Windows Phone Thoughts: Microsoft Says Sorry, No Upgrades To Windows Phone 7

"While in a recent Twitter Q&A, Microsoft UK's Director of the UK Mobile Business Group Alex Reeve hinted that 'ODMs are free to offer Windows Phone 7 Series upgrades for Windows Mobile 6 smartphones', Natasha Kwan, General Manager for Microsoft's Mobile Communications Business in the Asia-Pacific region, told APC that the HD2 - the hottest candidate for such an upgrade - 'doesn't qualify because it doesn't have the three buttons'."

With its uber-specs, the HD2 was the likeliest candidate among the current crop of WM6.5 smartphones to get an upgrade to WP7. But Microsoft appears to be taking their lockdown of the user experience in WP7 very, very seriously - and the HD2 doesn't qualify. That's going to disappoint a lot of HD2 buyers (in Asia and Europe) and prospective buyers (in N. America). I'd bet the possibility of an upgrade was a factor in the buying decision (I was certainly thinking that way), and with this development sales of the HD2, as well as its resale value, might take a hit with WP7 just 7 months away.