Will WP7 stay one step behind?

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With the addition of a gyroscope (see 1:25 in the video) and the 960 x 640 screen to the iPhone 4, certainly WP7 developers will try to one-up or match Apple on these features. This makes me wonder if we'll end up with a Windows Phone 7 market with tons of different hardware features and form-factors (an achilles heel for the dead Windows Mobile market) that would create a hell for developers. Or, will WP7 be perpetually one step behind Apple in these regards?

wp7 has a gyroscope. a gyroscope isnt a matter of hardware as much as it is programming. obv it requires hardware though dont get me wrong.

pretty much its like this....wp7 releases in october. they arent going to be bested by whats released in june. if you found out about this recently, imagine how long ago windows found out about it.

Originally Posted by davidstre

wp7 has a gyroscope. a gyroscope isnt a matter of hardware as much as it is programming. obv it requires hardware though dont get me wrong.

Sorry, but I think only the iPhone 4 has the gyroscope so far. Not to be confused with accelerometer (which both devices have). Check out the video link in the OP.

I understand that manufacturers will try to compete. But the problem is, is you don't want to have so many different hardware capabilities between WP7 phones as soon as they are released. It will just fragment the market and make the software suck. For example, find good accelerometer support on windows mobile or an app that takes GOOD advantage of WVGA screens.

WP7 devices aren't supposed to have gyroscopes, only accelerometers ("g-sensors"). And yes, these are hardware components.

Originally Posted by WhyBe

But the problem is, is you don't want to have so many different hardware capabilities on WP7 as soon as it is released. It will just fragment the market and make the software suck.

Well, adding gyroscope will fragment the appstore as well, won't it?

Originally Posted by vangrieg

Well, adding gyroscope will fragment the appstore as well, won't it?

Thus the point of my thread. If WP7 doesn't hit the market with these features, it will be perpetually behind Apple. If it DOES have these features upon RTM, they haven't been announced yet and it flies in the face of Microsofts already announced strict hardware standards. Either way it doesn't look good.

Gyroscope /= accelerometer.

Well, I'm not at all convinced that the gyroscope will add that much to the user experience in practice. And at least for a year or so developers will build apps that will work without one, so it'll play a marginal role. You can substitute pretty much everything a gyroscope does with a g-sensor and a compass, IMO.

Originally Posted by vangrieg

Well, I'm not at all convinced that the gyroscope will add that much to the user experience in practice. And at least for a year or so developers will build apps that will work without one, so it'll play a marginal role. You can substitute pretty much everything a gyroscope does with a g-sensor and a compass, IMO.

I think the iPhone 4 will get those apps a lot sooner than a year just because the hardware specs and phone upgrade path are so streamlined in that market.

Some creative people will come up with something, even if it's just a game.

Gyroscopes, I believe, add a level of precision and responsiveness that you don't get with accelerometers and compass alone.

I want MS to step their game up before RTM and not try to rationalize 2nd best. I expect nothing less than something sexy and amazing come end of year from MS and partners.

Well, I'm afraid it's not just up to MS, and it's too late for OEMs to change their designs, find suppliers etc. etc. I'm not even sure there is capacity to produce enough gyroscopes to satisfy Apple's demand and then some - we're talking about production growth to tens of millions from essentially zero.

I don't think a gyroscope will be a deal maker/breaker. If you are into game phone, you will notice a larger screen and X Box Live before wondering if it would be better with a gyroscope.
The Wii sold a lot but it never lived to its potential. There aren't that many Wii games that used the controllers better than Nintendo's Wii sports resort.