Microsoft Pink smartphone rumours

Microsoft is rumoured to be releasing the new Pink smartphone under its own in-house branding.

Until now Microsoft has maintained that it is “committed to the licensing model”, but according to comments on CNET.com the device will actually be branded as a Microsoft handset.

We would expect the handset to be running the newest version of Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, which depending on release will probably be Windows 7.

If the rumours are to be believed then the handset will be reserving a custom UI to sit atop the OS, one which will presumably remain unique to Microsoft's own-branded handsets, rather than those running the re-sold Windows 7 OS.

Last we heard of the Pink project, the handset was being designed by Microsoft, with manufacture going to a third-party; this latest rumour flies in the face of official comments regarding an own-branded Microsoft handset and no doubt places Microsoft as a direct competitor of other handsets that will be running the Windows 7 system.

There's no specs to report just yet, but we'd expect some serious touchscreen real-estate on board as well as the other usual suspects amongst the high-end feature set.