Microsoft Windows 7 Mobile OS might get delayed till 2011

The much anticipated Windows Mobile 7 OS will be released by Microsoft only by 2011, according to online media reports. The reports suggest that the Microsoft Windows Mobile 7 operating system for smartphones will be launched by Microsoft at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona which will be held in 2011.

The latest version of Microsoft’s smartphone OS available now is Win Mo 6.5.3. Tthe company has now decided to call it Windows Phone – not that it is going to change things.

Something that worries Microsoft, the US based software giant, is that Google, its most significant rival, has clearly stolen the spotlight from Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 7 OS, with the launch of Android-based Google Nexus One superphone. (There is some relief though – Nexus One users face 3G connectivity problems) Microsoft was initially caught out by the iPhone and the iPhone OS, and then by Google’s push into the Mobile OS space with Google Android. They did not expect a sudden surge in demand for smartphones – especially ones with a touchscreen – and the touch-optimised operating systems from Apple and Google have seen Microsoft scrambling to get its own operating system up to par.

Several smartphone manufacturers like Samsung and HTC responded to Microsoft’s delays by adding their own touch-sensitive UI layer to the Windows Mobile OS.

Though Windows Mobile 7 OS was earlier scheduled to be launched in 2008, the delay will push Microsoft to launch it in 2011 only. Microsoft has confirmed that the OS is undergoing some major functionality changes.

The expected delay of its Windows 7 Mobile OS is expected to cost Microsoft dearly, as the delay will further alienate Microsoft from its users. Also, those mobile phone manufacturers who were planning to roll out dedicated Windows 7 Mobile OS will look for other options now.

Industry experts and anlysts think that Microsoft is losing its market share in the smartphone segment to its competitors like Apple and RIM. But once the new Win Mob 7 OS is out, it is expected that Microsof will regain the lost market share.