Verizon: we like Microsoft, but not Windows Phone 7

America's largest wireless provider has thrown a cold, wet blanket on Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 event, scheduled for next week in New York. Verizon chief operating officer and president Lowell McAdam doesn't see Microsoft as a major player in mobile, saying the future lies with Android, Blackberry, and the iPhone. McAdam, …

[Wrenchy]

Ouch!

Now there's a kick to the giggleberries!

This Win7 Phone better be phenomenal or else it's saynonara MS Mobile.

I would like to see them do well. Competition fuels innovation and the customer benefits in the end. But this is Microsoft we're talking about there...

[theSensibleGeek]

"...and its network is ripe with Blackberries."

I see what you did there...

[Tzael]

Re: "...and its network is ripe with Blackberries."

At least you're not seeing 'roids and berries... After reading the article I was left thinking Verizon could do with a tube of pile cream.

[dssf]

Can we say, "OUCHHHHH!"???

ROTFLMMOAO.... would spit, but i don't have coffee in my mouth.

I wonder whether ms has an anti-weasel, anti-wriggle clause the will bit Verizon. But, i think i will re-capitalize the V in Verizon. I bet some of this has a lot to do with them taking flak over shortsightedly forcing users to take bing agains their will through warranty invalidation if bing were stripped or Google search installed. That, to me, was an uncouth, fiendish decision. Hopefully, Verizon will undo that miasma of a decision -- esPECIALLY if it involved bingifying Android phones.

[JaitcH]

"Gartner said that Windows Phone 7 will provide a fillip ..."

How can this be, given that Microsoft confirmed there will be no backwards compatibility for previous Windows Mobile in Windows Phone 7 Series? This means there will be a great number very unhappy users who will hardly be endeared to MS leaving them stranded with technological orphans.

Some fillip!

Not everyone is inclined to slavishly purchase new hardware just because an OS is updated.

[Tempest]

Your last sentence was truncated

Not everyone is inclined to slavishly purchase new hardware just because an OS is updated(.) like iPhans.

[Bilgepipe]

Yeah

Yeah, because Microsoft never tie new OS releases to new hardware.

The last Windows Mobile junk I was forced to use was tied very firmly to it's OS and could not be upgraded - they way iPhones can.

Anti-Apple-tards still avoiding the truth, I see.

[Rex Alfie Lee]

That was a tedious read...

Anti-iPhone-tards. Get off the grass. iPhones are for games players, not tech-heads who wouldn't have a Microsux phone either, nor RIM OS. Tech-heads get Android because it's better. Others follow suit because better technology offers better stuff along the way.

You poor iPhone stuck-ins. I bet you really wish you'd bought an Android but just can't admit it. You may have started it but the end won't be far away bcoz open-source will destroy Apple.

[Anonymous Coward]

Open Source will destroy iOS...

Just like Open Source destroyed Microsoft.

[DJV]

Breaking News...

...Lowell McAdam injured in mysterious accident involving a chair.

[Tzael]

Re: Breaking News...

"accident involving a chair"

Levitating chairs laden with kinetic energy are a bitch!

[gimbal]

Achh, they need to pick the BB Torch phone, too

Whine whine gripe gripe? No, I just don't like AT&T, and I don't like having to change service providers just to be able to use a given model of popular smartphone.

Verizon's alright. Vendor-monopolization of phone models ain't. Cheers anyway, a round for everyone....

[cramleir]

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is actually number 4 in the US, not to be picky

[Anonymous Coward]

Piracy and porn

What makes any platform or format successful? Piracy and porn. Ultimately, the mobile platform that is the easiest on which to pirate apps, content and access porn will succeed.

[Jaemon]

There is a reason for everything even link bait

And might the reason that Verizon is not into WP7 phones at the moment be that microsoft have yet to provide a timeframe for when they (microsoft) will support CDMA baseband software ?

It's like asking a sahara resident what he thinks about snow... no its not on his mind much.

but why on earth verizon chose to go with cdma and not the world standard (GSM for the unwashed masses) is a mystery... like why T-mobile in the us chose to use a slightly altered 3G GSM frequency (making them basically the only carrier with more than 50 customers to use the 1700 mhz / 2100 mhz band for 3G). CDMA is in use only in the us and by one carrier in china (plus a few island states and one or two other countries)... its just plain old stupid now with more new stupid punditry on top...

Pure and utter link bait this is....

[Jay Jaffa]

Anchor Alert # (GSM for the unwashed masses)

Nice comment and attitude. I'd suggest you know very little yourself on the subject.

CDMA is universally considered a better technology for today's networks as all radios can be active all the time as capacity does not directly limit the number of active radios.- just didn't make it commercially in Europe; much like BETAMAX and OS2.

[JaitcH]

Blame the ITU & the USA: North America Frequency Plan

Frequency assignments are determined by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Telecommunication_Union > which is an international forum.

