Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer wasted little
time touting the updated Windows mobile operating system, Windows Phone 7
Series, as a new way for end users to connect to their mobile devices. Along
with revealing a long list of hardware and carrier partners and a launch date
for the OS—Christmas 2010—Ballmer book-ended the official announcement of the
operating system at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, while Joe
Belfiore, vice president of Windows Phones, demonstrated the features and
functionality of the operating system. Perhaps surprisingly, for a company best
known for business, the emphasis this time was overwhelmingly on the personal.
Belfiore repeatedly used words like “intimate,” “unique” and “individual”
when describing the ideal interaction consumers should have with their mobile
devices. He often reiterated the notion that a phone is not a PC and should
therefore not be treated like one. “We wanted to go back and revisit the design
and come up with a user experience that’s new and different,” he said. “How can
we build a phone that focuses on the end user and the things that make the
phone reflect your unique personality and needs?”
The goal, Belfiore explained, was to make an operating system that was more
organized and task-centric and that helped organize information and
applications. He spoke of building a modern phone that “takes advantage of
users’ complex lives to make something unique and individual.”
In the live demonstration that followed, the focus remained on the personal
and the social, demonstrating the integrated experiences with music, pictures
and video users would access to stay connected to friends and family. “We want
a smart design that puts the user at the center of their experiences and moves
beyond separate applications,” he said, scrolling through photos of friends.
“Using your phone should be a delightful, fun experience, an expression of your
personality that makes people smile when they use it.”
While Belfiore slipped into tech-speak every so often (sub-pixel positioning
technology) and highlighted, if briefly, the productivity features of Windows
Phone 7, social connection features and location-based services took clear
precedence. “Office is good at things like taking notes,” he summarized when
speaking about the Office Hub. “It’s terrific for people who want to be
productive.” Then it was back to the school of snowflake philosophy.
“I hope the main things you’ll take aware are a smart design
that makes the phone a unique reflection of who you are. We think this
altogether is a different kind of phone,” he said in conclusion. “We want it to
be easy-to-use and delightful and something new.”
Midmarket News & Reviews 
