Windows Mobile 7 and new version of Microsoft Office in 2010

by Stevie Smith - Feb 26 2009, 17:00

Now that Bill Gates is no longer Microsoft’s all-knowing oracle, long-serving chief executive officer Steve Ballmer has now become the next best thing when visualising the old adage ‘straight from the horse’s mouth.’ Bearing that in mind, Ballmer has this week offered some release information for a selection of incoming Microsoft products.

Specifically, speaking during a strategic update that took place on Tuesday, Ballmer revealed that Windows Mobile 7, the latest edition of Microsoft’s portable operating system, will receive its official launch during 2010.

“We’ve got Windows Mobile 7 coming next year,” announced Ballmer, which came as something of a mild surprise given the Redmond-based giant only officially pushed out Windows Mobile 6.5 on February 13 of this year.

“We’re getting more and more synergy with Windows,” he added, “so the browser improvements, et cetera, should be quite rapid.”

Ballmer similarly confirmed that a new version of the hugely popular Microsoft Office software suite will also arrive in 2010, along with a scaled back “Foundation Edition” of Windows Server that’s being developed specifically for Web-centric ultra portable Netbook platforms.

Addressing recent rumours suggesting Microsoft is planning to make an assault on the smartphone market with a handset device of its own making, Ballmer reiterated the company’s existing standpoint that it’s “not our strategy to build our own phone,” and that core focus remains firmly on the creation and distribution of software for Microsoft partners.

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