Microsoft is gearing up to unveil its new Windows Phone 7 operating system and a compatible range of devices at a New York event today, as the software giant looks to take on the likes of Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android in the fast growing smartphone market.
The company has been building up to the launch in the past week, giving hints about its plans for Windows Phone 7-based smartphones and a possible iPad competitor running on Windows 7 by the end of this year.
The company will be launching the smartphones in the US along with AT&T, followed by a European launch within a week. Microsoft’s hardware partners include HTC, Asus and LG.
The company has also pledged $400 million for marketing and promoting the new mobile phone platform.
Speaking during a conference at the London School of Economics, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that the company will also launch a tablet device by the end of this year, in time for the holiday shopping season.
The stage is set and it remains to be seen how well Windows Phone 7 will be able to compete in the market, which is dominated by the likes of Apple and Google.
