Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 is a mobile operating system that, until you use it for a little while, may not seem like it stands a chance against the current competition. Even if the IDC thinks Windows Phone 7 will take some huge leaps in market share, as it stands right now there aren’t many people in the wild who would say that WP7 is the next major operating system to beat. But, use the OS for any amount of time, and more than likely you’ll see why the word “potential” gets thrown around a lot: there’s a lot there, tucked away in those live Hubs, and integrated Microsoft services like Xbox LIVE and Office products. A new job posting over at Microsoft suggests that the Redmond-based company is working on adding a new feature, too. A twist to the Kin Studio that made those failed handsets something worthwhile, it looks like the cloud may be implemented into Windows Phone 7 soon.
But what is Kin Studio? Not many people would know, considering the pair of devices – the Kin ONE and Kin TWO – were pulled from shelves only two months after their initial launch. (They made reappearance, but features were stripped from the devices, including Kin Studio.) But, Kin Studio was a feature that made the devices stand out. A method for users to access the cloud; where they could access not only their pictures and movies, but also their contacts. A nifty bar in the middle of the Studio’s interactive user interface made it possible to sort pictures and videos taken at certain points in the year. It was an intuitive and interesting way to use the cloud, but it was short-lived.
A new job listing posted by Microsoft says that the company is looking for folks who are ready to “redefine the mobile phone for millions of everyday users around the world,” and even be “responsible for extending and evolving the functionality of Windows Phone.” While it doesn’t say that Kin Studio is coming in the form of Windows Phone Mobile Studio, but from the description of the job, that’s exactly what it looks like. And while Windows Phone 7 is fun and easy to use out of the box, extending and evolving the functionality of the mobile operating system would never be a bad thing.
And that’s what Windows Phone Mobile Studio would do, without a doubt. The idea of having the cloud at your fingertips, even if Microsoft doesn’t include the Kin’s Spot feature for easy uploads, would certainly make using WP7 and accessing data easier. Even if there are cloud features already part of WP7, like Microsoft’s SkyDrive, having the digital studio like Kin Studio available for access would be great.
Truth be told, I’m a fan of Windows Phone 7 but I know there are a few things that Microsoft could add and change to make the mobile OS better. And I believe that Windows Phone Mobile Studio could be a feature that makes the OS better, and more fun. Unfortunately, considering Microsoft is just now starting to look for folks to fill spots on the team to create the Mobile Studio, there’s no telling how long we’ll have to wait before we see anything like the Studio show up, if it ever does.
What do you think of the idea of the Windows Phone Mobile Studio? If you’re an owner of a Windows Phone 7 device, would you use the cloud-based service, or would it be something you skip entirely? Let me know in the comments below.
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