Over the years, Microsoft has put a tremendous amount of time and money into developing its Pocket PC operating system. However, recently there have been signs that perhaps Microsoft"s interest is waning.
Last week, Microsoft"s chief technology officer said in a speech that the handheld device he carries to get email when he"s on the go isn"t a Pocket PC, it"s a BlackBerry. The fact that the man responsible for developing Microsoft"s plans and goals would rather carry a handheld running a competitor"s operating system isn"t a good sign for the Pocket PC.
And this isn"t the only evidence. During the recent Microsoft Professional Developers Conference, a panel discussion was held on ways to advance mobile computing. When an attendee asked what the future of Pocket PC was, a Microsoft employee answered "None." While the other Microsoft employees on the panel backed off that stark statement, it was clear that they believed there wasn"t much room between Tablet PCs and smart phones.