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Speculating On What a Microsoft Superphone Might Mean

smitty777 writes "Forbes is running an intriguing story on a new 'Superphone' under development by the folks at Microsoft. According to this leaked MS roadmap document, the plan is to build the Apollo-based phone in the 4th quarter of 2012. FTA: 'In the end, however, none of this matters. Microsoft's "peek into the future" is barely a glimpse into what the company may or may not have planned for 2012. While the "superphone" bullet is worth noting, it is not the confirmation of a revolutionary new product. At best, it indicates that Microsoft wishes to compete with Apple by offering a product that is, well, super.' It's also interesting that Sony and AT&T also appear to be working on superphones of their own."

9 of 371 comments (clear)

  1. Super by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I expect a Super cool bluescreen on that phone!

  2. Re:Easily explainable: Nokia by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Nice astroturf. Too bad it hasn't much to do with TFA, but then again neither does the summary. Which can be be summarized as

    How exciting.

    (Sarcasm in the TFA)

    It's a hyperbolic expansion of a marketing blurb that in essence, means absolutely nothing except to perhaps cement "superphone" as the next idiotic buzzword in this segment.

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  3. Microsoft's corporate culture = mediocrity. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Microsoft reminds me of General Motors.

    The capability of both companies is immense, yet due to various internal
    influences, both companies have an overwhelming tendency to produce
    things which are mediocre at best and outright repulsive when compared
    to alternative choices, this with distressing regularity.

    Microsoft could produce an amazing phone, but it will suck in ways which
    matter to smart users, who won't want to use it, much less buy it. Just
    wait and see.

  4. Re:Good grief... by strength_of_10_men · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm no MS basher, but seriously, their "roadmap" if at all authentic, is embarrassingly redolent of this:

    Step 1: Release new OS/Phone
    Step 2: Sell in more markets
    Step 3: ???
    Step 4: Profit!

    Seriously. The graphic is almost literally like that

  5. Re:Easily explainable: Nokia by mrclisdue · · Score: 5, Informative

    This obvious troll is obvious has gotten out of hand.

    Seriously, it would be wonderful, just once, for InterestingInsightbitesCmdPony et al ad infinitum to STFU, and perhaps enter the fray once the discussion begins, rather than rushing to be the first post with all the ms tripe.

    Ducks, "great software" from Microsoft, google sucks, etc.

    All just pure bullshit and astroturf.

    With the added bonus of modding oneself up, with who-knows-how-many aliases, and modding anyone who points out the obvious troll, down.

    Really, it would be nice to, just once, to read a discussion that isn't anchored by some preselected MS astroturf.

    cheers,

  6. Re:Like xbox by florin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yes but the Superphone will go further than that. It will channel the qualities of all the Microsoft mobile products we've come to know and love over the years, like Pen Windows, the Pocket PC, Tablet PC, Windows Mobile, the Zune, the Courier, the Kin, and yes of course Windows CE!

    Err ok maybe most people didn't exactly love them. Or know them, for that matter.

  7. No Monopoly, No Success by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It's fascinating to watch Microsoft fail in market after market where it didn't start with a monopoly, like in mobile devices generally, phones specifically, tablets specifically, media generally, mobile media players specifically, and everything else.

    Except for mouse and keyboard, and in games both console and PC. Why are those different from the rest? Maybe because mouse and keyboard are just extensions of the Windows brand monopoly on the desktop, with no real brand competition whatsoever. And maybe in games the competitors each have their own monopolies, and the competition is the kind Microsoft likes: based on spending a lot of money and running a corrupt supply chain / marketing system rather than on quality.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

  8. Re:Easily explainable: Nokia by Pax681 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Only bad thing about WP7 is that you can't run apps outside markets as easily as with old Windows Mobile's. It really sucks. But it's something iPhone and Android mandated, so blame is on them.

    Erm.. android? erm... no there is a nice simple setting where you can chose to install things not from the official android market, there are also other markets such as the app brain market for android.... so yer kinda of .. well way off the mark

  9. Re:Easily explainable: Nokia by SharkLaser · · Score: 5, Insightful

    XNA doesn't matter. What matters is how easy it is for the developers who have already written apps for iOS and Android to port them to WP7. Microsoft is trying to apply their usual MO to a market where they have no market power

    Hey, I would you introduce you to these two small guys called Windows and Xbox360.