Ballmer cutting on Windows Mobile progress

In an unusual step Microsoft’s chief executive Steve Ballmer has been criticising his own products, notably Windows Mobile.

Speaking at Microsoft's Venture Capital Summit Ballmer said that Windows Mobile should be on version seven by now and that the company had “screwed up,” at least according to one participant.

Journalists were banned from the event but venture capitalist Paul Jozefak sent a tweet from the event floor during Ballmer’s address to delegates.

“Ballmer said they screwed up with Windows Mobile. Wishes they had already launched WM7. They completely revamped the team.”

Windows Mobile 6.5 is due out in October and the company hopes to get version seven out by next year according to company executives.

Windows Mobile was facing something of a crisis after Motorola and Palm decided to stop producing handsets using the operating system, while Apple and RIM have growing market share in the crucial smartphone market and Intel's Moblin system will be coming online soon.