If you are on a CDMA based network like Sprint or Verizon, you won’t be able to pick up a Windows Phone 7 device this year. Microsoft’s mobile platform will only work with GSM networks for the first few months after its release at least.
For the US, that means AT&T or T-Mobile. For Europe, that pretty much means everyone. A few days ago I posted about some rumors of features that Windows Phone 7 would lack for all but five western languages, English, French, German, Italian and Spanish. No where was it speculated though that CDMA would be left out altogether. Microsoft has kept things pretty close to the vest on this one.Chances are, they would have kept this under wraps longer if possible, but earlier today Verizon let it slip that they wouldn’t have a Windows Phone 7 device this year. Brenda Raney, a Verizon spokesperson, confirmed in a BusinessWeek article that Verizon won’t be launching any Windows Phone 7 devices in 2010. She did say though that they are supportive of the new platform and will probably release something in 2011.
On its own, Verizon’s statement makes it appear that they are holding back. Microsoft’s announcement later today though shows that Microsoft, not Verizon, is the reason for the delay. Senior product manager Greg Sullivan told CNET “We had to make some trade-offs. Even Microsoft doesn’t have unlimited resources. We had to prioritize doing fewer things, really, really well.”