Microsoft Pure Pink Turtle Phones Leaked!

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

Some feel there's got to be more to this Microsoft Pink platform, Turtle and Pure phone concept than meets the eye. We're wondering if, like Newman on Seinfeld, there's actually less?

Could it really just be a Microsoft Sidekick running Zune HD software?

On the face, we'd say that's crazy. Microsoft already has Windows Mobile 6.5, Windows Mobile 7, and the Zune HD on the market, would they really fragment their offering further by releasing an Instinct-class consumer phone?

Anyone else, never. Microsoft, absolutely.

In their defense, they've said Windows 7 will be their iPhone killa, while Windows 6.5 targets Android. These bad boys? We're honestly not sure... However, going this route does mean they likely won't stab their WinMo hardware partners where it hurts, the way they did their MP3 player partners when they abandoned PlaysForSure and released the Zune...

[Gizmodo via WMExperts]

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

23 Comments
  • Its got Sidekick messaging technology, which automatically gives it a leg up on the iPhone in one very important area to many smartphone consumers. Now its time to see if anything else can hold up.
  • I'm not impressed, at all. It looks like a Motorola Karma... Way to go.
  • How did any of their designers allow something that ugly to leave their lab? How did any of the higher-ups approve of a disgusting device like this? The world may never know...
  • I could see these shipping without WinMo. Looks like a Sidekick-style device aimed at tweens - i.e. not the target demographic for WinMo at all. Zune software, on the other hand, would fit nicely.
  • Beam me up, Scotty! :lol:
  • @Al:
    You are assuming they have "labs" in the first place. Generous assumption since everything they had been doing is ripping other companies' work.
    Looks like the Pre just gave birth to a chubby baby lol
  • Agreed. Looks like a chunky version of the palm pre.
  • With those colors looks like an XPhone. Will have to run WinMo7.
  • I'm going to be honest, and say this is a very good photoshop. The more and more i look at the image, the more it isnt Microsoft. MS products arent known for having round curves, at all. In fact, most have an industrious design to them. Look at the Xbox and ZuneHD/ previous Zunes. I do think there will be a slider phone. I dont see there being 2 sliders, no point whatsoever.
    Im calling one similar to the Sidekick or N97, and the other being a full fledged touchscreen device to compete head to head with the iPhone/Storm2. The "Turtle" is too Palm Pre...I would expect a more sleeker, slim styling like the ZHD. If it is using OMAP/Snapdragon/Tegra im expecting a package roughly 3-4x bigger than the ZHD for touchscreen, and about the Size as shown for the slider full landscape qwerty.
  • @Doubtful:
    MS products arent known for having round curves
    Look at your mouse.
  • You'd not even have to KNOW who's making that to KNOW it's MS!
    Good god, they're so behind, it's now sad.
    Sell your MS stocks if you're dumb enough to own any ;)
  • Of course Rene chose to picture the ugly one here, but if you follow the link to Gizmodo and look at the Pure, you will see it is not that bad looking. Closed, its patterned after the iPhone.
    I think its obvious these phones are targeted at Teenagers 12-16. In that crowd these phones may have a market. It all depends on price.
  • Don't tell me fanboys!? Fail yes? Thought you might say that
  • And in other news the Palm Pre for GSM is now available
    http://tinyurl.com/ye6pxms
  • @ Aaron: Indeed - but not just Fail. FAIL!
  • They should take that new Zune touch screen mp3 player and make that into a phone add the windows OS or whatever it is into it and boom with due time and serious commitment the iPhone will have a great competitor! But whatever the fuxk that shyt it up there... Get that shyt out of our faces!!!! That looks like something a teenage girl would want!!!!
  • Verizon says NO to the Pre.http://tinyurl.com/ycws39b
    What does that say about the iPhone on Verizon rumors?
  • We’re honestly not sure
  • Verizon will not get the iPhone. Yes after that last word is a big fat period. Some of this rumor crap is getting old. Not all but some. iPhone is with iPhone until when?? Oh yeah, exclusively through 2011. So what's the point in rumors that go 2 years? There is other stuff to talk about.
  • iPhone is with AT&T rather
  • can anyone say UGLY?
  • I hope this is bull. Microsoft actually created a pretty good device in the zune HD, in bothfoem and function. Not my cup of tea but nice nonetheless. Why wouldn't they use that as the basis for a foray into the phone world?
  • Im a pc and an iPhone hater, but I have to say this is the fattest and ugliest thing that I think microsoft has ever attemped to put on the market. Just give the zune HD texting and a phone and it'll do wonders.