Microsoft and Verizon reportedly cooking up an iPhone competitor
Just what the world needs… Another iPhone killer. If the Wall Street Journal’s report is to be believed, it looks like that USA Today story may have omitted a relatively important detail regarding Verizon’s “iPhone” offering — it might not be an iPhone at all. Citing an apparently different group of “people familiar with the matter,” the Journal indicates that Big Red is currently in talks with Microsoft regarding a project with the codename “Pink”. Pink will be a Microsoft-designed iPhone rival with a multimedia focus and, undoubtedly, a big touchscreen. According to the report, Microsoft’s iPhone-alike will also feature a tweaked version of the Windows Mobile OS with “new software capabilities.” While Microsoft is said to be involved with the design of the phone, a third party will build it. What do you think guys — can Pink possibly tide you over until an LTE iPhone drops?
Thanks, Mark!
Where is VZW on this one? I guess Mr. Verizon fanboy got too chewed up in the other post. lol
All this verizon talk makes me wonder… Is it realy just BS?…
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Tempe United States
Why all the hostility over a rumor…jeeze people! First like it has been stated, in only makes good business since for Verizon to try to get the iphone or a WM phone that is actually worth buying. I hope they get both plus the Storm 2. And all of you that have iphones now, I know you love your iphone. I mean why not it is a great device. Now put that same device on Verizon’s network and you will only love it more.
A device with the Codename “Pink”. Sounds just about right for the Verizon Fanboys out there.
It’s windows mobile. It’s going to be slow no matter how much they tweak it all the win mo phones I had over the years where slow as hell
“pink” was old news. anyhow, i think VZW is just drumming up speculation because the Pre and iPhone are coming out…where is your new phone VZW?
Wow, why would microsoft, want to try and 1-up their own competitor, apple, in a iPhone look alike contest? And if verizons gonna be getting an “iPhone lite,” then why make one that is just like it? It’s completely pointless!
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).
You guys that think that this is somehow a “FAIL” on Verizon’s part are just hugely wrong.
The fact is that Verizon is doing excellent despite having a worse high end phone selection than all of its competitors. And it can’t get the iPhone due to its exclusivity contract (which may or may not be renewed.)
So getting a straight Microsoft competitor to the iPhone won’t hurt and will somewhat satisfy the customers they have that are looking at the iPhone. Despite my feelings about the iPhones tech shortcomings, Apple knows how to market and sell the thing very very well.
It’s not an ideal solution in my mind, but it’s helpful. What I think they should do is something like get the LG GD900 exclusively and go toe-to-toe with the iPhone on the “ohhhhh shiny!” level and pimp it’s form factor and 8mp camera.
Unfortunately Apple owns the market on “ohhh shiny”. You just can’t get that reaction from anything other than an apple product. They just have a hype factor built into their company. That’s hard to compete with, when you’re LG/Sony/Samsung/Microsoft.
you can’t tell me that the commercials selling the iPhone are doing that great of a job selling the phone. All those commercials do is reinforce the product availability and who sells it. The apple brand name is what actually sells people on the device.
Verizon is making moves
why windows mobile it isn’t the best os out there, waste of time verizon
ho hum and a yawn…another attempt from Microsoft to revive the Zune…a Zune phone…with windows mobile 7…touchscreen…wifi…camera…replaceable battery…oh yes…MMS…an app library…and the best cellular network carrier…verizon.
You guys are all mental if you think that MSFT cant dump enough money into this thing and overhaul the OS and look and feel. Blackberry did it with the Storm which as much as you guys hate the thing sold pretty well, and you can expect better numbers with the Storm2.
Verizon doesnt have to play Apples game, they are the champs in town and once Apple realizes that they need Verizon more than the other way around you will see VZW rocking an iphone.
I think the only phone that can ever kill the iPhone is if the phone is completely revolutionary and has something that people would love that others couldn’t have think of. Like when the RAZR came out in ‘04. Nobody thought of making super slim phones such as itself back then. The idea is be original; not follow along.
If these rumors solidify at all… even just a little… i’m leaving Big Red. The service is good, but not good enough to sit around and wait for Verizon to realize the whole crippled phone/forcing people to use their crappy software is not going to win the war. So what if they come out with a new MS/Zune phone? Even if they bring the iPhone on their network, do you think they’ll allow total freedom to download whatever app you want? I kind of doubt it at this point. Most people who are still on Verizon are probably just waiting for the new iPhone on AT&T… then we’ll see how their profits fare over the next 6 months. Good thing they’re doing well with FIOS…
You know what is funny, I reported this story about two months ago in a comment on a iphone story, and nobody gave it any thought. I know the designer of the UI for the phone which he calls the Zune phone (that probably wont be the official name of it) and as soon as he is able to he is going to give me an interview and report on the phone. I also know that a group of students at BYU landed the marketing account for the new phone and have already started working on the marketing for it. I’ll do some more updates on my site http://www.simplifiedgeek.com since people don’t take these comments seriously.
i’ll pass on this one.
The Storm??? The ps was a failure it was supposed to be the “Iphone Killer” let me say this again “Iphone Killer” they sold 1 million in 3 months minus the 50% that returned the damn phone. The Iphone 3G on the other hand sold 4 million in it’s first week. and no I dont think that anybody here believes that MSFT can make the OS any better,they can throw money at it, but they’ve had plenty of time. iIf they could make it better they would’ve done it a long time ago.
Who cares…
“iPhone killer” is such a ridiculous term, especially overused so damn much.
iPhone is #1 for what it is, I doubt microsoft is as inexperienced to chase the coat tails of another company like that tern inplies.
The damn thing is spoken of like it’s invincible. Its great but not perfect.
Blu-Ray is great and was leading disc technology but it wasn’t long before GE busted out there 500GB holograph disc.
How ridiculous would it have been if people trended the term “blu-ray killer”
Any technological advancement will only hold its top position for the slight matter of time till the next new thing comes out.
For goodness sakes, shutup about the “iPhone killer” cause its gonna get real old to go through the list of all the upcoming advanced devices.
I think the codename should be change. not PINK …
Frankly, to think any company would position their research and production around an “iPhone killer” is ridiculous.
Microsoft has been WELL ahead of apple for many many years (and still is when considering computer operating systems).
They have plenty of experience to not need to orient their mobile production around an “iPhone killer”…
Considering LTE won’t be fully deployed on Verizon’s network until 2013… yeah, it’ll be a while before we nee an LTE iPhone.
“Pink” Don’t think soooo!
How about “Plink?”
How many guys do you know that want to carry around or show off their “Pinkie?”
This is the last thing MS needs to be into and if they do and it does as well as the zune Balmer needs to just pack his bags and snag as much free soda as he can on his way out the door. It’s so sickening to see a company this large flounder so much on simple things because they are so ADD they can’t sit down and focus on getting anything right. Intel had this same problem in 2000 but they were smart enough to drop all the crap and focus on their core, I fear MS won’t be so prudent.
If Verizon can get its hands into the iCookieJar – it will. If it can release an LTE capable iPhone as soon as its G4 network is launched iPodophiles will cross over to the Red side and Verizon will clean up.
@Noah
It might take a while to develop an LTE phone that doesn’t suck. Suck its battery dry in half an hour for instance.