Windows Mobile 7 Delayed!

Microsoft will be delaying the launch of Windows Mobile 7, which is said to provide some advanced features like gesture support, speech and voice recognition/command (rumored), among others. However, the silver lining is that other aspects and improvements may come ahead of Windows Mobile, like an update to Internet Explorer, the first in a long while, that will give mobile Internet Explorer features similar to the desktop Internet Explorer 6. Moreover, Windows Mobile 7 will probably provide standard hardware APIs, such as accelerometer support, so that software vendors can create commercial software and applications that make use of accelerometers across multiple devices from many manufacturers. The expected release date is the second half of 2009. Hopefully, devices released with Windows Mobile 6.1 will receive an upgrade path to Windows Mobile 7, but that decision is controlled by many factors--including hardware requirements as well as decisions by carriers and hardware makers. Windows Mobile 7 is the next major update after Windows Mobile 6 and Windows Mobile 6.1, which is seen by many as a minor refresh to 6.0. Hopefully, the delay will mean a stable operating system launch and features being refined. The delay may hurt hardware makers in the short run with stiff competition from Research in Motion and Google. RIM is launching more consumer devices with different form factors, including the touch-only BlackBerry Storm/Thunder, which takes the form factor similar to the Touch HD. Google's launch of the G1 on the Android operating system, Apple's iPhone, and Nokia's new crop may woo consumers ahead of Windows Mobile 7.