I saw the WPF-esque XAML demos for CE7 - I was really impressed and also hopeful that it would lead to smooth fluid UIs in embedded devices like car infotainment systems and home thermostats.

Oh how naive I was!

(I assume the push for WPF-like XAML in CE7 was because at the time (2011-2012?) there was still hope of a CE7-based Windows Mobile competing with iOS and Android, and Microsoft realized the mistake of not modernizing CE's UI system at-all between 2002 and 2012? Windows Mobile 6.5 was a hideous eyesore (and all the pretty home-screen functionality was literally just skin-deep).