Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) held a press conference Monday morning to debut its much-anticipated Windows Phone 7 operating system and the initial lineup of smartphone handsets to use the operating system. Speaking at the event in New York, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showed off nine Windows Phone 7 smartphones that will be supported by every major mobile carrier in the United States, with the sole exception of Verizon (NYSE: VZ).
Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile USA will offer two phones from HTC, the 3.7-inch HTC 7 Mozart and the almost tablet-sized 4.3-inch HD7, as well as the vertical slider phone the Dell (NYSE: DELL) Venue Pro. Sprint (NYSE: S) will also offer a phone from HTC, the HTC 7 Pro, that’s a bit smaller and with more memory than those available through T-Mobile. Ralph de la Vega, CEO of AT&T (NYSE: T) Mobility, showed off his company’s trio of phones. AT&T will support Samsung’s ultra-thin Focus, the LG Quantum and the sleek HTC 7 Surround. Other models, the LG Optimus 7 and the HTC Trophy, respectively don’t have carrier support or are only available in Europe.
After showing off the hardware that will support Microsoft’s new mobile platform, Microsoft Phone Program corporate vice president Joe Belfiore discussed the host of applications that will be available at launch. Windows Phone 7 has all the support it could need to thrive at launch, with a robust selection of utilities like Microsoft Office, a version of the Bing search engine with voice support, and a third-party VoIP app called GoVoice that uses Google’s (NASDAQ: GOOG) Google Voice. Entertainment and shopping is covered with new interfaces for eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY), Amazon.com’s (NASDAQ: AMZN) Kindle Store app and Comcast’s (NASDAQ: CMCSA) movie-ticket-purchasing service Fandango. Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), as part of its ever-expanding streaming video service, also has an app for Windows Phone 7 at launch. As part of its new deal for the service over Microsoft’s mobile platform and video game consoles, AT&T will also give subscribers to its television service U-Verse on Windows Phone 7, with $10 per month subscriptions available exclusively for the phone. Microsoft also has a strong video game selection for the platform, integrating its Xbox Live online gaming network into the phones bolstered with support from publishers like Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS). EA will offer a version of its popular virtual dollhouse, The Sims 3, at Windows Phone 7’s launch.
All told, Microsoft put in an incredibly strong showing this week, demonstrating that the company has learned well from its competitors. It is ready to match the versatility of Google’s Android as well as the fashionable design sense that has given Apple so much success. With broad support from mobile phone manufacturers and carriers in the United States, Microsoft is in a better position to compete in the mobile market than ever before. Investors would be wise to pay close attention to the November release of Microsoft’s handsets. This is also good news for AT&T shareholders; losing the iPhone exclusivity may not be the end of the world.
As of this writing, Anthony Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
12 Little-Known Stocks That Will Lead the Mobile Internet Revolution. All my research and proprietary stock picking tools are ringing loud and true right now — mobile Internet is one of the biggest money-making opportunities out there. And these stocks are about to take the Street by storm. Get their names here.
