HTC reportedly confirms Windows Mobile 7 for the HD2 ... Again

By Phil Nickinson
last updated

 

Rumors abound in regards to Windows Mobile 7, HTC's HD2, and Microsoft's purported Chassis 1. Speculation stems from the story that Microsoft has a "reference chassis" for Windows Mobile 7, and the fact that the HD2 is the only device which qualifies based on the rumored hardware requirements.

The latest round of conjecture is based on an XDA post detailing the response that he received when he asked HTC about Windows Mobile 7 for his HD2. The core of HTC's response is as follows.

"What we do it ROM Upgrades from our website, however 6.5 windows mobile has only been out 2 months and windows mobile 7 hasn't even been developed. This wont be out until next november at the earliest. But when it is available it will be a free download."

Overlooking the underwhelming English skills, let's break this down. First of all, HTC does indeed release ROM updates from their website. Windows Mobile 6.5 was released in October, so this is more or less true. The statement that Windows Mobile 7 has not been developed is probably not true, but we can be fairly certain that it is not a finished product at this point. The statement about November is very noncommittal, and doesn't seem to come from anyone with actual knowledge of the timeline. The final statement, that it will be a free download once it is released, is simply in line with HTC offering free updates for their devices. While you could read into the response and take out that HTC is committed to bringing Windows Mobile 7 to the HD2, the response doesn't actually say that in so many words.

My personal prediction is that the HD2 will get Windows Mobile 7, at least unofficially. Until Microsoft shows Windows Mobile 7 to the world, speculation about what devices will get the upgrade is simply speculation. Stay tuned for news out of Mobile World Congress next month.

[via RedmondPie]

Phil Nickinson
Phil Nickinson

Phil is the father of two beautiful girls and is the Dad behind Modern Dad. Before that he spent seven years at the helm of Android Central. Before that he spent a decade in a newsroom of a two-time Pulitzer Prize-finalist newspaper. Before that — well, we don't talk much about those days. Subscribe to the Modern Dad newsletter!

17 Comments
  • does anyone remember mention of a phone with most of same capabilities as hd2 but smaller scale screen? I can't remember which one that would be and I'd like to track that since it's not looking like the big v will be getting hd2.
  • google nexus one would be the one u are taling about. they are amlost twins if it wasnt for the larger screen on the hd2.
  • @teckels - I think you are talking about the HTC Passion/Dragon? Supposedly due to VZW early this year but running Andriod... No confirmation from anyone yet though... And a quick side note to Redmond Pie's article above... By the time Win 7 hits, the HD2 will be a year old, which makes it a dinosaur. We all sign these 2 or 3 year contracts, but seriously, when was the last time we didn't upgrade and get a deal from our carrier on an early upgrade? Most people that jumped on the HD2 wanted the newest, biggest, fastest device out there. By the time that 7 hits, there are going to be plenty of devices that put the HD2 to shame in both specs and performance. So if 7 does become available for the HD2, I will be a bit shocked. While it will run on it, it will be sluggish, and not the 'experience' that MS needs to get out there with a launch of this magnitude. They are 'redefining' WinMo with this launch - and if your 'redefining' OS runs on something that is a year old - no matter how buff the device is - you missed the boat somewhere...
  • i really hope your wrong. i have been waiting to get a smartphone, and the hd2 is the only one that has come the closest to what i want. but i will only get it if it can run WM7 really well cause it sounds like that will be a pretty big update. the wierd thing though is that there havent been any leaked phones that have been better than the hd2 that may be WM7 at launch. usually when a phone is going to come out i see leaked photos months in advanced...
  • I think the HD2 will be fine... You're right, there will be lots of new devices out when W7 hits the states in force, but I really doubt we will have another massive hardware jump by then. Afterall, the TP2 isn't much different hardware wise than my old Tilt, and it runs 6.5 just fine. I think that most of the WM7 devices will be running the same hardware as the HD2, making it old only in time on market.
  • I agree with others that the HD2, hardware wise, won't seem old when WM7 is out. And seeing how WM7 should be better coded for the hardware the HD2 does have, to say it'll run slower than what 6.5 does now on the HD2 is probably wrong. I expect WM7 will make the HD2 (even though it's been on the market for a year or w/e) feel brand new again.
  • I still am very skeptical that the HD2 will get the official WM7. Microsoft and the carriers just don't have a good track record when it comes to upgrading existing phones.
  • Isnt this something MS has been subtly hinting they want to change? If they dont WM will be right where it is now and that seems to go against what MS is striving for with WM7. But stranger things have happened so who knows?
  • That's more to do with the carriers and not much to do with MS. The carriers want to sell you a newer phone and extend their contract with you, not give you free upgrades and so on. Also MS has been hands off when it came to that end of the WM business, they let the carriers dictate things. This sounds like it'll be changing though, now that MS has went with the big Windows Phone branding/marketing push, it puts more emphesis on the OS than before. Also this means MS will now be more hands on and place more control over the phones that get WM7 and how they go to market. This, in the end, is a good thing though.
  • That may be the case, but, I'm not holding my breath.
  • Well, if it's not offical from MS or HTC, then xda has your back in this case. Unless WM7 needs more ram than what the HD2 had etc, it should run just fine and perform better on it than what wm6.5.x does from what they're saying about it in bits and pieces.
  • Very interesting but I have a lightly different take. Most likely it's so if they say it's close to Chassis 1 spec, but we really don't know exactly what those specs are. Nothing has been confirmed other than MS taking a larger role in h/w specs moving forward. That last rumor about Chassis 1 had some items as optional and some as required... did any of that change yet? For instance, there were some other sensors that were optional according to the original rumor, but may have become a requirement. MS Research has done a ton of work with Sensor technology over the years and with all the competition out there right now, MS might want to lay out some Shock and Awe.. if you know what I mean. Therefore, HD2 may get WM7, but it may be severely crippled that it might be more worth to do a mid-contract upgrade. Plus a 1.5 ghz proc has been rumored as well. mmm yummy.
  • The 1.5 proc isn't a rumor. Qualcomm announced a 1.5 ghz chip at CES. Better yet, it's dual core!
  • Yep, the 8650A is the 1.3 GHz processor which is in LGE's hot little hands right now and there is a 1.5 GHz 8762 processor that is also based on the 45nm platform as well. The single-chip, dual-CPU QSD8672
  • From the looks of it The hd2 will be just fine. I do realize that WM has a problems with getting upgrades out but like someone said they want to fix this to be a better competitor. I also would like to note I like the idea of having games on a phone especially when some is bored like me sitting at a desk all day but when did making a phone that will play graphics almost as good as a PS2 become a standard. I find it kind of ridiculous. Phones are made to talk and txt etc. and smart phones should be the same etc. with more features if I wanted something that plays games good I would bring my psp with me, I want a phone that will do all the things it needs to do to help me run my business and make those around me envy me for having it thats what a phone should be made for not a hand held game console with a phone. Sorry if i rambled
  • what a very pointless and non progressive additude
  • well it will take at least a year for the winmo 7 environment to become a worth while platform ( lack of applications ). So the way I see it - HD2 today = gives you top of line winmo for the next year. Sure Winmo 7 becomes available late 2010 or early 2011 ... but it will take another year for any useful apps to appear ... hello - how many ZuneHD apps are there? So HD2 is not a wasted investment. You have to jump in at some point and commit to available technology. If you are always waiting for a newer technology before investing - you will always be waiting.