Categories
Close
Menu
Menu
Close
Search
Search

Featured Articles

RSS
123

Opinion Articles

Opinion

Is Microsoft about to back down from locking Windows Mobile 7 users into its Marketplace app store?

Mark

Share:

Print

Rate article:

No rating
Rate this article:
No rating

Mark Bridge writes:

In this week’s podcast we talked about the ChevronWP7 ‘unlocking’ solution that allowed the installation of Windows Phone 7 applications without the need to use Microsoft’s Marketplace application store. Unlike previous Windows Mobile handsets, new WP7 devices can only add applications that are offered via the Microsoft Marketplace.

James expressed concerns that Microsoft’s decision risked alienating many people in the development community. (You can listen to the podcast here; the conversation about ChevronWP7 starts after around 12½ minutes).

The three developers behind Chevron WP7 have now removed the tool from their website after a discussion with Brandon Watson, Director of Developer Experience for Windows Phone 7. According to a statement on the ChevronWP7 website, “Brandon Watson has agreed to engage in further discussions with us about officially facilitating homebrew development on WP7. To fast-track discussions, we are discontinuing the unlocking tool effective immediately.”

In the podcast, we ended our discussion about Windows Phone 7 with Iain jokingly suggesting that Microsoft could open up this aspect of its OS as soon as next week… and James responding with a Q2 2011 prediction. However, given the speed of Brandon Watson’s intervention, perhaps Iain’s guess could be closer after all!

Comments

Collapse Expand Comments (0)
You don't have permission to post comments.

Recent Podcasts

ExclusiveMobile Monday London: Mobile, Maps & Geolocation (part 1)

This week's Mobile Monday London event featured a panel discussion about the opportunities for mobile-based geolocation and mapping. The event was supported by UK mapping agency Ordnance Survey.

In this podcast you'll hear the first part of the evening's discussion plus interviews with Nokia's Gary Gale, who chaired the panel, and Ian Holt from Ordnance Survey. Part 2 is available as a separate podcast.

ExclusiveNew mobile products, a new smartphone company, a new CEO and plenty of other news

This week's podcast starts with the world's slimmest smartphone (at least for the moment) before introducing a new smartphone company and even more new products from Samsung.

We're also talking about the battle of Instagram vs Vine, the sale of O2 Ireland, mobile retail web usage, the new CEO of BT and a new report about an unexpected health threat to mobile phone users.

ExclusiveCameras, navigation, tickets and shopping... all on mobile phones

Samsung has put a 10x optical zoom lens on a smartphone, Google is acquiring navigation app Waze and the European Commission is getting ready to equip cars with an emergency call system.

We're also talking about a strike threat at O2, the risk of 'showrooming' to high-street retailers, the end of Symbian smartphones and plenty more as well.

ExclusiveiOS7 is announced, PRISM is leaked and roaming charges are threatened

We start this week's podcast with Apple's announcement about the new version of its iOS platform - and follow this with a look at the privacy concerns surrounding the US government's PRISM operation.

Next come Samsung's new phones, Ericsson's new contract, a potential end to European roaming charges, some sophisticated mobile malware and plenty of other news stories as well.

RSS
First1617181921232425Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Archive Calendar

«May 2026»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
27282930123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
1234567

Archive