Windows Phone Thoughts: 65K-Colour vs. 262K-Colour on Windows Mobile Devices

"When was the last time you saw a Windows Mobile device that couldn't do color? (It's a trick question. The last grayscale device predates the name change to "Windows Mobile.") Subtle differences in screen quality aside, all WM devices have had the same ability to show colors--65536 of them. Modern LCD screens, however, are capable of showing four times that many (262144). So I've been asked, "Why doesn't WM allow OEMs to make use of these better screens?" The short answer is: "We do." The medium answer is: "But don't be so sure you want them to." And the long answer is ... well the rest of this entry."

Mike over at the Windows Mobile Team Blog has written up another great article - this time, he focuses on the 65K-colour vs. 262K-colour issue. Obviously, the more the merrier and our eyes thank us for it, but have you ever wondered why the adoption of 262K-colour screens on Pocket PCs and Smartphones has trudged along at a snail's pace? Mike's article has all the information, and you'll soon find out that as far as current technology is concerned, more is less (for the moment, anyway).