Lucky Canada has to follow along with the USA frequency plans as we are so close. CDMA is also a world standard < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDMA2000 > although it is a fading star since it's major manufacturing proponent has ceased development on the chips.

All cell systems in North America use the N.A frequency assignments, as well as Japan. CDMA is also used in Indochina although Vietnamese CDMA carriers are switching to GSM.

Interestingly certain uses, such as maritime and amateur, etc., are uniform in all parts of the world.

[asdf]

simple

Broadcom/Qualcomm (forget which) is the big innovator in wireless and is based in the US. GSM is better with the lower royalities and all but the US had 3G first (our handsets behind Euros but our networks aren't and are hell of lot cheaper with unlimited bandwidth).

[DrXym]

Windows Phone has potential but its not there yet

It's well known that the first Windows Phone 7 is going to be hobbled, lacking many advanced / business features as well as some pretty basic ones. I expect it will be okay for consumers, but it will suck in any other role. On the other hand as a consumer device it has some potential, especially for gaming which neither the iPhone nor Android can match. I'm talking of XBox Live support, achievements and so forth. Android is shockingly bad for gaming (not through lack of capability, but lack of infrastructure) and the iPhone is a halfway house.

Microsoft have a small window of opportunity to capitalize on this, but if they can pull it off it might give them a beachhead into the consumer market to continue their advance.

[alexh2o]

No CDMA?

I bet this is a jab at MS for not including CDMA support in WP7.. effectively locking out Verizon!

[Anonymous Coward]

Verizon has other networks

Verizon uses a lot of GSM (3G) and is furiously opening LTE because speed rules in this game. Something CDMA can never do. CDMA is the dinosaur of the Cell Network. Just look at the Verizon (and the rest) Roadmaps.

[Gil Grissum]

Hmmmm....

I'd have to agree. Since it took Microsoft forever to come to market with an answer to the iPhone, Verizon isn't hedging their bets on it. Clearly, they support Android and Blackberry and if they get the iPhone, we have to wonder how strong their Blackberry and Android Support will continue to be. Obviously, they aren't impressed with Windows Phone 7. We'll just have to wait and see.

[Giles Jones]

Innovation in mobile

The user interface was the last big innovation in mobile and that's been sorted now. No more silly little sticks to touch the screen, no 'start' menus.

It's hard to see what innovations are left?

[Anonymous Coward]

Windows Phone 7

"Gartner said that Windows Phone 7 will provide a fillip to Microsoft's worldwide mobile market share, pushing it up from 4.7 per cent this year to 5.2 per cent in 2011, but it's share will fall again to 3.9 per cent by 2014."

I think the figure of 5.2% closely correlates with the number of people experiencing severe mental and emotional problems which may account for Windows 7 Phone's projected market share......

http://www.theregister.co.uk/Design/graphics/icons/comment/black_helicopters_32.png

[Lance 3]

Explain the iPhoney then

"But if they are innovative, we'll offer them," McAdam said."

Apple hasn't been innovative; they just steal. Multitouch; not theirs. Copy and paste; weren't the first either. Apps, not the first. Having an app store, nope. Video, nope. Video calling, nope. They were not the first on anything that the iPhoney has and they lag behind the competition. Being behind is not an innovator.

[Bilgepipe]

So...

So how come Apple handed the entire mobile industry their collective arses? Innovation isn't just a trolls checklist of features, that's Microsoft thinking - never mind the quality, look at the list of features. Apple took a bunch of features no-one else was using and put them all together, and now everyone else is trying to catch up, and in Microsoft's case failing badly.

Enjoy your KIN.

[Lance 3]

Huh?

14% market share? Wow, that really did hand the big plers their arses now did it? Android has a higher market share than Apple and they are the new(er) guy.

They also stole IP along the way and have yet to pay for it. Just wait until their court date is here and the judge makes a ruling; the iPhoney will be no more.

[chr0m4t1c]

Re:Huh?

Yes, it did hand the big players their bums. iPhone is a *device*, Android is a *platform*; you're not comparing like with like. One device with 14% of the market is significant, especially given the number of devices on the market.

That kind of thing is very unusual in any mature market and even more so in the mobile market.

Probably best not to kid yourself that Apple are the only company who may or may not have infringed on other companies IP along the way or that the courts will make your hated handset vanish for you. RIM fell foul of that particular issue a few years ago and there are still plenty of BlackBerries around.

[Rex Alfie Lee]

And Stevie, "I'm gonna f**king kill Google" Ballmer said...

Verizon: Windows Phone 7 sucks, I don't think so Monkey Boy.

Monkey Boy: You hurt me Verizon, you really hurt me. And don't call me Monkey Boy

Verizon: It's not leading edge Monkey Boy. Android, RIM, iPhone but Windows sucks.

Monkey Boy: Ok no more Mr Nice Guy for you Verizon (throwing chair at wall) I'm gonna f**king kill Verizon & don't call me Monkey Boy.

Verizon: Oh yeah, sure Monkey Boy.