Looks like the big boss of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices division is borrowing a page from the Roger McNamee book of really terrible trash talking that you can’t back up. Gear Diary has a report up on Robbie Bach’s chest-thumping for a new Windows Mobile browser:
According to Robbie Bach, President of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices division, Windows Mobile 6.5 is going to change all of that.
You will have a very rich browsing experience on 6.5 devices that will give you access to more Web sites than you will be able to get to on an iPhone that will work actively and work well…It really is a much better experience [than the iPhone].
Yeah right. A Windows Mobile browsing experience that tops the iPhone is just a bit less likely than pigs flying. That’s the same mobile OS that for years has featured a browsing experience that makes stabbing yourself in the eyes with a blunt toothpick seem pleasant. I think the mobile browsing market share chart above – from March of this year – gives a great indication of how much Microsoft knows about providing a ‘much better’ mobile browsing experience. 
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Well, I personally wouldn't ridicule it before I've even seen it. After all it's not entirely impossible for MS to finally create a mobile browser worth using.
The problem even with this, agreed, of course rather unlikely scenario is, that even if MS creates the most awesome mobile browser ever which offers a supreme web experience, it will still be surrounded by Windows Mobile 6.5. And from what I can tell, the overall experience of using that is still going to suck big time.
If MS want to ever get a true foothold in the mobile market again, they will have to discard this mess and start anew. Or licence another mobile OS.
So although I don't neccessarily agree with Your assumption that the new Windows mobile browser is gonna fail anyhow, no matter what, I do indeed think that it just won't matter.
I agree that Windows Mobile needs wholesale revamping, or scrapping and starting fresh – but although it's not impossible, I'll also stick to my bet that MS don't have a clue how to come up with a compelling browser, mobile or otherwise.
"… it's not entirely impossible for MS to finally create a mobile browser worth using." – wreckman
Yet it is. It's part of their development cycle
1. Spend exorbitant amount of money on R&D
2. Take the coolest technologies and try to shoehorn them into an old, lifeless code base while maintaining the unhealthy penchant for preferring backwards compatibility to the detriment of advancement.
3. See what Apple is doing and try to incorporate some of their ideas without consideration for style or the user experience (…oh no! I think I just officially made the leap from switcher to an Apple Fanboy… ha!, its still true though!)
4. Only use technologies that promote our own proprietary agendas and avoid open standards
5. Will it blend?!!!
Nothing I hate more than boasting about a product before it is released. Shut up & deliver!! Of course, the MS guy is going to say that they will be releasing an amazing product. Shut up & deliver!! Microsoft has used this tactic to kill many companies over the years. I say – Shut up & deliver.
It is one reason I really like Apple. They keep their traps shut & just release products.
Ummmm, so we are reduced to arbitrarily dismissing all further mobile browser developments by Microsoft and perhaps those of other minority market share holders? When did the iPhone, and Apple for that matter, attain a position beyond reproach of all other competitive innovation? What a dangerous proposition it is to summarily discount innovation, regardless of its measure or origin….
I don't feel as if I'm likely to dismiss (so quickly) potential innovations in this (or other) areas across the board – as you're right, that is a lousy way to approach things. But … in the case of MS I have to say I don't feel too bad about being so dismissive just now. Their track record – even in the desktop browser arena – gives me nothing to foster any belief in them in this area. IE – in my view – has always been a copycat browser right from back in Netscape Navigator days when it was born, it has never fully complied with otherwise universally adopted HTML and other internet standards, and it's been an appalling security nightmare for ages.
And again, in the mobile browsing arena the track record for MS is beyond dismal. It was an area that obviously got near zero attention for many years, and now that Apple has shown just how much mobile browsing people will do when a usable mobile browser is given to them, MS suddenly loves this area and has world-beating ideas (I say world-beating because at least for now the iPhone browser is THE standard all others need to match up to)? I just don't buy that. At all.
I agree with everyone about the Windows Mobile experience as I have had a Black Jack and experienced it first hand. I saw a video today from "inquirer tech" or something that showed the next gen windows os called Windows Phone. Although it looks much improved….zune like….it still is way behind iPhone OS. The browser doesn't even have multitouch. I hate to say it but I think others just have to "copy" Apple. They did with the App Store….they have to do it with the browser. Isn't Palm using webkit? Sorry if I didn't know, but their browser looks similar to Apple's. And does Android have multitouch? Android if anything seems like a force Apple needs to keep an eye out for…….
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