No more Opera for Windows Mobile

March 22, 2011 · by Haavard

Our mobile team just announced that there will be no Opera Mobile 11 (or future versions) for Windows Mobile.

You will still be able to download older versions, but there will be no future development on the platform.

The announcement mentions Windows Phone 7, but there's no commitment to delivering anything on that platform yet. WP7 will probably have to prove itself to be an attractive platform for developers before that happens. My understanding is that WP7 sales have been less than stellar so far.

It's a sad day for Windows Mobile users, but there isn't much you can do if a platform has been declared dead.

Readers' comments 9

Left under the original article, as archived.

berend ytsmaTuesday, March 22, 2011 4:05:39 PM
Mmm, How about Samsungs Bada, that seems to be groing
Constantine VesnaTuesday, March 22, 2011 9:52:54 PM
i will ask a DUMB question, .. but .. is it so hard to make a WP7 port ?

p.s.: i have no idea how hard or easy it is, and how much WP7 is related to other OS from Windows family, in fact it might not be similar at all. and yeah, that's why i ask.
OkraTuesday, March 22, 2011 11:08:14 PM
Originally posted by c69:

is it so hard to make a WP7 port ?

Microsoft have not released a native SDK for WP7 so you would have to rewrite everything in C#, if I understand the issue correctly.
Boris PopovWednesday, March 23, 2011 11:48:01 AM
Originally posted by ytsmabeer:

Mmm, How about Samsungs Bada, that seems to be groing

This!
FransWednesday, March 23, 2011 12:42:05 PM
Originally posted by Okra:

Microsoft have not released a native SDK for WP7 so you would have to rewrite everything in C#, if I understand the issue correctly.

Is there a particular reason it doesn't just run old Windows CE/Mobile software?
Martin RauscherWednesday, March 23, 2011 4:22:44 PM
Originally posted by Frenzie:

Is there a particular reason it doesn't just run old Windows CE/Mobile software?

Security. The OS is still a CE fork, but only special MS partners get access to that level.
Native code is simply not necessary for most apps. A browser is only so far an exception as performance would probably to bad.
Cutting SpoonWednesday, March 23, 2011 8:22:36 PM
If the new partnership with Nokia can increase sales far enough, I suppose the platform will be more appealing. I keep hearing rumors about a Windows CE 7 with better native program support.

WP7 could only support Mini I think, and only with a complete rewrite using Silverlight. If CE 7 exists and supports native apps, the question will be how easy it is to write a native app.
Martin RauscherThursday, March 24, 2011 3:08:23 PM
Originally posted by hellspork:

I keep hearing rumors about a Windows CE 7 with better native program support.

Win CE 7 was actually rebranded as Win EC 7 (EC = Embedded Compact) and is just as available as the old WinCE6 was.

Windows Phone 7 is based on a modified version of Win EC 7. Just read my above post.
Cutting SpoonThursday, March 24, 2011 7:58:02 PM
Ah, that WAS what you were talking about? Okay. A real pity if they're not opening up the platform a little. Especially if this is supposed to be anywhere near as popular as Ovi.