[schettj]

So, to recap... Microsoft rebrands Wp6.5 as WP7, shipping with a single app (silverlight) running on WinCE, with a limited .net library for devs, and a locked down hardware spec.

They sell that as WP7 as they wait for the unified core code to progress... leading to windows 8 across all screens from desktop to phone. Metro is the touch interface. The Metro SDK is more or less uniform across all devices. problem is, the hardware required is a bit different than what WinCE (designed in the late 90s) needs.

Microsoft had three choices -
* continue selling WM6.5 with it's awesome XP interface from 2001,
* release a "bridge" OS that LOOKS like what they want to do in 2012/2013, and will help build a marketplace with apps, and at least give them a presence in the market.
* completely withdraw from the market.

They picked the middle one.

Now, it's time to move on

So, think of the current WP7x devices as "first/second generation" iPhones - you know, the ones that can't run iOS3, and are obsolete?

In a year, no one will care about this - Win8/WinPhone8/Surface tablets will either be a clear success, or not. If it works, then this strategy was great. If it doesn't they didn't lose anything by trying.