Filed under: OS Updates, Windows Mobile, Microsoft
No copy and paste for Windows Phone 7 Series?
Our sister site, the adorable and trustworthy Engadget, has "super-double-ultra-plus-confirmed" with Microsoft that Windows Phone 7 will not launch with copy and paste functionality. Why on earth would an impressive next-gen mobile OS not include a clipboard? It seems like only yesterday that we were all making fun of the iPhone for that same shortcoming. Microsoft's answer is that users don't need it, and that data detectors are built into WinPhone7 for the kinds of things we commonly copy and paste -- phone numbers, addresses, contacts, etc. Is that good enough? Engadget says no, and I'll back them up on that. The iPhone proved that users don't need clipboard functionality, but it also proved that they absolutely want copy and paste on their mobile devices.
Apple fans pretended the lack of copy-paste was okay, and many defended their choice of phone against all clipboard-related jeering, but then applauded the new features when they were finally introduced. Will Microsoft be that lucky, or does the iPhone having copy-paste mean that everyone will expect Windows Phone 7 to have it, too?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sdad said 8:39AM on 3-17-2010
"Will Microsoft be that lucky, or does the iPhone having copy-paste mean that everyone will expect Windows Phone 7 to have it, too?"
No, the fact that Microsoft's own Windows Mobile has had it for years means that everyone should expect it in WP7!
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Patrick #2 said 9:18AM on 3-17-2010
As with the iPhone, this will be a deal breaker for only some. Many said they wouldn't need it, and some cited the smart links the iPhone uses (similar to what MS is talking about here) as a reason for not needing it. In my experience, I didn't find a need for it, until it was there. Now I use it occassionally.
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Arnie said 10:10AM on 3-17-2010
No copy, paste is extremely disappointing, how can they expect anyone to use Office without it on the phone is beyond me. I somehow doubt that it was such a huge feature that they could not implement it. This is stupid to say the least.
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silversun said 10:44AM on 3-17-2010
just yesterday i used the function on wm6.1 at least 10 times. i really hope they think this through once more
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JeffO said 11:24AM on 3-17-2010
I used to have a Windows Mobile phone - and I used copy/paste several times every day.
I got an iPhone because I read and heard it was the BEST phone EVER! I was PEEVED that it didn't have an incredibly BASIC feature like copy/paste, or a file management browser. The iPhone had 8GB of drive space - and I couldn't use it!!! (Insert multiple explitives here.)
As far as I'm concerned, Microsoft doesn't intend to compete. I'll have to look at Droids to see if they give me what I want. Maybe I'll get the last iteration of WinMo6? Apple and Microsoft just want to steer customers, instead of delivering what customers want.
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bjsguess said 12:31PM on 3-17-2010
I think your last statement is a little off.
Microsoft and Apple are giving people what the "majority" want.
I'm with you. I want cab installs, copy and paste, custom UI's, multi-tasking, etc. However, I am in the minority. People like my wife want something that looks great, is easy to use, and requires zero tweaking.
MS has been catering to the geeky crowd for years. What the iPhone (and Android to an extent) have taught is that the market is much more accepting of a device like the iPhone than it is of the current WinMo offerings. It's hard to fault MS for going more mainstream - even if it at the cost of alienating buyers like me and you.
Jash Sayani said 11:59AM on 3-17-2010
Oops! Microsoft copied everything from the iPhone. They forgot to keep copy and paste.
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JayVe said 2:15PM on 3-17-2010
News like this makes the Palm phones better and better!
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delphinus87 said 7:55PM on 3-17-2010
too bad Palm keeps getting deader and deader >.>
Derek G said 7:10PM on 4-13-2010
The exec that approved that should have already been fired..
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