Windows Phone 7

Ever since Microsoft took the wraps off of Windows Phone 7.5 (code-named Mango), we've been wondering how phone-makers would update the first crop of phones to carry the new operating system.

HTC gave us its answer with the announcements of the HTC Titan and HTC Radar, both available in Europe starting in October.

Both handsets bring hardware improvements in the form of a slightly faster processor and higher megapixel camera for the Titan, and a front-facing camera apiece (1.3-megapixel and VGA, respectively).… Read more

Microsoft has dismissed critics who say that Windows Phone 7 is too little too late and that the company has missed its opportunity to be the kind of operating system powerhouse in smartphones that it has been in PCs. "Au contraire," say the Redmondians, "we are still early in the game."

At least in the U.S., the critics can point to early validation. According to NPD's Mobile Phone Track, 58 percent of the handsets sold to consumers in the second quarter of 2011 were smartphones. Android, aided by a presence on all four major U.S. carries, maintains a commanding lead in the marketplace, while iOS is now an option for Verizon customers, as well as the dominant operating system at AT&T. Windows Phone, on the other hand, continues to languish at about 2 percent of the market and hasn't moved much since its debut.

Among those looking to purchase smartphones in the next six months, Android and iOS are still the favored choices as well. According to the "Connected Operating System Survey" conducted by NPD Connected Intelligence, though, Windows Phone 7 is driving interest.

Eleven percent of those planning to purchase a smartphone said they are most interested in Windows Phone 7. If they follow through, that could result in a jump in Windows Phone 7's market share. In contrast, 8 percent said they are most interested in a BlackBerry, and 6 percent say they didn't know.

The survey also found 44 percent of those who planned to purchase a smartphone in the next six months had Windows Phone 7 in their consideration set, which is markedly larger than the 33 who say that they were considering a BlackBerry.

What can Microsoft do to close the sizeable gap between those who are considering Windows Phone 7 and those who have identified it as their leading choice? … Read more

According to new data out of Nielsen, 40 percent of U.S. mobile consumers now use smartphones, up from 30 percent just one year ago. And of those smartphones, Android takes the biggest share of 40 percent, followed by Apple's iOS at 28 percent.

Nielsen asked participants a number of questions to determine what kind of buyers they were in order to better understand their attitude toward new technologies. The company found that while iOS tends to attract most early smartphone adopters, very early adopters (aka "innovators") tend to favor Android as the platform of choice.

Though &… Read more

Though not much of a surprise, HTC fans were among the first to get a look at the company's new Windows Phone Mango handsets today. The HTC Titan and the HTC Radar were introduced at meetups held in England, France, Spain, and Germany, with both smartphones expected to be available in Europe in October. Pricing, as well as U.S. availability, were not announced at this time.

The HTC Titan is the higher-end model of the two and features a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 16GB of internal memory, and a large 4.7-inch WVGA (800x480 pixels) touch screen. … Read more

The lazy days of summer these are not. Just as soon we got past the Googorola news and HP's unfortunate dismissal of WebOS, we heard the bombshell that Steve Jobs was resigning his post as Apple CEO.

Though all that news does make for a few hectic days, it also means that we have a lot to discuss on Dialed In. Indeed, today's show was a lively one with not only all of the above, but also a steady stream of Android, Windows Phone 7, and BlackBerry tidbits. And if that's not enough, we even get around … Read more

Back in May, Microsoft teased that the Windows Phone Mango update would bring more than 500 new features to the mobile operating system. We've already seen more of the major changes during our Windows Phone 7.5 preview, but it looks like more goodies are to come, including support for front-facing cameras and Internet sharing.

According to the site Windows Phone NZ, which also tweeted the news, Microsoft confirmed at the Tech Ed conference that Mango will support front-facing cameras and also integrate Skype. It's not clear, however, whether Microsoft will make this a hardware requirement on all … Read more

A second leaked Samsung road map surfaced today that seemingly confirms the manufacturer's handset plans for the next few months.

Italian tech blog telefonino has obtained multiple model numbers plus their related specs and launch dates. While Sammy was quick to acknowledge the first round of leaks as being inaccurate, those original details match up quite nicely with today's information.

Assuming that these new specs prove to be true, there are at least eight Android smartphones expected over the coming months. What's more, Samsung should refresh the 7-inch Galaxy Tab and also introduce a new Windows Phone … Read more

If you were a bit shocked by Monday's news that Google was shelling out a cool $12.5 billion for Motorola Mobility, we don't blame you in the least. Indeed, the acquisition was unexpected considering Google has spend its life building anything other than hardware. The changes for consumers, Android's Nexus line, the supply of mobile patents, and the smartphone market as a whole will be momentous. What's more, it effectively means the end of a somewhat struggling company that not only was an early supporter of Android, but also did much to build the cell … Read more

In preparation for honoring its commitments to make Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 operating system Nokia's primary OS going forward, the Finnish cell phone maker will stop selling Symbian smartphones and feature phones in the U.S. and Canada, according to All Things D.

In addition, Nokia will apparently wave goodbye to its traditional model of selling many of its higher-end phones unlocked, says All Things D's Ina Fried, and will work more closely with wireless carriers to price and distribute Nokia's Windows Phones. This is a wise move that will give Nokia its best chance for competing against other Windows Phone vendors, and subsidized Android phones as well.

"When we launch Windows Phones we will essentially be out of the Symbian business, the S40 business, etc.," Nokia's U.S. President, Chris Weber, told Fried in a story published today.

Interestingly, Nokia's plans for the U.S. contradicts Nokia CEO Stephen Elop's promise… Read more