As the mobile operating system world formally welcomed its latest player, Google Android, yesterday, Microsoft quietly announced that it was pushing back the next major update to Windows Mobile to the second half of 2009.
WinInfo’s Paul Thurrott, who has been following Microsoft for many years, reported that the delays may be due to differing strategies about Windows Mobile 7. According to his sources, a number of high-placed Microsoft engineers are recommending that Microsoft drop the current Windows Mobile codebase in favour of something new. Senior Microsoft executives are apparently against the idea.
Thurrott goes on to predict that we will not see Windows Mobile 7 devices until even later than mid-2009. In the past, mobile carriers and device manufacturers have needed an additional six to twelve months to get devices and offerings ready. If this holds true for Windows Mobile 7, we will not see devices running it until late 2009 or early 2010.
The grass is really starting to look much greener on the other side(s) of Windows Mobile.