Pocket PC and Smartphones Will Merge

Bob Russell · 01-06-2005, 09:17 PM

InfoWorld is reporting that Pocket PC and SmartPhone brand names will disappear over the next year or two. They will be merged into a single Windows Mobile product brand name. This announcement came from an interview with Scott Horn, a senior director in Microsoft's Mobile and Embedded Devices group, at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

I don't know about you, but I like calling them Pocket PCs, and I'll miss it. Palm still works well for PalmOne devices, or even Zodiac PDAs, and I don't want to give up that name either! The new brand name, Windows Mobile, sounds much more like the OS than the device, but hey, Microsoft is all about the operating system, so I guess they prefer that the focus stay on them.

So what lingo are we left with? What do you think we'll be calling Pocket PCs in the future?
-- Windows Mobile mobile devices
-- Windows PDAs?
-- Dark-side devices?
-- Palm wannabes?
-- Plain 'ole "Phones" (after all standalone PDAs disappear from the market!)

Got any ideas?... Discuss this story by responding with what you think we'll be calling them! (Family-safe language please.)

JustinN · 01-06-2005, 10:13 PM

I don't believe it. It seems somewhat logical at first, but if you think about it, it could never work. At least not in 2-3 years. If you are interested, you can read what I have to say here.

Bob Russell · 01-06-2005, 10:36 PM

JustinN,
Some good points there.

But notice that we are only talking branding right now. I didn't see any commitment annnounced yet for 100% identical code in the OS for each type of device. Granted, the comment that 90% of the code is shared would seem to indicate that's the direction. But it could mean simply that they are very similar so it makes sense to brand them the same. An overarching brand that might just include different versions sold under one brand name.

You're certainly right in that it's hard to imagine that there is going to be no difference in the OS for devices with and without a touchscreen, but it is conceivable that even devices with a touchscreen would simply make use of the features that non-touch screen devices can't use. Sort of like some devices can use extra input buttons, or joysticks, or external memory cards, or larger screens, etc. Only much more significant, of course!

I don't know whether the plan is to merge the OS versions or just the branding, but it will be interesting to see what's in store.... whatever we end up calling it!

And very nice site there, by the way, at www.connectedmobiles.com
Thanks for the link!

JustinN · 01-06-2005, 11:49 PM

I see what you are saying, I guess there are a number of ways to read the article. I guess when I read "the product category names will be completely phased out as the technologies merge," I thought they were implying the code bases would merge, and as such the distinction between the seperate Smartphone and PPC platforms (and whatever they would be called) would vanish.

Also, a number of other sites are reporting that the two platforms will become one. In conclusion to the InfoWorld article, msmobiles writes "while nowadays still programs for Microsoft Smartphone and Pocket PC platforms are incompatible between each other, soon there will be only one Windows Mobile platform."

Regardless, I still just dont think its feasable. It took Microsoft over 3 years to add support for higher resolutions to Pocket PC, and the implementation still leaves something to be desired. Pocket PCs use to have really strict standards (screen size, screen orientation, layout, etc) to avoid even minor incompatibility and to keep a common user experience from device to device. If you add to the mix different form factors, HUGE variation in screen size and resolution, completely different styles of input, etc.... It just doesnt seem like a very Microsoft thing to do.

Plus its just illogical since the Pocket PC and its name was doin fine until microsoft split off the Smartphone into the Windows Mobile "family"... and now Microsoft wants to unite them?

Alexander Turcic · 01-07-2005, 04:30 AM

Windows-powered Pocket PC, Windows-powered Smartphone... it is all too confusing, and since Smartphones are becoming increasingly more powerful and actual run almost the same software like Pocket PCs (look at the XDA II mini which runs Windows Mobile 2003 PocketPC Phone Edition SE - now isn't that confusing?), it makes sense to me to rebrand the software Windows Mobile.

Chaos · 01-07-2005, 02:30 PM

How about... "relics of the past".

Seriously, while PDA/cellphones will be around in a while (unless people decide they do want separate devices), Windows may VERY WELL slip more and more into obscurity over the next few years... Windows is not a good operating system, and it is becoming worse and less secure with the years.

Windows XP is around FOUR YEARS OLD, and Longhorn is AT LEAST a year or two away, probably more, knowing Microsoft. OS X 10.4 (Tiger) is out later this year, Linux is advancing very fast, as are other Unix-like OSes, such as the BSDs.

So I doubt "Windows Mobile" will survive for much more than 5 or 7 years more, with any sort of power. At most.

