Windows Mobile

Microsoft has gotten off to a slow start in the mobile world -- but a new analysis suggests it could edge its way into second place within four years.

Windows Phone will capture a market share of 19.2 percent in 2016, up from just 5.2 percent this year, projects market-research firm IDC. That number will inch past the 19 percent share garnered by Apple's iOS, down slightly from 20.5 percent this year. The surge in Microsoft's mobile share will receive a big boost from demand for Nokia's Lumia phones, especially in key emerging markets, … Read more

Google today filed a complaint with the Europe Commission and sent a report to the Federal Trade Commission complaining that Microsoft and Nokia are funding patent trolls in order to discourage device makers from using the Android mobile operating system.

The documents are not suits, but rather informational reports sent to regulators to make them aware of actions that Google believes are anti-competitive. Google submitted the documents to preempt Microsoft and Nokia from using proxies to wage patent wars against companies that might otherwise use Android.

"Nokia and Microsoft are colluding to raise the costs of mobile devices for … Read more

Nokia has brought a couple of its location-based services to Bing Maps.

The company announced yesterday that Bing Maps users will now have traffic information available to them from Nokia's Where platform. Where is available in 24 countries, including the U.S., the U.K., and Canada. According to Nokia, users in the U.S. already had traffic information available to them, but this addition now includes support for side streets.

Nokia is also bringing geocoding to Bing Maps, allowing the platform to take latitude and longitude information, and connect that to a readable address.

"It's how … Read more

Anyone with a Windows Phone that hasn't been upgraded to version 7.5 won't be able to use Microsoft's Marketplace app store as of today.

Microsoft announced today that in order to download, buy, update, or review apps in Marketplace, users have to be running Windows Phone 7.5. This change is required for both the phone and web Marketplace storefronts.

"Most phones are already running Windows Phone 7.5, which was released last fall, and so most of you won't notice anything different about how the Marketplace works," Microsoft's director of program … Read more

Is Windows Phone starting to give the iPhone a run for its money in China? Microsoft thinks so.

Making its debut among Chinese consumers just two months ago, Windows Phone has already picked up a market share of 7 percent, according to Microsoft. That's a tad higher than the 6 percent share owned by Apple's iPhone.

And Michel van der Bel, Microsoft's Chief Operating Officer for the Greater China Region, sees the market growing further, according to online business magazine Emerce (English translation).

"We've only just begun," Bel said, noting that the combination of … Read more

Samsung is launching the Omnia M, a new Windows Phone 7-based device, in Europe.

The Windows Phone 7.5-equipped handset ships with a 4-inch Super AMOLED display and 1GHz processor. The device features a minimalist design with rounded edges and a curved back. According to Samsung, the case was designed ergonomically so it "sits comfortably in your hand."… Read more

Please, toss away your i-feminate iPhones. Dump those dumpy Androids in the garbage. The numbers are in, and they are entirely conclusive: Windows Phones quite simply crush the competition.

Please don't argue. I have the figures in front of me, and they cannot tell a lie. Phones running Microsoft's mobile operating system defeated the competition in 98 percent of all "Smoked By Windows Phone" challenges.

Who says so? Why, Microsoft.

Its very fine Windows Phone evangelist, Ben Rudolph, revealed these startling numbers on the Windows Phone blog.

Thus far, 51,313 owners of non-Windows phones have … Read more

Nokia has cooked up deals with a host of developers to lure more apps to the Windows Phone Marketplace for Lumia smartphone owners.

Announced at CTIA Wireless 2012 today, the new partnerships with several leading app developers are aimed at offering more relevant apps for Lumia users.

Games are hot on the list, with Angry Birds Space soaring onto Lumia phones. Though no launch date was revealed, Nokia said it's working with Angry Birds creator Rovio to design games specifically for Lumia devices. Electronic Arts is also joining the Windows Phone party, slated to offer such games as FIFA, … Read more

LG's future with Windows Phone 7 is up in the air at the moment, but a prototype of a device the company had reportedly planned to launch has surfaced.

The folks over at Windows Phone 7 tracker WP Central claim to have gotten their hands on the LG E740 "Fantasy." The device, the blog claims, was in prototype mode in late 2011, but was eventually shelved early this year.

According to WP Central, the device comes with a 4-inch TFT LCD display and a 1GHz processor. It offers 8GB of onboard storage, 512MB of RAM, and 3G … Read more