Microsoft developers have shown off the potential of Windows Phone 7 with a demo of an internally developed golf-scoring app.
In a new video (embedded below), lead motion designer Jeff Arnold shows off an app they built focused around keeping score as you spoil a good walk.
Current golfing apps for the iPhone tended to focus on shot data and maps, so the designers decided to focus on scorekeeping, and what happens between each hole.
It shows how an app could potentially look. Clicking a tile on the start page of Windows Phone 7 sends you to its loading screen. Once the app is loaded, you’re presented with a home screen where you choose ‘new round of golf’.
This leads to three distinct list views which ‘pivot’ for the app user, showing recent courses you’ve played on, nearby courses, and all courses which could be provided by an apps database.
The way you look for other players is very similar, with another pivot system allowing you to select other players on the round based on the common friends you play with, pre-set groups you’ve created, or a list of all players on the app database.
Once you’ve started playing you change the scorecard using the touchscreen, rather than a keyboard. Tapping the name of other players playing the round will show you their stats.
This demo shows how focused on touchscreen technology the Windows Phone 7 software and hardware coming out will be, compared to what Microsoft has done before.
It’s taking its sweet time getting here, but when it does Windows Phone 7 has a job to do to convince the public it can match up to Androids and iPhones, and apps are going to be a massive part of that.
Apple has built an entire industry around the development of applications for smart phone owners to download, and Microsoft is looking to do the same.
Image credit: istartedsomething