Microsoft's own Windows Phone 7 Series delayed until 2011 NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Apple (AAPL Quote) did it. Google (GOOG Quote) did it. Now it's Microsoft's (MSFT Quote) turn.

The Redmond, Wash., software giant is working with computer hardware manufacturer Asustek to build its own phone.

The planned device is a so-called candy bar touchscreen design running on Microsoft's newly introduced Windows Phone 7 operating system, says Northeast Securities analyst Ashok Kumar, who talked with Microsoft's suppliers and design partners.

Unfortunately, Microsoft and Asus have encountered some setbacks on the road to manufacturing the next Apple iPhone killer or Google Android annihilator.

Production of the phone has been stopped temporarily. "The phone is still alive," says Kumar, but its arrival to the market will now probably be put off until early next year.

The news comes just four days after Microsoft announced -- at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona -- that its Windows Phone 7 operating system will be available on the some phones by Christmas.

Kumar says he hasn't heard what caused the Microsoft phone delay, but he speculates that if it's a software issue, it could apply to other hardware developers and spoil the Christmas timeframe promise.

Labels: windows phone 7

  ¶ posted by Jimmie Geddes, Editor @ 2/18/2010 06:15:00 PM