List of features removed in Windows Phone

While Windows Phone contains many new features, a number of capabilities and certain programs that were a part of previous versions up to Windows Mobile 6.5 were removed or changed.[1][2] Until Windows Mobile 6.5, the previous version did always cover the complete feature range of the predecessor version.

The following is a list of features which were present in Windows Mobile 6.5 but were removed in Windows Phone 7.0.

Calling

• The list of past phone calls is now a single list, and cannot be separated into inbound, outbound or missed calls[3]

Sync

• Windows Phone does not support USB sync with Microsoft Outlook's Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Notes as opposed to older versions of Windows Mobile with Desktop ActiveSync.[4][5] Syncing Contacts and Appointments is done via cloud-based services (Windows Live, Google, or Exchange Server), and no method to sync this information directly with a PC is provided.[6] Third-party software, such as Akruto Sync, provides some of this functionality.[7][8] A petition to Microsoft was filed to reinstate USB sync for Outlook.[9]

Other

• Adobe Flash[10]
• Ability to open .exe files (desktop Windows executeables), such as 7-Zip 32-bit for desktop.

Features subsequently implemented in Windows Phone 7.5

• Internet sockets[11]
• Cut, copy, and paste[12]
• Partial multitasking for 3rd party apps[13]
• Connecting to Wi-Fi (wireless) access points with hidden SSID, but without WPA[14][15][16]
• Tethering to a computer[17][19][20]
• Custom ringtones[21]
• Universal email inbox[22]
• USSD messages[23]
• VoIP calling through a separate app[11][24]

Features subsequently implemented in Windows Phone 8.0

• Removable SD cards[25][28]
• USB mass-storage[29]
• Bluetooth file transfers[30]
• Connecting to Wi-Fi (wireless) access points with both a hidden SSID and WPA protection[15]
• Sideloading for corporate apps[25]
• VoIP and IP Videocalling integrated in the Phone app[30][31]
• Support for Office documents with security permissions[note 1]
• On-device encryption[33]
• Strong passwords[3]
• Full Exchange support[note 2]
• Native applications
• Full background multitasking[35]

Features subsequently implemented in Windows Phone 8.1

• IPsec security (VPN)
• System-wide file manager
• The 'Weekly' view in the Calendar app
• Universal search
• UMTS/LTE Videocalling[36]

See also

• List of features removed in Windows XP
• List of features removed in Windows Vista
• List of features removed in Windows 7
• List of features removed in Windows 8
• List of features removed in Windows 10

Notes

1. Windows Phone 7 does not support Office documents with security permissions[32]
2. While the older Windows Mobile phones supported the full range of Microsoft Exchange Server policies, Windows Phone 7 only supports a small subset of Exchange features.[34]

References

1. Damian Koh (2010-02-18). "Q&A: Microsoft on Windows Phone 7". CNET Asia. Archived from the original on 2010-02-21. Retrieved 2010-06-03.
2. "Microsoft talks Windows Phone 7 Series development ahead of GDC: Silverlight, XNA, and no backward compatibility". Engadget.com. 5 March 2010. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
3. Peter Bright (16 November 2010). "Windows Phone 7: The 10 features Microsoft should add ASAP". Ars Technica.
4. Lein, Adam Z. (February 25, 2011). "How to Sync Windows Phone 7 with Outlook". Pocketnow. Archived from the original on June 27, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
5. "Win phone 7 Outlook 2010 Sync with stand alone PC". Microsoft Answers. Microsoft. September 6, 2011. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
6. "File management where did it go? What no Windows Explorer? No". Microsoft Answers. Microsoft. September 6, 2011. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
7. "Is there a non-cloud way to sync Windows Phone 7 with Outlook?". Microsoft Answers. Microsoft. June 20, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
8. "Is Windows Phone 7 going to support direct sync with standalone Outlook?". Microsoft Answers. Microsoft. July 22, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
9. "Petition Microsoft to reinstate usb sync for Outlook". Microsoft Answers. Microsoft. September 6, 2011. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
10. "No Flash for Windows Phone as Adobe kills off mobile development". Archived from the original on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
11. "Voxofon: hybrid VOIP for Windows Phone 7". wpcentral. 3 June 2010. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
12. Vincent Nguyen (19 July 2010). "Windows Phone 7 Technical Preview". SlashGear.
13. Exclusive interview with Joe Belfiore, corporate VP of Windows Phone. Engadget. 19 July 2010. Event occurs at 06:30. Actually, as a general matter, there are a whole lot of companies that we're working with pretty closely to figure out what additional capabilities developers want and need to add great new scenarios, and so multitasking is a good example of one we're already talking to people about, we're looking for the right way to implement it. So that's something you'll see come from us at some point.
14. "Hidden SSID Support in Windows Phone 7.5". Archived from the original on 2015-11-06. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
15. "Windows Phone 7 smartphones can't connect to hidden WiFi networks". Fierce Wireless. 17 October 2010. Archived from the original on 27 February 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
16. "Connecting to a WiFi Network". Microsoft. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
17. Ziegler, Chris (24 September 2010). "Microsoft: Windows Phone 7 doesn't support tethering". Engadget. Retrieved 25 September 2010.
18. Savov, Vlad (11 November 2010). "Windows Phone 7 USB tethering uncovered on Samsung phones". Engadget. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
19. Tethering can be done in WP7 via a hack on the Samsung Focus[18]
20. "Share Your Windows Phone Internet Connection Using The Tethering Feature". makeuseof.com. 24 December 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
21. "No custom ringtones allowed on Windows Phone 7". The Next Web. 26 October 2010.
22. "Windows Phone 7.5: Linked Inbox for Email Consolidation". WinSuperSite. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
23. Андрей Крупин (2 November 2010). "Windows Phone 7: в поисках индивидуальности" [Windows Phone 7: In search of identity] (in Russian). 3DNews Daily Digital Digest. Retrieved 21 November 2010. ... в Windows Phone 7 отсутствует поддержка USSD-запросов ...
24. Made possible through additional apps such as Skype.
25. "During Microsoft's Windows Phone Summit Microsoft revealed that the OS will support removable memory cards". Archived from the original on 2014-11-13. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
26. Brandon Miniman. "Windows Phone 7 DOES Support Removable Storage: Proof". pocketnow. Archived from the original on 2013-02-12. Retrieved 2012-03-02.
27. "Windows Phone 7 and removable storage". Windows Phone Secrets.
28. Windows Phone 7 supports upgradable storage via an SD card; however SD card memory is merged with the phone's internal storage, and changing the SD card causes the phone to reset to factory settings[26][27]
29. Bonnie Cha (27 October 2010). "Top 5 things I dislike about Windows Phone 7". CNET.
30. "Windows Phone 7 OS review: From scratch". GSM Arena. 8 October 2010.
31. VOIP calls will look just like regular phone calls with all the same features and notifications.
32. "Windows Phone 7 misses big-business support tools". The Register. 26 July 2010.
33. Galen Gruman (8 November 2010). "Windows Phone 7 lacks on-device encryption". InfoWorld.
34. Paul Thurrott (19 October 2010). "Windows Phone 7 in the Enterprise?". WindowsITPro. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013.
35. Microsoft brings true, background multitasking to Windows Phone 8
36. Seamless voice-to-video call switching with LTE: "... the only Android phones that support UMTS video calls are the Samsung Galaxy series of phones. Other than that, only Symbian and Windows Mobile (not Windows Phone) phones support UMTS video calls."