Xbox Live set for Windows Mobile

News - Ballmer confirms inclusion this year

Speaking at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Microsoft have confirmed that Windows 7 for mobile devices is en route, and will include Xbox Live support.

Xbox Live mobile will include games support, leaderboards, Avatars, achievements and gamer profiles.

Xbox Live for mobile platforms was first mooted back at E3 in 2006, but details on the latest mobile OS have been scant.

The first Windows 7 for mobile handsets will start arriving at the end of 2010.

"Today with great pride I introduce the next generation of Windows Phones to the world, Windows Phone 7 Series," enthused Steve Ballmer, chief executive officer at Microsoft. "In a market crowded with phones that look and behave the same way, I challenged the team to push the edge of the envelope and deliver a different kind of mobile experience. Windows Phone 7 Series is the turning point, where phones finally move with people at the speed and fluency of their lives."