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Microsoft came calling this week with its official unveiling Monday of the highly anticipated Windows Phone 7 along with a bevy of devices built on the new mobile operating system.
Windows Phone 7 was launched to much fanfare in New York, including a lively presentation by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer who characterized the OS as “always delightful and wonderfully mine.”
“Everybody should be able to take a look at a Windows Phone and say I can represent me,” Ballmer said. In that vein, the launch was centered on ultra-customized features and a diverse range of hardware. The OS is pitched as something that complements one’s life, rather than looks to take it over.
There are nine announced Windows Phone 7 devices that U.S. customers will soon be able to choose from, with T-Mobile and AT&T handsets coming out of the gate as early as November 8. The diverse array of handsets, geared toward target markets as disparate as gaming freaks and “rugged” phone users (as well as keyboard loyalists), stands in stark contrast to Apple’s vision of the iPhone as a single, simple device that can ideally be used by just about anyone.
As for the software, customization and convenience are what Microsoft is going for here, hoping to offer a higher level of personalization than your average smartphone while still keeping Microsoft-centric experiences. When Windows Phone 7 devices hit the mass market, we’ll see if consumers think their aim was accurate.
Microsoft’s new Windows phones (photos)
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One of the biggest software disappointments: the Windows Phone 7 OS can’t handle copy-paste functions. Well, it can’t yet. That’s slated to arrive in a January update.
Click here for a full roundup of Windows Phone 7 news from this week. And don’t miss CNET’s Q&A with Ballmer on launch day, in which he delves into Windows Phone and its competition and later on tablets, PCs, and more.
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