I don't think this delay is a cue to encourage people to buy a Windows Mobile phone.

For starters, the delay of yet another year for Windows Mobile 7 casts grave doubt on the viability of the platform to survive. It's shedding market share as it is (now down to 7.9% according to Gartner), so how on earth is it going to survive another year without a major update?

Second, the readers should know that owners of the HTC HD2 handset may not be able to upgrade to Windows Mobile 7.5. They may be stuck on version 6.5. Neither Microsoft nor HTC will guarantee an upgrade. The source of the story came from “someone closed to Microsoft” (in proper English, I think they mean “close to Microsoft”). If Microsoft won't guarantee it, then you have no guarantee, and you can assume it's not happening.

I don't think it's wise to invest in the Windows Mobile platform, considering its uncertain future, and that many analysts believe the platform will soon be discontinued. You could be left with an unsupported phone, without new software or updates.

Terry -Put your tin foil hat on.

What I am about to say will blow your earthling mind…Windows Mobile will definitely be supported now and far into the future.

Microsoft will not remain on the wall with Nokia, RIM, Apple, & Google dancing in the mix. Expect XBox & Zune applications for consumers and Sharepoint/VOIP applications for enterprises… oh yeah and a traditional phone interface too. Nobody is positioned like Microsoft to leverage its office communications and media IP.

” They may be stuck on version 6.5. Neither Microsoft nor HTC will guarantee an upgrade.”

Wow, talk about unrealistic quips. What, we are now in a PC-clone market of some sorts? Did anyone upgrade their 1G iPhones to 3G? Did it have any effect on the success of the latter?

People bash WM7 delays, saying it will be too late, as if there is some sort of a train to run after. Smartphone market is expanding, it is far from being saturated and consolidated. WM ships on more units every year, yet it lost share because of the tremendous growth of the mobile computing. It won't be late in Q4 2010, MS will take its time to iron out all the logistics, and get the market.

Same thing happened with netbooks – tremendous growth, MS eventually dominanes the segment, because they are serious about the game.

'Max' said: “Did anyone upgrade their 1G iPhones to 3G?”

It's not the issue of whether there'll be a software upgrade or not. The issue is that if we tell people there will be, it should come from a reliable source, otherwise we should consider that there'll be no upgrade to come.

'Max' said: “People bash WM7 delays”

It's not just me. It's the public. The crumbling market share. The handset makers all phasing it out. The entire industry and tech media is questioning whether Windows Mobile can survive. We should take our Fanboy hats off and look at this realistically. Look at that downward market share graph, and you'll see where it's headed.

'Max' said: “with netbooks – tremendous growth, MS eventually dominates the segment”

Microsoft already had a monopoly in the desktop PC market. That's how it claimed back netbook market share (though that won't continue with Smartbooks on the ARM processor). Microsoft also used its monopoly position to win the web browser war in the 1990s. But the phone market is different, and Microsoft doesn't have the same hold on it nor an existing monopoly. We can see that Microsoft has been completely unable to arrest its declining phone market share, despite throwing billions of dollars at it.

'Hi' said: “Expect XBox & Zune applications for consumers”

ZuneHD has been on the market for some time, and Microsoft has been unable to attract a serious number of software developers to the platform. Don't forget that the previous “Plays4sure” strategy of licensing music-player software failed, which is why the Zune was created.

How long will it be before Microsoft considers its phone licensing a lost cause , and creates its own telephone hardware? Handset makers are leaving Windows Mobile and switching to the free Android. When the number of licensees drops below a certain level, Microsoft must think about making its own hardware as a Plan-B.

I have not bought a smart/media phone as of yet and am still using my fossil phone from Nokia.

It appeals to me greatly to have a phone with the same operating system as my home pc and laptop so that the three can have the easiest connectivity, data transfers and shared use.

I would deem that to be hugely popular with those who just want ease of use in all their tech devices and get on with their business.

I am big fan of windows mobile it has very nice and amazing functionality it is really a very nice things .Windows mobile has very advance feature.

I am big fan of windows mobile it has very nice and amazing functionality it is really a very nice things .Windows mobile has very advance feature.