We've been hearing about the code-names for awhile and now we finally get to see one. We're of course talking about Windows Phone 7 on an HTC device and this one is reportedly for Verizon (and presumably Sprint).
Rocking some current-high end specs, the device features:
Too early to tell if this will be a release device, what it'll be called and where it fits in with HTC's planned offerings (maybe this is an entry level device, not their flagship?)
Our take: it's exactly what we'd expect from HTC and in that regard, it's a bit underwhelming although we think it'll get the job done admirably. Still, we're sort of hoping for 'an HTC EVO moment' where we really go 'wow' instead of 'meh'.
Are our standards and expectations too high? Yup, and we're okay with that as Microsoft needs to wow us. Your thoughts? Is that Dell Lightning looking better yet?
Edit: Windows Phone 7 hardware specs require a flash for the camera. Hmmm...
The other big story is that HTC does plan to offer 'Sense' or something similar to it. Quoting HTC
"Microsoft has taken firmer control of the core experience [in Windows Phone 7], but we can still innovate," Drew Bamford, who heads HTC's user experience design team, told Forbes.
"We won't be able to replace as much of the core Windows Phone experience, but we will augment it," he said
We're down with that. Now lets see what that actually means.
[Via Engadget and FierceWireless; Thanks, Stephen, for the tip!]
Comments
Looks like the Dell Lighting is the 7 phone to beat. I hope it comes out at launch, cause form the looks of it, That will be the flag ship phone. Sorry but I have to say this, Dude I'm getting A dell(phone).
Not so fast because Samsung is set to release a heck of a phone.
Also of note is that there is supposed to be an OLED screen so unless Microsoft suddenly decided to let HTC do whatever they wanted to do with the screen this aint happening.
Finally with those specs that HTC phone would get laughed out of the store.
That's true, Samsung has been wowing everyone with the Galaxy series.
In fairness to HTC, this could be a prototype or an entry-level phone; too little info at this point.
i agree, im awaiting the samsung phone. their developer unit looks great, and its just a mule.
If this is the best HTC can offer they can keep it. Instead of moving forward with hardware innovation they are more concerned with regurgitating old hardware designs. We should be seeing an HD2 beater from them, instead we have this poor man's Desire. Baffles me why anyone thinks HTC is such a good OEM for MS.
And why for goodness sake would anyone want Sense on a WP7 phone? HTC will probably design it so its completely unlike the default WP7 interface in the name of being different. Not impressed one bit.
sorry but this wasnt what we wanted. this phone is way too round and doesnt conform to the design of windows phone.
itll be between lightning and samsung for me
I am OK with them adding *some* sense UI, UNLESS it causes me to wait for future OS upgrades until HTC gets Sense working for the update.
This happened to me with my Droid Eris. Android 2.1 was released and we waited forever until Sense was ready for 2.1.
So please Microsoft and HTC, don't let Sense prevent users from upgrading to the most current release of Windows Phone 7.
Oh it'll still be like 90% of the WP7 UI, but I think they'll add their own tiles and a few extended features, but it won't be 'Sense' the way we think of it now...
Think more of how 'Sense' translated onto Windows Mobile 6.5 Standard (like the Verizon Ozone) than WM Pro.
I don't need and more NON-Sense from HTC. Tired of their shenanigans w/ trying to impress people w/ software differences on similar HW implementations. This is ONLY being done so HTC can get more mileage out of the SAME old DATED HW for longer periods of time. We were eating it up while they slowly but surely crapped up the WM experience. Now they are doing the same thing w/ Android. I personally don't want ANYTHING to do w/ HTC anymore. They crap up consumer experience to benefit their own short sighted profit model.
Woops, I meant "I don't need any more NON-Sense..." not "and"
Is that not a flash next to the camera lens?
Difficult to say one way or another. I LOOKED at the pic, even zooming in, and can't say for certain.
I won't be getting an HTC phone anyways, you know why, 'cause I know the Samsung WP7 phone will have more internal memory than any HTC WP7 phone and most importantly, it will come with a Super AM-OLED screen. Man, I'm longing for that Super AM-OLED screen.
The final release version is required to have a flash.
I know HTC wants to cling to it for market differentiation purposes. But I'm ready for Sense to fade away into the sunset now.
It served its purpose for WM at one point. But it's going to have to be greatly re-imagined as more of a content service once WP7 silos it by confining it to a hub. I just don't see them putting the same amount of resources into that since it's not going to define the experience on their hardware. And as Android continues to improve its become largely superfluous on that platform. It seems its main function on Android now is to slow down the software updates (as well as the device itself.) Google's currently said they're still going to play nice with 3rd party shells on Gingerbread but I personally wouldn't cry if they cracked down like Microsoft.
HTC, like many manufactures, doesn't really care about Windows Phone anymore. Iphone and Android phones are where the market is. Why spend time and money creating devices that don't sell? Over the past year, HTC has released more Android phones that Windows phones. More thought and inovation has been dedicated to their Android phones rather than their Windows phones.
Microsoft sat back and waited too long, and then when they did decide to do something, it also took too to come up with Windows Phone 7 and had less features than any other smartphone on the market.
I'm gonna stick to Samsung. They are releasing their WP7 in Jannuary, so I'm gonna wait. Can't wait to see a Galaxy S-like cellphone with DUAL LED flash and WP7 in it.
Yaaayyy!
This HTC phone looks like a HTC Wildfire getting anabolics!
Awful. Not for me.
I forgot to add something:
It DOES have a flash. A tiny one, but flash at least.
Microsoft won't allow them to take AMOLED out of their phones and also let them take flash away from their cameras. I think Microsoft allow HTC to replace AMOLED (only due to shortage of this kind of screen) with S-LCD.