Microsoft is not new to the smartphone game at all. However, the company has been caught napping with the smartphone war now being predominantly fought only between Apple and Google. Redmond now has all its money on the upcoming version of its Mobile OS – the Windows Phone 7 Mobile operating system.
Microsoft is learned to be working with several handset manufacturers in the launch of new Windows Phone 7 powered smartphones later this year. The launch date has been tentatively fixed at “end of the year” as of now. However, in a recent statement, Kevin Turner – Microsoft’s Chief Operating Officer – has hinted at a October launch in Europe followed by a launch in the USA ahead of the holiday season.
Now this is again only a tentative estimate since the exact launch dates of the smartphones are not yet announced. But an October launch in Europe along with a November launch in USA could mean that the company could be bracing itself up for aggressive competition from Android and Apple handsets during the holiday shopping season.
Can Microsoft pull this one off? Time will tell.