Microsoft plans to release Windows Mobile 7 and Skymarket

With only a quarter left in the year 2008, Microsoft is prepping up its own centralized system for Windows Mobile smartphone applications called “Skymarket”. This will be the one place where Windows Mobile users will be able to download and purchase mobile applications by 2009, if all goes as Microsoft has planned.

All this talk of Microsoft’s Windows Mobile Skymarket goes back to a couple of job postings indicating the new project, one of which is pasted below.

Job Title: Senior Product Manager - Skymarket
This is a unique opportunity and time of rapid change in the mobile industry for a Senior Product Manager in the Mobile Communications Services team to drive the launch of a v1 marketplace service for Windows Mobile.

Key Responsibilities include the following:

• Definition of the product offering, pricing, business model and policies that will make the Windows Mobile marketplace “the place to be” for developers wishing to distribute and monetize their Windows Mobile applications
• Responsibility for the business model and key elements that will drive the optimal experience for developers and monetization of the service by Microsoft
• Preparation and driving the cross group collaboration for the initial launch of the marketplace offering to the developer community this fall
• Preparation and driving the cross group collaboration with stakeholders in the commercial launch of the marketplace service with the launch of WM 7
• Define and mange the consumer, developer and mobile operator value proposition and supporting materials for use by PR, MCB’s developer outreach organization, and other teams across Microsoft
• Working with multiple stakeholders (product team, product planning, developer outreach, business operations, legal and more) in definition on the process, policies and terms of use through which developers and consumers take part in the marketplace
• Work closely with product planning on prioritization of consumer, developer, and mobile operator scenarios
• Support business development on engagements with mobile operators and integration of the marketplace offering into broader Microsoft services offerings or discussions
• Work closely with the Mobile Communication Business developer outreach organization
• Management of KPI’s for the service post launch

Still unconfirmed by Microsoft, Windows Mobile Skymarket is rumored to be scheduled for an early 2009 release, along with Windows Mobile 7. Source...