Microsoft unveiled a new version of its mobile operating system on February 15 as the US software giant seeks to regain lost ground in the highly competitive smartphone market.
Chief executive Steve Ballmer presented the Windows Phone 7 Series at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, ending months of speculation about what Microsoft had in store for the industry's biggest trade show.
"We're taking a step, I think a big step," Ballmer said, adding that devices fitted with the new software would be available in time for the winter holiday shopping season. "I'm enthusiastic about the direction that we're heading."
"We hope 7 is our lucky number," he said.
Microsoft has been up against strong competition from Internet giant Google's Android, as both newcomers fight for a share of a market dominated by the Blackberry and Apple's iPhone.
"The primary goal of Windows Mobile 7 is clearly to address Microsoft's shortcomings in the consumer mobile market," said Charles Golvin, analyst at research firm Forrester.
"All plaudits for their persistence aside, in my view this is their final chance to get it right," Golvin said.
Google has made a splash in the mobile phone industry with its Android operating system, launched in 2007, and phone makers have announced that they would release several more smartphones with this platform this year.
In its upgrade, Microsoft completely changed the platform's interface and installed the capabilities of its Zune MP3 player, which has only been available in the United States.
The system includes six "hubs" that group services by themes, such as a "people" inbox that includes emails, text messages and updates from social network activities, or an Xbox Live icon for online games.
Microsoft-powered touch-screen phones will be rolled out later this yea
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