Microsoft concedes on blank-screen operations

Applications running on Windows Phone 7 won't be halted when the lock screen kicks in, if they've got a note from Microsoft promising they won't drain the battery too much. We're not talking about multitasking here, just not being interrupted when the screen times out and goes blank. CNet tells us that in an interview at …

[Robert E A Harvey]

Hang on

The wretched phones are already on sale and they haven't sorted out something as simple as this yet?

What on earth have they been up to in all the testing?

[Wibble]

What testing, there's been no time

It's been such a rush they haven't been able to refine the design nor test it. Are you surprised that they've not thought this through?

[Anonymous Coward]

And for Apple?

How many years did it take to give few rough guidelines on what is allowed and they are still pissing about with them to this day. Android? Oh you can spy on people. Oh hold no you can't, err maybe hold on a sec, let me think about it.

[Mike OReilly]

Another failure of theReg

WP7 *already* allows 3rd party apps to run under screen lock. Under the old rule, those apps required prior user consent. Under the new rule, you don't need the user permission.

From the very CNet article you linked to...

"Until now, applications that wanted to run when the screen was locked had to get the user's explicit permission. Under new rules announced on Friday, programs can do so without permission"

[Levente Szileszky]

It's pathetic...

...that even such a minor thing is newsworthy when it comes to Windows Phone 7 - clearly shows the sorry@ss state of M$ and it's panicking WP7 campaign...

...another huge screwup in the works which, in turn, will have them throw even more money at it in desperation and get even worse returns, I guess.

Kin, replayed? I hope it isn't.

[John Smith 19]

So *did* 3rd party apps need *MS* consent to run on screen lock.

Because if they *did* (and how did earlier releases handle this. Phone Windows has been knocking about for a while) this *strongly* suggests the old 1 rule for MS house devs and another rule for *everybody* else.

this is *either* a non story or a *blatant* demonstration of the old school MS way of doing things ("We'll tell you what *we* think you need to know to write an *adequate* app, not a good one.") and which would appear to violate legal agreements on releasing various Windows information (or did those only apply to desktop windows? like Googles plan to not regulate the mobile internet).

[Tim Bates]

WM 6.5?

I dont remember Windows Mobile 6.5 and older needing anyone to give permission to run when the screen went off... Why start now? Because Apple said so?

[BristolBachelor]

Windows experience, only mobile

"...has an irritating habit of shutting down Wi-Fi in the middle of downloading a file if one isn't interactive enough."

So it's exactly the same as windows default laptop settings then. Think you've left it downloading/uploading? Nope it's decided to sleep instead...

[Anonymous Coward]

I think WP7 is superb...

... although I am having problems finding [Ctrl ][Alt] [Del] on my phone to make it work again every couple of days, and the random "Your phone is pwned" messages make me think tat it might be time for me to update my phone's anti-virus software...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!