Exclusive: Windows Phone 7 Web Browser Comparison (Video)
Following up to some previous thoughts about Windows Phone 7, we present a short video showing how the browsing experience on the upcoming smartphone platform compares to iPhone and Android 2.2. Please note that the device shown …
Context & Ripple Effects
Microsoft's next mobile platform has been taking shape in public all year: back in February, Windows Phone 7 details emerged from leaked material, giving enthusiasts their first structural look at the OS. This piece moves from specs to lived experience — a side-by-side video of how browsing feels on a pre-release device versus the iPhone and Android 2.2.
That framing matters because the browser is where incumbent platforms had already set buyer expectations, and Pocketnow's exclusive lands while carriers, developers, and early adopters are still forming judgments about whether Windows Phone 7 can compete at launch rather than on paper.
First-order effects
- Pre-launch shoppers and reviewers get a concrete visual benchmark of Windows Phone 7 browsing directly against iPhone and Android 2.2, replacing abstract spec talk with observable behavior.
- Microsoft's unreleased browser now faces public side-by-side scrutiny against the two established platforms during exactly the window when launch narratives get set.
Second-order effects
- Review outlets and rival fan communities gain a reusable comparison format, pushing every subsequent Windows Phone 7 hands-on to be measured against the same iPhone/Android yardstick.
- Web developers watching the comparison decide how much effort to spend optimizing sites and apps for a third mobile browser with an unproven install base.
Third-order effects
- If browser parity becomes a standard pre-launch test for new mobile OSes, platform competition shifts further toward everyday web experience as the deciding metric, raising the bar any challenger must clear to earn carrier shelf space and developer attention.
The trend: Smartphone platform launches are increasingly judged on measured browser experience against iPhone and Android benchmarks, making web performance a gating factor for new mobile OS entrants like Windows Phone 7.