01-06-2005, 09:17 PM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Pocket PC and Smartphones Will Merge InfoWorld is reporting that Pocket PC and SmartPhone brand names will disappear over the next year or two. They will be merged into a single Windows Mobile product brand name. This announcement came from an interview with Scott Horn, a senior director in Microsoft's Mobile and Embedded Devices group, at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. I don't know about you, but I like calling them Pocket PCs, and I'll miss it. Palm still works well for PalmOne devices, or even Zodiac PDAs, and I don't want to give up that name either! The new brand name, Windows Mobile, sounds much more like the OS than the device, but hey, Microsoft is all about the operating system, so I guess they prefer that the focus stay on them. So what lingo are we left with? What do you think we'll be calling Pocket PCs in the future? -- Windows Mobile mobile devices -- Windows PDAs? -- Dark-side devices? -- Palm wannabes? -- Plain 'ole "Phones" (after all standalone PDAs disappear from the market!) Got any ideas?... Discuss this story by responding with what you think we'll be calling them! (Family-safe language please.)

01-06-2005, 10:36 PM	#3
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	One OS version, or just one brand name? JustinN, Some good points there. But notice that we are only talking branding right now. I didn't see any commitment annnounced yet for 100% identical code in the OS for each type of device. Granted, the comment that 90% of the code is shared would seem to indicate that's the direction. But it could mean simply that they are very similar so it makes sense to brand them the same. An overarching brand that might just include different versions sold under one brand name. You're certainly right in that it's hard to imagine that there is going to be no difference in the OS for devices with and without a touchscreen, but it is conceivable that even devices with a touchscreen would simply make use of the features that non-touch screen devices can't use. Sort of like some devices can use extra input buttons, or joysticks, or external memory cards, or larger screens, etc. Only much more significant, of course! I don't know whether the plan is to merge the OS versions or just the branding, but it will be interesting to see what's in store.... whatever we end up calling it! And very nice site there, by the way, at www.connectedmobiles.com Thanks for the link!

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01-06-2005, 10:13 PM	#2
JustinN Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2005	I don't believe it. It seems somewhat logical at first, but if you think about it, it could never work. At least not in 2-3 years. If you are interested, you can read what I have to say here.

01-06-2005, 11:49 PM	#4
JustinN Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2005	I see what you are saying, I guess there are a number of ways to read the article. I guess when I read "the product category names will be completely phased out as the technologies merge," I thought they were implying the code bases would merge, and as such the distinction between the seperate Smartphone and PPC platforms (and whatever they would be called) would vanish. Also, a number of other sites are reporting that the two platforms will become one. In conclusion to the InfoWorld article, msmobiles writes "while nowadays still programs for Microsoft Smartphone and Pocket PC platforms are incompatible between each other, soon there will be only one Windows Mobile platform." Regardless, I still just dont think its feasable. It took Microsoft over 3 years to add support for higher resolutions to Pocket PC, and the implementation still leaves something to be desired. Pocket PCs use to have really strict standards (screen size, screen orientation, layout, etc) to avoid even minor incompatibility and to keep a common user experience from device to device. If you add to the mix different form factors, HUGE variation in screen size and resolution, completely different styles of input, etc.... It just doesnt seem like a very Microsoft thing to do. Plus its just illogical since the Pocket PC and its name was doin fine until microsoft split off the Smartphone into the Windows Mobile "family"... and now Microsoft wants to unite them?

01-07-2005, 04:30 AM	#5
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,175 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Windows-powered Pocket PC, Windows-powered Smartphone... it is all too confusing, and since Smartphones are becoming increasingly more powerful and actual run almost the same software like Pocket PCs (look at the XDA II mini which runs Windows Mobile 2003 PocketPC Phone Edition SE - now isn't that confusing?), it makes sense to me to rebrand the software Windows Mobile.

01-07-2005, 02:30 PM	#6
Chaos Evangelist Posts: 418 Karma: 281 Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Canada Device: Assorted older devices	How about... "relics of the past". Seriously, while PDA/cellphones will be around in a while (unless people decide they do want separate devices), Windows may VERY WELL slip more and more into obscurity over the next few years... Windows is not a good operating system, and it is becoming worse and less secure with the years. Windows XP is around FOUR YEARS OLD, and Longhorn is AT LEAST a year or two away, probably more, knowing Microsoft. OS X 10.4 (Tiger) is out later this year, Linux is advancing very fast, as are other Unix-like OSes, such as the BSDs. So I doubt "Windows Mobile" will survive for much more than 5 or 7 years more, with any sort of power. At most.

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