MS: "Too many people with too much invested to let Apple win"

Microsoft Games Studios' Kieron Connell told the Evolve In London Conference yesterday that Microsoft is "very serious" about Windows Phone 7 and will not sit back and allow others to dominate the mobile handset market.

Answering a question from panel chair Will Freeman, Connell made clear that although Microsoft is fighting an uphill battle, it has no intention of rolling over and giving up.

"How much momentum does the iPhone have? Is it dominance a reality, is it going to stay that way for a long time," asked Freeman of the guests.

"I think there are too many people with too much money invested to let Apple win in terms of flooding the entire market," Connell told listeners.

"You'd better believe Microsoft is very serious about Windows Phone 7, and protecting their part of the business. It's going to be an interesting time - that's for sure."

In an earlier response to the question, Ngmoco's Neil Young had observed that Google's Android platform was gaining ground on Apple, but failed to mention Microsoft as a player in the market.

"Yes, it is dominant in the west," he said of iPhone. "In the East it's probably Android then some of Europe is probably up for grabs. Android has lots and lots of momentum right now but an inferior publishing model."

The feelings of the panel reflect recent findings from a study in the US which show that the gap in market share between iOS devices and Android platforms is closing fast, but Microsoft remains a peripheral player in the area.