Microsoft Thinks "Pink" to Rival iPhone

[Michael Essany]

Image via Gizmodo


Overnight, photos began surfacing on the web that reveal the existence of a device that we've certainly heard of but, until now, have not seen.

Just this past spring, the mobile community learned that Microsoft was working under the radar to roll out a new smartphone that would run on Microsoft's Windows Mobile platform. The device was codenamed "Pink." And just last April, The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft and Verizon were teaming to introduce the iPhone rival in 2010.

Gizmodo is now putting an image in our heads to join the rampant thoughts about this mysterious smartphone. So far it appears that two phones have emerged from the "Pink" laboratory.

They are known as "Turtle" and "Pure." And Gizmodo notes that Microsoft's manufacturing partner is Sharp.

These phones are going to be made by Sharp, who'll get to share branding with Microsoft. Sharp produced the Sidekick hardware for Danger, who was bought by Microsoft almost two years ago. Pink will be primarily aimed at the same market as the Sidekick, and the branding and identity for it is highly developed, pointing toward a later stage in the development cycle.

It's been reported elsewhere that Pink phones will include Zune services, and have its own app store, making it as close to the Zune phone as we may get. We'll see if it's close enough in the coming months, though these are the only facts our source will let us safely publish for now.

If Gizmodo is correct that the "Pink" phones will include Zune music as well as other multimedia features and its very own app store, this will be the most formidable competition the iPhone has faced since its inception. But will these "remixed Sidekicks," as Gizmodo puts it, resonate with consumers?

[mattharris85]

it looks pretty cool

[ddonuts4]

Looks like it's just another slide out keyboard smartphone.

[zozodouce]

Garbage lol.

[Ticko]

...if it has a keyboard its just no competition in my opinion .... i especially hate sliders!!! no competition here for me.

[jetfuel495]

And this is the phone that all the kids who are "too individual to conform to Apple" will be using :P

[jboone]

^^ although it may be true, lol, i think the mainstream thought is that the windows platform still represents the conformist side of computers and phones.

[klouud]

These things look cool... but for some reason, Apple products are in much higher demand than anything else. I really do not think these things will sell very well.

Look at the Palm Pre... it is a superior pocket pc when compared to the iPhone, yet sales are really unimpressive. I guess it is due mostly to the success of the Apple app store and the non-existence of the pre app store.

Hopefully this new phone WILL provide some healthy competition to apple.

tim

[A_DuB187]

If this pans out it could be an interesting play by Microsoft. The device in the pictures however looks like another plain smartphone slider so the specs need to be off the chart in order to raise a little competition for the iPhone.

I'm still waiting to see an Android phone show up at AT&T. It's starting to make me think Apple has some kind of deal with Google or AT&T to keep Android out of their product lineup.

[angiepangie]

I don't like them :P

[rwin84]

I am not a fan of sliders for durability issues. The pre feels flimsy, touch pro is bulky etc. Additionally its a WinMo phone. I know many love WinMo but i have had serious reliability issues with it.

[andypropaganda]

i think that they will go over pretty well. Especially the "Pure", it looks simple yet sophisticated (for lack of the word I was actually looking for). Very apple-esque. But as everyone knows, with Apple it's not necessarily the hardware that makes the difference, but the software, and I'm not sure that Microsoft is ready to compete.

[billchase2]

I'm sure they'll sell quite a few of them, but neither will become the "next iPhone" just like the Zune and Zune HD will never become the "next iPod" or "next iPod Touch".

[Channan]

These things look cool... but for some reason, Apple products are in much higher demand than anything else. I really do not think these things will sell very well.

Look at the Palm Pre... it is a superior pocket pc when compared to the iPhone, yet sales are really unimpressive. I guess it is due mostly to the success of the Apple app store and the non-existence of the pre app store.

Hopefully this new phone WILL provide some healthy competition to apple.

tim

If there was a way to get WebOS on my iPhone, but still have access to the 75,000 apps in Apple's app store, I would totally do that. The only three things I don't like about the Pre are the design (I want a bar-shaped phone with a virtual keyboard), the materials used to make it (plastic screen? WTF?!), and the tiny app catalog.

Then again, the only thing I don't like about my jailbroken 3GS is no multitasking. Backgrounder just doesn't cut it, and is a pain with voice control.

[spooneditr]

Almost looks like the ocean phone i had.

[rolialex831]

This is not an iphone rival or killer..... No way

[chemalito]

The first one looks nice, the "Turtle" looks ugly...

[jayson9]

Can't wait......! Bring it and others on as well! Maybe Apple and AT&T will start comming thru on their promises!!!!

[mikerlx]

I wish they would stop saying iphone replacement which is throwing off the momentum. If they just advertised "New" phone then most people would think the iphone is old news. Palm Pre is an awesome phone that I enjoyed demo at Best Buy and this new Microsoft phone looks nice and better in person. Wish they would stop comparing to the iphone its not even the same device or even close.

[eremeya]

What is it with physical keyboards on a phone that people don't like?

For me I had a Palm Treo 680 before I got my first iPhone and when I switched I really missed the keyboard. I could type a lot faster and more accurately with it. Also the Treo was MUCH easier to use one handed. (I do realy like my iPhone despite these "issues").