Windows Mobile Is Still Immobile

Many moons ago, I wrote that Microsoft needs a Mobile Manhattan Project—that the company must invest in the cell phone market the kind of energy, determination, software development and partnerships that won the browser wars against Netscape.

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Instead, Microsoft's mobile strategy looks like its failed search struggle with Google. The company moves at glacial speeds, while competitors Apple and Google, both mobile upstarts, make huge strides. Maybe a little global warming, like under its fat, complacent butt, is what Microsoft needs to break the ice shelf and get that glacial ice free and flowing with the currents. Yeah, I badly mixed metaphors. So slap me.

Today's Windows Mobile announcements don't go far enough and they aren't coming soon enough—not if Microsoft ever wants to be a leader, even just a follower, in the mobile market.

It's a big market. According to Wireless Intelligence, there are now 4 billion mobile connections, with the number expected to reach 6 billion within four years. The majority of these connections come from cell phones, but other devices, like notebooks and netbooks, also contribute to the number. The number of mobile data connections is about 100 million and rapidly rising, particularly as more cell phones are sold into emerging markets.

There are hints in some of today's announcements of the feisty Microsoft that bested Netscape a decade ago. There's more bite than bark in the Windows Mobile distribution deal with LG. The new mobile advertising agreements are promising, too. But the software and services announcements are catch-up at best, and they're not ready for market.

Windows Mobile 6.5. I'm not loving the new user interface, as shown in the official and previously leaked screenshots. OK, the honeycomb approach has potential—it certainly beats the UI's old skin—but I reserve any excitement, or none, until testing.

Microsoft trails Apple and Google with respect to UI design. The Mini-Windows UI concept just doesn't work on a handset. There are too many menus and submenus to move through. Nokia has similar UI design problems with Symbian OS. The new Windows Mobile skin is probably better than nothing. But it's nothing much if for no other reason than delivery timetable.

Windows Mobile 6.5, as an upgrade to existing handsets or shipped on new models, is slated for second-half delivery. That almost certainly puts the new operating system in the market after the next iterations of the iPhone operating system, hardware and supporting services. Four to eight months is simply way to long.

The new mobile Internet Explorer looks promising, but it's also coming with Windows Mobile 6.5. That means a long wait and limited availability to only some Windows Mobile users. Something else: A year ago, mobile browsing was a differentiating feature; now it's merely catch-up and not nearly good enough. Apple's App Store offers many specialized, Internet informational applications. When using iPhone, I find myself rarely using the browser anymore. Who needs a browser?

There typically is a lag between when Microsoft announces a new mobile operating system and when carriers and handset manufacturers can support it. I'm ragging on Microsoft because competitors are innovating like crazy. Apple's success needs no recap. Google's Android gains are modest, but promising. RIM had a great autumn harvest of BlackBerrys; subscribers are way up.

Windows Mobile Marketplace. I can't say much of anything about the new service, as it doesn't really yet exist. Microsoft plans to ship the Mobile Marketplace with Windows Mobile 6.5 handsets. As previously mentioned, those aren't expected until the second half of the year, either as upgrades to existing handsets or on new ones.

Second half simply is too far away. Apple is mopping up customers and developers with its App Store. Google has got Android Marketplace, whose customer and developer pull should increase throughout the year. Also, Nokia's Ovi Store, an application marketplace for Symbian handsets, will come sooner--in May. RIM has a BlackBerry store, too.

My Phone. I'm on record last week about this service, which doesn't look much different today than then. It's a push-sync wannabe. I'm mortally stunned that Microsoft's press site distributes an image showing the service's daily sync feature. Apple should do a "Get a Mac" commercial called "Up to Date," where PC waits for his daily sync and Mac gets his in real time.

The caption to the daily sync pic: "Select automatic daily sync so you are always up to date." Daily is up to date? Apple's MobileMe syncs when there are changes. Oh, and just so the service is even less usable, sync is from phone memory only and not from a memory card. Right, like you're going to keep hundreds of photos in limited phone memory instead of the roomy memory card?

LG distribution. Microsoft's LG deal, where the cell phone manufacturer primarily distributes Windows Mobile, is hugely promising. It's the news of the day, even if it's an expansion of a Microsoft-LG agreement from November. LG is rapidly passing Samsung as South Korea's dominant consumer electronics company. LG has huge U.S. carrier distribution, too, unlike market leader Nokia. The distribution deal should put Windows Mobile on lower-cost cell phones in markets where Nokia leads, today. There are five major mobile operating systems, either established or going that way:

• Google Android
• Research In Motion BlackBerry OS
• Apple iPhone OS
• Nokia Symbian OS
• Microsoft Windows Mobile (I include Danger, too)

Android, BlackBerry, iPhone and, until today, Windows Mobile are mainly shipped on smartphones. Market share leader Symbian is the only major mobile operating system widely distributed on all categories of handsets. Unless there's a major change in LG's handset strategy, today's distribution deal should broaden Windows Mobile distribution.

That said, LG comes as other Windows Mobile supporters, such as HTC, shift some handset production to Android. Additionally, LG only promises about 10 Windows Mobile handsets this year, which isn't near enough. But that's perhaps a topic for another post.

Recite. Microsoft announced this nifty little Windows Mobile add-on over the weekend. Recite is promising, and Windows Mobile phone owners can use the software now. They don't need to wait until the operating system's next version. By the way, Recite is a major killer app contender, presuming it works right. Recite lets mobile users record audio, which doesn't seem all that innovative, right? How about this: Users can also search the audio clips made using Recite.

Audio search has huge potential, again, assuming it works well. As a journalist, I don't just want to take notes, I want to record other people and then search their recordings for stuff. I don't currently have a Windows Mobile handset here, so there will be no testing of Recite or My Phone (hint, hint: Microsoft, HTC, LG, Samsung or Sony Ericsson). From business to home to school, there are many ways voice search would be hugely useful.

Mobile advertising deals. Microsoft announced eight partners, some to none of which could be really new. The Microsoft Advertising Mobile Media partners are located mostly in Europe. It's merely a beginning, but from the bottom everyplace is up.

[Please send your tips or rumors to watchtips at live.com].

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