What does it mean when people refer to Windows Mobile? Well, for years, that was Microsoft's operating system used in its mobile devices. It was aimed at business professionals primarily and gave way when iPhone arrived and redefined the smartphone user from likely a business professional to any cell phone user.

With a new consumer market already well defined in an era of iPhone, Android, and others, Windows Phone 7 was launched by Microsoft in 2010 amidst hopes of reclaiming flagging market share and appealing to a wider range of consumers. Initially, the effort has been good enough for 1%-2% of the mobile market share, and a "Mango" update planned for this coming fall should help resolve some of the minor criticisms that it has received. Notwithstanding any shortcomings, reviews of Windows Phone 7 have been positive.

And so what about its marketing potential? Microsoft has touted it as an "ad-serving machine," which is a clear indication of how important they believe it is to connect advertisers with potential consumers. The balance between useful info and annoying spamminess is a delicate one, and it will be interesting to see how marketing evolves with smartphone technology. As business owners remain eager to leverage social media and app technology, it promises to be a fruitful tech period on the horizon.

Businesses wishing to explore the possibilities of mobile development and marketing should contact a trusted technology partner, like Trifecta (of course!).