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If Microsoft had hoped to make itself heard in the current hubbub of the smartphone software war, it will not be helped by reported delays to Windows Mobile 7. Although no official launch date had been set, developers had widely expected the new release of the operating system in the first quarter of 2009. But now, some Microsoft partners say they have been told they will have to wait until the second half of the year, which will mean version 7 will run head-on into the release of the new-look open source Symbian.

According to sources who talked to CNET, the news has gone down badly in the Windows developer community, with many seeing the momentum shifting to the currently much hyped Android and iPhone, and to recently enhanced Symbian and BlackBerry platforms.

Some of the key new features expected in Windows Mobile 7 are gesture recognition - including the use of the camera for reading gestures - and speech input, with technology coming out of Microsoft's TellMe acquisition.

Some improvements may appear for the Windows Mobile community sooner than late 2009, since there is a heightened focus within Microsoft on applications and on features, co-developed with handset or operator partners, that are not dependent on OS updates. Importantly, the software giant is working closely with phonemakers to support innovative new touch interfaces and early efforts have already been seen in the HTC Touch and T-Mobile Shadow, which have their own customized interfaces, different from the Windows Mobile standard.

Microsoft is already know to be readying a marketplace system, similar to Apple App Store, as well as an improved mobile browser that will support the Internet Explorer rendering engine, allowing Windows phones to display rich web pages including Flash and Ajax apps.

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