Microsoft takes wraps off Smartphone

Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled its long-awaited smartphone--aptly named Smartphone--in London, announcing its first customer British GSM carrier Orange.

The announcement ends a three-year development cycle under the code-name Stinger. While Microsoft and competitor Symbian have encountered numerous delays in bringing their wireless computing platforms to market, Microsoft said that wait was well worth it.

“Smartphone has always been one of the most ambitious projects that Microsoft has undertaken,” said Ed Suwanjindar, manager of Microsoft’s Mobile Devices Division. “We’re pretty resolute this the right time and the right place to release the product.”

Orange will begin offering the new platform on its GSM-GPRS networks Oct. 28, using an HTC-manufactured device branded the Orange SPV. AT&T Wireless has also announced plans to offer Smartphone-based handsets in mid-2003.

The Smartphone platform uses scaled-down Windows-based software for PDA functions multimedia and Internet browsing. While similar to the Pocket PC platform launched last year, Suwanjindar said there are critical differences in the interface and functionality between the two platforms. Pocket PC is intended as a mobile computing platform, giving its users access to many of the basic functions and software found in the desktop-based Windows operating systems.

Smartphone is intended to be a wireless device, allowing simple browsing, e-mail and personal information features accessed with one hand--the stylus found on PDAs is replaced with a thumb-pad. But like the Symbian platform, Smartphone is intended to be the shell OS running other software.

Along with HTC, Samsung and Sendo have both agreed to make devices housing the Smartphone platform.