I've blogged in the past about Apple's remarkable ability to innovate and set new directions in our industry. But as much as Apple is able to innovate, they are just as inept at dominating markets they enter. The iPod is really the only exception, and iPhone will fail to dominate as so many other Apple products have failed to in the past.
The iPhone is certain to fade into history as another cool Apple innovation, that others soon rushed competitive, like-products to market, blowing away any significant lead Apple might have. The iPod mp3 player is an industry Apple essentially created, the iPhone isn't. Too many major players are in the mobile phone market, who have and will bring iPhone-like products to market over the coming months and years. LG has already done so with the LG Voyager phone, and now Microsoft's plans for Windows Mobile 7 OS have been leaked and described in considerable detail by InsideMicrosoft blogger Nathan Weinberg.
With many features dubbed "iPhone compete", WM7 is all about effective uses of the touch screen, finger gestures, and additional motion gestures. Microsoft's put a lot of thought into how to make the mobile phone interface more intuitive and easier to use, even more so than Apple's iPhone. WM7 is surroundings aware, and movements of the physical phone are part of the user interaction with the phone. From Nathan's blog post...
"Gestures shown include in music or a slideshow, shaking the phone left or right to go to the previous or next song or photo, and shaking the phone in order to shuffle it."
"Microsoft Research has a technology concept that uses the device's camera as a motion sensor, enabling motion control while using the device. This means devices will not need accelerometers and other complicated gyroscopes to get these features, and that existing Windows Mobile devices could be upgraded to full Windows Mobile 7 functionality."
I was having lunch today with a good friend of mine, Ross Carlson, and we were lamenting how Apple creates innovative products, but then only implements that innovation to a very limited extent. Yes, the iPhone has a finger-based gesture interface. And the image rotates on the screen, but only for a limited set of applications like the Safari browser and displaying pictures. Many applications on the iPhone aren't "rotation aware" apps. Even WM6 supports rotation of the interface no matter what the application.
Here's another interesting concept about WM7 from Nathan's post...
"The camera will also cause certain actions based on light sensitivity. For example, if you put your phone in your pocket or in a bag, it will shut off the screen, and can even make the ringer louder or put it on vibrate, as directed. It can also turn the screen on automatically when taking the phone out, trigger the timer on the phone's camera when the phone is placed face down on a surface, automatically activate the camera flash based on available light, snooze the phone's alarm when waving your hand over the phone's camera, taking a picture when anyone walks past the phone (or any other desired action, like making a noise), or remotely connecting to other devices when the phone sees them."
I really like the thought Microsoft has put into WM7. It's more than must "iPhone compete" -- Microsoft is taking key ideas and extending them well beyond current mobile phone interfaces. I'm encouraged by the depth of Microsoft's thinking about WM7.
You might assume from this blog post that I'm very anti-Apple. Actually I have a very long history using Apple products, beginning with the Apple II Plus and the Mac Plus. There was a long period where I was an Apple zealot and evangelized the benefits of Mac over Windows. But as both the Mac and Windows matured, Apple products became no less complex to use and maintain than the Windows platform. The gaps between them closed and the hassles just weren't worth what you have to give up to be a Mac user.
Apple's inability to gain any significant market share means the options for software products are much more limited and hardware is much more expensive. That's still true today, despite my friends efforts to try and tell me a Mac Pro notebook or desktop isn't much more expensive than the comparable Windows machine. Just price them and you'll see what I mean.
Apple iPhone. Enjoy the limelight because it won't last long.
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Mitchell Ashley is CEO and Chief Strategist of Converging Network, LLC, providing product and technology strategies to emerging technology companies. A serial entrepreneur, Mitchell has created many successful products and services in the networking, security, convergence, Internet and IT industries. In addition to blogging for NetworkWorld, Mitchell regularly blogs at TheConvergingNetwork and co-hosts the widely popular Still Crazy After All These Years podcast.
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windows mobile 7 doomed to falurire
Although i have to admit that there are some novel ideas here this simply will not work. First off if you try to rotate the phone over a identical background a painted wall for example it would see no difference and do nothing. Moreover if you where trying to go through a lot of pictures you wouldn't look like you where using a phone it would look like you had Tourettes syndrome. finally the key word here is 2009 it is obviously going to be better than anything developed a year ago.
re: windows mobile 7 doomed to falurire (btw learn to spell)
hahaha what an idiot, if you were to rotate the phone against an identical background, say a white painted wall, of course it wouldnt do anything, because first of all, you didnt do anything worthwhile, and well, theres just no point. THERE, i said it, its been on my head ever since i read your comment, your an idiot. How will this simply not work? 2009 is a year down the road, and of course its better, but iphone could be alot better right now too, look at the Nokia N95, came out a year ago, way better than the iphone.
re: windows mobile 7 doomed to falurire (btw learn to punctuate)
Hahaha, what an idiot. Before you criticize people for their inability to spell, you should learn to construct correct sentences, punctuate, and properly capitalize. BTW, "your an idiot" (in the middle of your gripe) is as incorrect as the writing of the person you're criticizing. Also, "a lot" is two words.
re: windows mobile 7 doomed to falurire (btw learn to punctuate)
dopey troll.
Um, What?
What are you even talking about? He raises a good point. I can't even figure out what your reply is supposed to mean.
It wouldn't work because if the camera is the only means of detecting movement and the camera is pointed at a surface with little to know visible variation when the phone is moved, how is the camera going to know the phone move?
the point
I think the point of the troll above is: of what value is rotating the camera in front of a uniform surface? If you rotate it in front of the viewer's face, something should be seen to change.
Other than that, I'm sure that Apple isn't going to remain idle. Case in point: the iPod vs Zune.
Current Zune competes well with older iPods and are nothing like new iPods.
In a year, MS releases something better than the 2007 iPhone.
So what?!?
the *actual* point
is that the camera is being used instead of a motion sensor to decide which way to orient the display. But if you turn it while the camera is pointing at a uniform surface, it won't know to re-orient the display.
What if you turn it at night? And what is going to happen to the battery life if the camera is running all the damn time?
Using Camera for Motion Detection
I would suggest that you should not jump to conclusions about the camera's ability to detect motion in light of a plain white background. Just consider the optical mouse, which works fine on nearly all uniform surfaces.
Granted, a camera is not a mouse, and will not be in close proximity to the reference surface like a mouse is, but the optical sensors are more sensitive than you probably think they are.
Blank wall
Um folks, if you have it pointed at a blank wall and it doesnt rotate the image, how would you know? The only way that would be an issue is if you didn't have your head between the camera and the wall ie looking at the screen. SO if you head is not there, your not looking at the screen and what is the difference if it rotates or not?
That said most video based motion sensors are sensitive enough now to go based on shade and shadow as well, so your wall would have to be perfectly smooth, perfectly even colour, and perfectly even lighting.
Me I'd want that wall, those are hard to find.
Easy to get excited about nothing...
Just look who is an idiot... LEARN TO SPELL, for God's sake!