Microsoft Workers Celebrated Windows Phone 7 RTM With Staged Funeral for iPhone and BlackBerry

So, so odd. For one thing, the iPhone and BlackBerry should not be the rivals they have in their sights. Android should be. Android is the mobile platform that is eating Windows Mobile’s lunch — a licensed platform for OEMs like HTC, Samsung, LG, Motorola, etc. If Windows Phone 7 doesn’t take market share away from Android, who’s going to make Windows Phone 7 devices?

But the whole thing is just so corny and embarrassing. Ignore the fact that Windows Phone 7 almost certainly isn’t going to slow the success of the iPhone. Let’s just concede, for the sake of argument, that Microsoft is exactly right and Windows Phone 7 will kill the iPhone and BlackBerry. This goofy “funeral” is still lame — and will look lame in hindsight. And that’s if Windows Phone 7 actually kills the iPhone and BlackBerry, which isn’t going to happen.

Microsoft has never been cool, has never had good taste, but their lack of cool and lack of taste are spiraling out of control.

★ Sunday, 12 September 2010