wp7 'Julie,' prototype Windows Phone 7 from Sony Ericsson

[Muhammad Farrukh]

'Julie,' prototype Windows Phone 7 handset from Sony Ericsson,

appears on eBay (but has since vanished)

It looks like a rumored relic from Sony Ericsson's past ? a Windows 7 phone codenamed "Julie" ? has just appeared for sale on eBay. Photos of the prototype on eBay appear to be new, and they very closely resemble shots of a rumored WP7 QWERTY slider that leaked just over a year ago. The eBay listing is light on specs, except for an 8.1-megapixel camera, which is on par with other current flagship WP7 phone cameras. While Sony Ericsson was initially slated to be a Windows Phone 7 hardware partner in 2010, it never actually got a WP7 device to market. But if you've got a burning desire to be possibly one of the only people on Earth with your hands on "Julie," you've got nearly two days left to jump in the auction. Just don't expect any subsidized pricing ? in the time it took to write this, bidding jumped from $810 to over $3,000.

Update: The listing's been pulled from eBay without explanation, but it's not hard to imagine that someone would prefer for secret prototypes to stay secret.

[c3ntury]

The more hardware developers we have making Windows Phone devices; the better I say!

[FalseAgent]

The more hardware developers we have making Windows Phone devices; the better I say!

Call me crazy, but I think Nokia single-handedly would be able to make better Windows Phones than anyone else.

[c3ntury]

Call me crazy, but I think Nokia single-handedly would be able to make better Windows Phones than anyone else.

Sure, they've got the whole 'special relationship' with Microsoft, and are more dependent on them than any other hardware vendor, but the more the merrier I say.

[George P Global Moderator]

Call me crazy, but I think Nokia single-handedly would be able to make better Windows Phones than anyone else.

I'm sure Samsung at least could do fine if they decided to actually try more. Same with HTC to a point but those two aren't invested as much on WP as Nokia.

Regardless I expect Samsung and HTC to show some nice WP8 devices later this year, same with Nokia ofc.

[thealexweb]

Call me crazy, but I think Nokia single-handedly would be able to make better Windows Phones than anyone else.

Nokia isn't working single handedly, their recieving enourmous help from Microsoft that the other OEMs don't get.

[bogas04]

The more hardware developers we have making Windows Phone devices; the better I say!

exactly that's what i was going to say! With this , we will see even more WP7 phones , developers , apps , and hence users. And later , windows 8 will help even more

Nokia isn't working single handedly, their recieving enourmous help from Microsoft that the other OEMs don't get.

idk but Lumia 800 and 900 to me seem N9's brothers with just WP on them. The only help MS might be giving would be software related, which can't be so very helpful

[thealexweb]

exactly that's what i was going to say! With this , we will see even more WP7 phones , developers , apps , and hence users. And later , windows 8 will help even more

idk but Lumia 800 and 900 to me seem N9's brothers with just WP on them. The only help MS might be giving would be software related, which can't be so very helpful

I was thinking more of the financial assistance Microsoft provides and the extra customization Nokia is allowed to do to WP.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Considering how much assistance Nokia receives from Microsoft it wouldn't surprise me if the following happens soon-ish

• Other manufacturers stop making WP smartphones
  
• Instead Nokia is bought out by MS, added to the corporation as smartphone division
  
• Microsoft's new smartphone division starts cranking out a selection of WP models under the Nokia banner, combined with a massive marketing campaign.
  

Thus Microsoft would have the full control over the WP ecosystem. It'd allow them to pull an Apple: crank out a small but high-quality selection of WP smartphones with yearly model refreshes. Release new versions of WP on a similar schedule. Also develop and sell Nokia-branded Windows 8 tablets.

The benefit of the above strategy? Total control over the mobile platform, avoid the issues plaguing the Android world.

[Muhammad Farrukh]

• Other manufacturers stop making WP smartphones
  
• Instead Nokia is bought out by MS, added to the corporation as smartphone division
  

Ain't gonna happen. Not now. Not in the future

[n_K]

Ain't gonna happen. Not now. Not in the future

...Safety not guaranteed ?

[George P Global Moderator]

Samsungs done well with the Focus brand and HTC has done ok as well too but maybe if they'd market WP as hard as Nokia does they'd do even well. If anything Nokia has shown that marketing is the problem. The Lumia WP family, so far, is selling, with the 900 coming soon.

[Drowse]

the icon of IE looks strange...has anyone found that?

[Muhammad Farrukh]

the icon of IE looks strange...has anyone found that?

Looks a bit too realistic

[Rudy]

The more hardware developers we have making Windows Phone devices; the better I say!

You do realize that this is a phone that never made it to market and never will right?

[Ci7]

Considering how much assistance Nokia receives from Microsoft it wouldn't surprise me if the following happens soon-ish

• Other manufacturers stop making WP smartphones
  
• Instead Nokia is bought out by MS, added to the corporation as smartphone division
  
• Microsoft's new smartphone division starts cranking out a selection of WP models under the Nokia banner, combined with a massive marketing campaign.
  

Thus Microsoft would have the full control over the WP ecosystem. It'd allow them to pull an Apple: crank out a small but high-quality selection of WP smartphones with yearly model refreshes. Release new versions of WP on a similar schedule. Also develop and sell Nokia-branded Windows 8 tablets.

The benefit of the above strategy? Total control over the mobile platform, avoid the issues plaguing the Android world.

Nokia has ton of stuffs that Microsoft doesn't went

would be wasting $$$

[c3ntury]

You do realize that this is a phone that never made it to market and never will right?

Oh, I apologise.