Despite its best attempts, Microsoft has not been able to leave its mark in smartphone arena. But the company is keeping its chin up and is not going to call quits. Speaking at Microsoft's Worldwide Partners Conference, Steve Ballmer admitted that WP7 has not been able to carve a niche for itself and is severely lagging behind Android and iPhone. However, he claimed that WP7 had one "heck of a year". In Steve Ballmer's own words, "Phones? We’ve gone from very small to very small but it’s been a heck of a year.”
WP7 may have not been able to get a bigger market share, but it had tons of other problems. Microsoft had to face problems on the software deployment front as well. Its attempts to transmit OS update Over the Air turned out to be massive failure. However, on the brighter side, it struck out a deal with Nokia. The Finnish company is now entrusted with the task of coming up with the new generation flagship mobile handsets.
WP7 has not dampened Microsoft's spirits and it is still gung-ho about Windows 8, which Steve Ballmer has heralded as the "dawning of Windows slates". If WP7 mobile phones have shown dismal performance, then the company's performance in tablet segment is even worse. But the Redmond company is looking to change it with the introduction of Windows 8. The early reviews of Windows 8 looks good and let's hope the company is will be able to change its fortunes with the new OS.