Hosted VoIP Featured Article

Microsoft (News - Alert) will have a preview of Windows Phone 7 at the New York City Microsoft Technology Center at 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 11, according to a posting on the Microsoft website.

PC World reported that Windows Phone 7 is an attempt by Microsoft to regain ground in the mobile phone sector.

Apple's iPhone, Research In Motion's BlackBerry and Google's Android (News - Alert) have all taken market share from Microsoft mobile OSs over the past few years, according to the PC World report.

Another event of interest is a press conference this Thursday evening, Oct. 7, in Taipei, according to PC World. Taiwanese smartphone developer HTC (News - Alert) is hosting the event and has been quiet about its content, according to the news report.

HTC has been a long-time Microsoft partner, working on the Windows Mobile OS when other smartphone makers eschewed the software, PC World said.

HTC also launched the first-ever smartphone with Google's (News - Alert) Android mobile OS on board a few years ago, the G1, PC World added.

Microsoft said users will have Xbox Live games on Windows Phone 7, which the company calls a new era in mobile gaming.

According to Monsters and Critics, the announcement of the Windows Phone (News - Alert) 7 launch comes only two days after Microsoft sued Motorola for patent infringement relating to the Android operating system.

Monday’s event is expected to showcase phones from Samsung, LG and HTC running Microsoft's new mobile operating system, according to the report.

Windows Phone 7 differs from the iPhone and Android by centering activity on hubs rather than just offering users a blank slate of applications, Monsters & Critics said.

It is unclear when the new devices will be made available to customers, though analysts believe the phones could go on sale in Europe by the end of October and in the United States in November, Monsters & Critics said.