6.0...after a couple of months, Mobile 6.1 is released, and once again - no support from Microsoft or HTC for an upgrade.  I understand that there a lot of carriers that use these phones, but between Microsoft and the manufacturer (not the carrier) a generic version should be made available for the customer. 

    Ignoring this market is similar to Microsoft releasing Windows 7 only to the computer manufacturer and completing ignoring the customer and upgrade market.  And the message to the customer, we don't care what you have bought in the past, but if you want Windows 7 - get a new PC.  I don't think that would be a successful strategy.

    I have been considering a new phone from Microsoft, but I am not going to purchase one until Microsoft has a better solution for its customers - not the carriers (they are not your end-customers).

    I really welcome comments and thoughts on this point.

    Thanks!

    J.
    Wednesday, October 14, 2009 7:50 PM

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    I have been considering a new phone from Microsoft, but I am not going to purchase one until Microsoft has a better solution for its customers - not the carriers (they are not your end-customers).


    Microsoft only supplies the core software to the vendors and they in turn add functionality and tweaks to fit the device they have designed.  After the device is complete they then ship to cell carriers who once again add tweaks to fit what they want. 

    As much as I appreciate you question, it is not Microsoft that makes the final release with all the tweaks ....
    Jack Cook
    http://www.experiencemobility.net
    http://www.mobilitysite.com
    Friday, October 16, 2009 7:29 PM
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    I have been considering a new phone from Microsoft, but I am not going to purchase one until Microsoft has a better solution for its customers - not the carriers (they are not your end-customers).


    Microsoft only supplies the core software to the vendors and they in turn add functionality and tweaks to fit the device they have designed.  After the device is complete they then ship to cell carriers who once again add tweaks to fit what they want. 

    As much as I appreciate you question, it is not Microsoft that makes the final release with all the tweaks ....
    Jack Cook
    http://www.experiencemobility.net
    http://www.mobilitysite.com
    Friday, October 16, 2009 7:29 PM
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    Hi Jack,


    Thanks for the reply, however that is part of the issue.  If you speak wit the OEM, they fault the problem on the network carriers.  Everyone is pointing the finger to the other partner.  At the end of the day, the name that everyone associates with the Windows Mobile Phone, is Microsoft - not AT&T, or Sprint, etc....or HTC or LG.

    When a customer is looking to upgrade their notebook from Vista or XP over to Windows 7, they will purchase an upgrade version and upgrade their own notebook.  This is the same strategy Microsoft needs for their phones if they really want to have a customer support system to compete with Apple and Blackberry.

    My Apple iPhone keeps improving with each update that Apple posts for it, however the Microsoft strategy is if you want the latest and greatest features, get a new phone.  That is not the right approach, and it will turn away a lot of customers.

    Hopefully, Microsoft can get this right, until then I will not be coming back to the Windows Phone.


    Thanks!
    Friday, October 16, 2009 9:18 PM
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    The decision is probably one that is made by the OEM and is sensitive to the Carrier's requirements, desires, etc.  The hardware on windows mobile devices is not consistent across OEMs or devices, and Carrier's require that OS upgrades be recertified through them.   It is not a simple exercise and really not one that Microsoft can circumvent. 

    Blackberriers & iPhones are not created by so many different OEMs and so updating the OS on those devices is much more straightforward.

    It is disappointing to have a fairly new device that is not upgraded to the latest OS, but not so disappointing that I am willing to give up the flexibility of windows mobile.
    Prof Julie, Microsoft MVP Mobile Devices | http://pocketprimer.com
    Saturday, October 17, 2009 12:06 AM
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    Hi Julie,


    Thanks for your reply - however if the measure of success is market share, then Microsoft has a lot to learn from both Apple and Blackberry.  I have used the products from all 3 companies, and where the Apple iPhone is right now it does offer a lot of flexibility.  I started this post because I really do want to come back to Microsoft's Mobile Phones, however I will not until a solid upgrade strategy is in place. 

    The customer sees the phone and they associate it with Microsoft, not AT&T or Sprint or Verizon or for that matter HTC or the OEM who made it.  And if Microsoft releases a new OS and their fairly brand new phone is now obsolete because Microsoft, the OEM or the carrier won't release an upgrade for it - which is easy, then the hit to customer service falls on Microsoft.

    Microsoft needs to develop a strategy to protect the consumer - not the carrier.  Apply the company's current strategy to its notebooks and PCs - imagine how successful the launch of the new Win 7 would be if Microsoft had to depend 100% on the OEM to determine if and when they would offer an upgrade to existing base. 
    Monday, October 19, 2009 3:13 PM
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    Microsoft needs to develop a strategy to protect the consumer - not the carrier.  Apply the company's current strategy to its notebooks and PCs - imagine how successful the launch of the new Win 7 would be if Microsoft had to depend 100% on the OEM to determine if and when they would offer an upgrade to existing base. 

    I understand what you are saying and appreciate your comments.  My guess is that many folks feel the same way.  Unfortunately it is the "nature of the beast" and because there is so much involved (that we don't see), I don't expect to see changes in that structure too soon.  One can only hope that there is something in the works.....
    Jack Cook
    http://www.experiencemobility.net
    http://www.mobilitysite.com
    Tuesday, October 20, 2009 1:16 PM
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    For what my opinion is worth, I agree with Jules.  Whilst I appreciate that this is the "nature of the beast", I too subscribe to the concept that this is a Microsoft phone, even though I know that Orange have hampered it in every manner that they can conceive... ;D

    Both arguments are surely proven by the "Start | Settings | System | Windows Update" feature - which although available has never had an available update on any phone I've had to date.

    Surely as a concept it should be possible for core files to be MS updateable and network specific files to be locally updateable... or would that make it a "Smart" phone?

    Microsoft is a huge corporation and gives the impression to everyone that I've ever discussed them with of being aloof, distant from the very people that pay their salaries - us.  These forums are a great start, but in my opinion they need to be releasing fixes, upgrades and new features in order to keep up with the Apple / Blackberry / Android marketplace - even if some of them incur a cost.

    In my humble opinion, to which you are all welcome!!

    Thursday, November 12, 2009 12:06 PM
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    Both arguments are surely proven by the "Start | Settings | System | Windows Update" feature - which although available has never had an available update on any phone I've had to date.


    It has been used on one phone that I can identify.  It was used to fix the "Slog Dump" problem that occurred on the Samsung Epix. Much like firmware updates it is up to the carriers and OEM to decide if they want to use Windows Update Services to push out updates. 

    We are begining to see signs of the same obstacle with Android.  At least one of the phones sold under Verizon's Droid label is the same as a phone that Sprint sells (the Hero). But verizon's version runs Android 2.0 while Sprint's runs 1.6.  While HTC has said they will make a 2.0 build that could run on Sprint's Hero it is not yet known whether or not Sprint will allow the update to go out.
    Joel Ivory Johnson
    It takes all the running you can do to stay in one place.If you want to get somewhere else,you must try to run at least twice as fast as that.
    Thursday, November 12, 2009 12:32 PM
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