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WINDOWS PHONE 7

DEATHMATCH

Windows Phone vs. Android

P

reviously, in Smartphone Deathmatch (November 2010): In a surprise upset,

Google Android bested both Blackberry and Apple iOS on the merits of its custom-

ization, fl exibility, and rapidly swelling application support. This month, we’re tossing

Windows Phone 7 in the cage with the iPhone killer. Can Microsoft ’s fl edgling mobile

OS hold its own against a pack of angry Androids? It’s time to fi nd out. – GEORGE JONES

EASE OF USE The Windows

Phone home screen is everything we

want in a phone: attractive, dynamic,

and functional. Android’s home

screens are more customizable and

we love the ability to place widgets,

but ultimately, the desktop meta-

phor feels a little dated. WinPhone’s

use of categories trumps the all-in-

one approach of Android. Overall,

Microsoft has created a much easier

at-a-glance interface. We considered

penalizing Windows Phone 7 for the

absence of cut/paste, but then we

tried to remember the last time we

used it on our phone, and could not.

WINNER: WINDOWS PHONE

FLEXIBILITY AND CUSTOMIZATION Microsoft has

emphasized simplicity in its mobile operating system, and

the end result is that, aside from the ability to tweak the

colors and position of the tiles on the home page, you can’t

change very much of the interface at all. We love Android

in this regard, as it allows us an abundance of control over

our mobile environment. You can change pretty much every

single element of the desktop, applications, and power-

management settings.

WINNER: ANDROID

APPLICATION AND DEVELOPER SUPPORT

Android has more than 100,000 apps. At launch, Windows

Phone had only a few thousand, and was missing some big

categories, such as all Google apps (no surprise there),

instant messaging, and more. Over time, Microsoft will

catch up—and WinPhone’s use of achievements in games is

novel—but right now, this category is a no-brainer.

WINNER: ANDROID

ROUND 1

ROUND 2

ROUND 3

WINDOWS PHONE

ANDROID

Rumor has it that Android

has a music marketplace

in the works, but Zune

has one now, and it’s pol-

ished and functional.