The Sizzling Technology

Windows Mobile OS Review

One of the most fastest growing and fiercely fought war was for operating systems in the PC era. IBM Microsoft Apple and Linux fought it out for more than three decades and Microsoft emerged the clear victor with Windows. A few million smart phones later, Microsoft is now at the loosing end of the smart phone OS war.

Seems like these wars go in a circle. Microsoft claimed the PC OS market by first knocking out and crushing IBM. Now it is getting crushed in the Smart Phone OS market even though they've been an established part of it for quite some time. Iphone was the biggest rival, but now it seems the greater danger is from the Google Android OS.

Lets review Windows Mobile in some areas:

Stability:

Windows Mobile seems to be as solid as a rock when it comes to stablity as long as the device does not have a touch screen. Having said that, this is a very poor performance given almost every new handset released now is a touch screen. With a touch screen, a Windows Mobile device is bound to have some stability issues.

Media Player

Microsoft tends to stick to its Media Players like a little kid being obstinate over its old toys. The Media Player was a lame failure in the PC, and it is a bigger failure in Smart Phones. Take a lesson from Apple with thier huge success of itunes with the Iphone, Media Players matter more in Smart Phones than in PCs, my advice to Microsoft, get over your Windows Media Player, come up with something new if you want to stay competitive with the Smart Phone OS market.

Phone Performance:

This is one area where the Windows Mobile performs well, even better than others, again given the device is not Touch Screen, which is not that well an achievement.

Software Applications:

Windows Mobile is a seasoned survivor in the mobile market and has been out there for quite some time. Naturally there are many many applications for almost every thing you may want to do with your Windows Mobile Smart Phone. However this is not enough, Microsoft has again been clearly beaten at this by Apple, Palm and even the new Andoid. The software market for the Apple Iphone is very much saturated with literally hundreds of thousands of applicatons out there and all easily available from the Apple Software Store, a replica of which Microsoft has so far failed to launch. Android and Palm too with thier open source platforms have beaten Windows Mobile in this aspect even after having been there for a significantly lesser amount of time. Google has even created an Android market available on every Android Device which is even better than the seasoned Apple Iphone App Store. So another area which Microsoft needs to work over.

Enterprise Support:

This is one area where Windows Mobile beats all. Consider you have been using Microsoft Outlook for quite some time on your Smart Phone or are very much used to working on Power Point or Word Processor on your PDA, would you want to leave those applications and start on some other applications not native to you? I know i wouldnt...

Display:

Windows Mobile displays are just as good as any other OS. For those used to Windows(i.e most of the world), Windows Mobile may offer a familiar and user friendly display. Currently Windows Mobile Devices come in non-touch or touch displays, while the Iphone and Android Phones are coming in capacitative Displays. WM can easily switch to capacitative displays too for the future.

Wireless Capabilities:

WM is one of the better choices when it comes to wireless connectivity. Again it offers a similar interface as to that of Windows for managing wireless connectivity easily. Infrared, Bluetooth, WiFi, 3G, GPS everything is well covered.

Mobile Devices:

WM has a very comprehensive coverage of mobile sets which use the OS. Every Major company with no exception except perhaps Apple and some others who use thier propietary OS have a handset release in Windows Mobile. This however may be more due to the lack of choices than the elegance of the WM OS. Now with the easy availability of Android, things may be set for a change. Motorola has already disclosed that its relationship with Windows Mobile may be on the rocks and it is considering a shift to Google Android.

Conclusion:

Its not that Windows Mobile is not a good Operating System, people are just getting fed up with Microsoft and its closed source policy. Using a Microsoft Product these days is just next to a cliche. If Microsoft shows even the smallest incompetency, and does not bring about big new changes to Windows Mobile, people will start looking to other platforms and Google, already a well established name would be a very good source for people to turn to with Android in the near future.