Windows Mobile used to be one of the most important mobile platforms. But that was long before Apple transformed the mobile scene. Windows Mobile still has many apps, mainly because developers have been writting for it for years and years. But mobile developers are aware that it has been ages since the software was updated, and it seems to be delayed more and more, much like Vista.

One more sign that Windows Mobile might be losing its mojo is a release from Handango that Blackberries are now the most popular device downloading apps from their store. Handango is one of the oldest and largest multiplatform app distributors. Since they have such a wide selection of softtware across so many platforms, they are able to a close eye on what the average mobile users consider their favorite devices. With this latest news suggesting that Microsoft might have a bigger battle on their hands then they originally planned, it brigns up some interesting questions:

• Will Microsoft throw more money and engineers at their old Windows Mobile platform to get the upgraded version out sooner?
• Can Microsoft compete with their legacy software against the newest OS specifically built for high-bandwidth, computationally expensive software like Apple iPhone?
• How much of their OS with they open to developers to compete with completely open source platforms like Google’s Android?
• How will Microsoft compete against mobile OS that are free for phone manufacturers like Android, and where will they make back their money? After all, Google plans to make their cash on mobile ads. What is Microsoft’s vision?

One point that came up at the Android Developer meetup that is a little unusual is that the majority of the developers there were unaware that there are other electronic markets from which they can distribute their Android apps. The most famous one is the Google Android Market, but I was the only one that knew that Handango has their own Android store. This store is good fro developers because it allows them to sell their apps now as opposed to the Google store which is giving everything away for free.

New Android app stores are popping up. I just read about a new store from PocketGear. I am sure that many more will be created, but I have to wonder if there is enough info given to Android developers to find and use all of these stores. And of course, if it is hard for the developers to find, it will be even harder to find for the end customers, who may not be as Internet aware as the developers.

Apple has once again proven that they know how to turn an industry on its head. Steve Jobs was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal and reported some very impressive numbers from the iPhone Apps Store. To date, customers have downloaded 60 million apps in its first month, the majority of them were the ones available for free. The total amount made this month was $30 million. Not bad for one month, but it supposedly is only enough to cover costs of the iPhone Apps store. (Remember that Apple takes 30% of the revenues for their cut of the app sales.

It would be really great to compare these numbers to those for Handango and GetJar, two big cell phone apps distributors. If anyone knows them, drop me a line.

The iPhone is having a big effect on the mobile industry. It is a bit like watching an ice dam melt. For the longest time, everything was just about frozen in the mobile web. Internet companies were hoping for things to change, but the status quo was maintained for years as the world moved on. Finally, the thaw has come, and things are really starting to move quickly as the blockage is getting ripped away by forces too strong to be stopped.

Before the Apple Apps store launched on iTunes, one of the best ways to distribute an mobile app was via Handango. Finally Handango is partnering with a mobile phone maker, Sony Ericsson, to have a Handango storefront app included on all of their phones.

Once again, I think that the mobile web industry should send a nice Thank You note to Steve Jobs.