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Microsoft recently released an upgrade to their WIndows Mobile Phone Line: Windows Mobile Phone 7.5 —codenamed 'Mango'. Besides another lame codename by Microsoft (Longhorn, Mojave and Birch to name a few), Windows Mobile 7.5 is aiming to relaunch Microsoft's dominance in the mobile phone space... Sounds like something from Microsoft's Redundancy Department.

But is this enough to catch iPhone or Android? Moreover, is it too late?

Apple sold over 20 Million iPhones worldwide last quarter. That's a mind boggling sales rate of nearly three iPhones per second, and Apple did it by selling smartphones that are over a year old (iPhone 4) and two years old (iPhone 3GS). What's going to happen when iPhone 5 hits the streets this Autumn? What about iOS 5 which will sync apps and Apple devices neatly together? 

Nevertheless, IDC analyst Al Hilwa thinks Microsoft's Mango will begin to claw its way into the mobile phone market. Another IDC analyst Larry Dignan claims that by 2015 Microsoft will close the gap on the iPhone. To borrow a tired phrase from Microsoft Windows Mobile Phone 7 ads, “Really!?!”

Maybe the funny weed is legal for IDC Analysts (for medicinal use of course), but this is just silly talk. It's like saying,

• Mazda to close the gap on Toyota sales by 2015 with their all-new, but not-so-new, rotary engine.
• Alaska Air to close the gap on Delta by 2015 with a new flight to Santa Barbara.
• Starbucks to close in on iTunes sales by 2015 with their new Mocha Music coffee.

First, how can anyone of sound mind and body put forth such a pro Microsoft claim with a straight face? Second, by 2015?! Who are they kidding? Several ice ages will come and go in the technology universe during that time. Go back four years to 2007 — Apple had just introduced the iPhone which was a complete revolution of the smartphone. Look at all that has happened between then and now. By 2015 we're looking at iPhone 9 or 10. Who could predict what Apple’s mobile devices will look or do by then, other than IDC analysts? The group think at IDC seems to be that Apple is going to just sit still and let Microsoft catch and pass them with that on-fire Nokia company. Yeah, that's a reasonable conclusion.

Microsoft can claw all they want, but this time they're not competing against start-up Netscape, Word Perfect or SuperCalc. Microsoft can't assume their 800 pound presence wins the day simply because they're the biggest beast in the room — 'cause in this game they're not. It's almost akin to Microsoft's Zune launch, which was to go toe to toe with Apple's iPod series. Zune? It was a MP3 music player made my Microsoft that...

Clearly, the battle is, and will continue to be, between Apple and Google. Apple is winning the day because of their unparalleled hardware and software integration, coupled with the eco system they are creating with iCloud. Within the next 24 months it's likely that Microsoft, Nokia, HP and others will be relegated to the “buy one phone and get seven phones free” program.

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