Microsoft’s Ballmer Admits Misteps With Windows Mobile

Slow Windows Mobile development is causing all kinds of problems forMicrosoft (NSDQ:MSFT), but CEO Steve Ballmer says the company has learned from its mistakes and is poised to carry out its mobile strategy more effectively.

On Thursday at Microsoft’s Venture Capital Summit event in Mountain View, Calif., Ballmer told an audience of about 200 that Microsoft is well aware that it dropped the ball by allowing Windows Mobile development to slow to a crawl.

Ballmer’s comments come at the close of a busy week for the Windows Mobile rumor mill. The emergence of photos of prototype devices purportedly from Microsoft’s top secret Pink smartphone project, as well images of a possible Microsoft tablet device called Courier, have rekindled speculation that Microsoft is dead set on raising its profile in the mobile device market.

The consumer mobile device market has been a tough nut to crack for Microsoft, and the software giant has watched as a parade of shiny new smartphones from Apple, Palm, and Research In Motion have relegated it to the shadows of the mobile industry.

Ballmer’s comments show contrition on Microsoft’s part, but now Microsoft will have to get new devices on the market quickly to show that it has, in fact, righted the Windows Mobile ship. Industry experts have been sounding the death knell for Windows Mobile in light of a large wave of devices with Google’s Android Mobile OS and the iPhone’s continued momentum. Microsoft will need to get the Windows Mobile 7 operating system not only launched, but ensure that it leapfrogs the competition in terms of innovation and consumer features.