14 DAY TRIAL // Windows Phone 7, Microsoft's next-generation mobile operating system, is reportedly heading to the market with a nice range of improvements on the software side. Among them, one can count a series of limitations that were put in place on the applications side, some of which affect the customizations mobile phone makers and wireless carriers can make to the upcoming handsets.
One thing that is certain is that users do not welcome at all times the software solutions OEMs or MOs pre-load on their handsets. A great deal of these apps are either rarely used or never used, but they cannot be removed from the smartphone, and make the device perform slower than it can do. While the owners of handsets powered by Windows Mobile 6.5.3 or older might have faced such issues in the past, those who will purchase Windows Phone 7 devices shouldn't.
Microsoft has set a series of limitations and requirements regarding various aspects of the upcoming operating system, and some of them are meant to reduce the number of applications put on handsets by OEM/MO. The recently leaked Windows Phone 7 architecture guide unveiled some details on the matter, yet there are some other things that should be known in the area, as those recently published in a post on xda-developers forum (via pocketnow).
Preloaded App Requirements for Windows Phone 7 reportedly include: - Maximum of 6 preloaded applications on the device, not to exceed 60MB - All preloaded apps must pass Marketplace submission process (some extended APIs are available to OEM/MO so the process is slightly relaxed in that regard) - The application(s) and all future updates must be free of charge. - The apps must launch without dependency on network availability. - The apps must persist through a 'hard reset'. - The apps must be updatable and revocable through the Marketplace. - The apps must notify the user at first launch of any capabilities to be utilized and get user consent (to access compass, accelerometer, network, etc.)
Of course, this doesn't mean that all things will be solved, nor that all users will be satisfied with the software solutions included in the package by OEM/MO. Some of the apps that would slow down the device, or which came in as trial-ware solutions, should be excluded from future devices, but it still remains to be seen what apps phone makers and carriers will deliver to users.