The President of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division today confirmed the company's commitment to improving Windows phones with better browsing and media features.
Robbie Bach said that Microsoft would invest in marketing the Windows phone brand, beginning with the release of Windows Mobile 6.5 in October.
Bach admitted that while Windows Mobile phones today were strong at business functions, "in consumer space – browsing, media, video – the experiences are not as rich as they need to be."
Better browsing than iPhone
He said, "Microsoft will expand those experiences dramatically, working from start to finish. Browsing will be dramatically better with access to more websites than you'll be able to get on an iPhone."
He summarised Microsoft's overall strategy for devices as 'three screens and a cloud', referring to the PC, the phone and the television. "People are always connected on the phone," said Bach. "In Windows Mobile 6.5, a My Phone feature will give instant backup of your data to cloud. And the cloud will even help you find your phone if you lose it."
Commenting on criticism of previous Windows phones, Bach said, "You're going to see a dramatic improvement in the integration between software and hardware partners."
However, Bach warned against expecting too much from Windows, too soon. "This is a very competitive marketplace. We will expand success our into consumer space but it won't play out over the next three to six months, more like the next three to five years."
