Microsoft is well known for creating operating systems and software for computers. They are the most successful company at it due to the dependence most computer owners have on their products. However, one industry that they have battled to come to grips with, is the mobile phone operating software (OS) space. Ask any Windows Mobile user about their experience and how user friendly the software is and I suspect you will hear a tale of inefficiency and failure. I can testify about my own struggle with Windows Mobile 6.5.

Android, Symbian, Apple, Meego and even BlackBerry OS are instances of mobile phone manufacturers ensuring that attention is given to the OS for the particular mobile phone. This has not been the case with Microsoft until the release of Windows Phone 7 Series.  The OS will make or break usage of the particular mobile phone.

A breakdown of the changes:
Smart design begins with a new, holistic design system that informs every aspect of the phone, from its visually appealing layout and motion to its function and hardware integration. On the Start screen, dynamically updated “live tiles” show users real-time content directly, breaking the mold of static icons that serve as an intermediate step on the way to an application. Create a tile of a friend, and the user gains a readable, up-to-date view of a friend’s latest pictures and posts, just by glancing at Start.

Windows Phone 7 Series creates an unrivaled set of integrated experiences on a phone through Windows Phone hubs. Hubs bring together related content from the Web, applications and services into a single view to simplify common tasks. The six built in hubs are:  People, Pictures, Games & Video, Marketplace and Office.

The one interesting fact is that Windows Phone 7 takes most of its design and layout from the Zune HDs user interface. The truth is that if Windows Phone 7 does not live up to expectations, then one has to wonder if Microsoft might consider moving away from the mobile platform. Only time will tell …