This Monday saw the launch of Windows Phone 7 in the United States. AT&T stores across the country were stocked and ready to go with the Samsung Focus and the HTC Surround. Early indications are that the phones are selling well but that this was by no means a blockbuster launch day, similar to the launch of an iPhone or even the comparatively smaller Verizon Droid launch. It's going to take time for Windows Phone to pick up steam in a market flooded with more smartphones than even a year ago, particularly on AT&T. In the meantime, it's still possible to look at this new platform and compare it to what Apple and Google are doing. It's my personal contention that the fit and finish of Windows Phone 7 is an example of how to license a quality operating system and make it work. In light of just how well Windows Phone works, Google should be ashamed with the product they are putting in consumers' hands.
Now before anyone loses their cool, let me just state for the record that Android is well ahead of Windows Phone in terms of features and ecosystem. They have a solid three years of development in the public eye, as well as about two and a half years of actual phones being on the market and picking up steam. It's amazing to think how far Android has come, from an OS standpoint to the actual high-end hardware being released. One year ago, the Motorola Droid had just been released with Android 2.0 and the previous best phones were what, the HTC Magic or the Hero? It's been a particularly strong year of development for Android from a technical perspective. Of course, it has giant market share gains, though I tend to attribute that to being the only modern-day alternative to the iPhone, a subject I intend to write more about soon.
While Android has come a long way, Microsoft has been biding its time revamping their entire approach and building a credible operating system. They may never make up for the time they lost, but they are already delivering a more solid and polished experience to users. The uniformity of performance across devices, combined with dead-on core functions puts Windows Phone 7 on par with the polish of iOS and WebOS (for those who remember it exists).
Now, let me be clear, when I say a polished experience, I am referring to how well features that are present on the phone work, not whether or not certain functions are there yet. When the iPhone was released in 2007, it lagged behind existing platforms in features, but blew all of them away in usability, flexibility, and sleek design. It will take some time for Windows Phone to catch up to Android and iOS in features, but Microsoft is delivering what it has in almost the best way possible. I suspect that the fluidity of its operation will be compelling for the average consumer if they have the chance to actually play with the phones before making a decision.