Microsoft To Finally Launch Smartphone?

Is Microsoft finally going to produce a smartphone of its own?

It won’t be the first time, or last time, that a rumour has surfaced about a Microsoft working on a smartphone, but this time the jungle tomtom’s are coming from the reputable Wall Street Journal.

The Journal says that the software giant has been putting in some R&D on a device called Pink. Couple that with claims that the company is also in secretive talks with mobile operator Verizon, and suddenly it doesn’t seem like it will a rumour for long.

The journal also says “”Pink” will reportedly extend Windows Mobile by adding “new software capabilities”, and will also likely include Windows Marketplace for Mobile – Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android Market.”

With a lot of mobile manufacturers looking at Google’s Android O/S, would anybody be that surprised if Microsoft decided to bring its own phone to the market?