New Windows Phones Won’t Run Old Apps (MSFT)

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has announced that its Windows Phone 7 devices won’t run the programs from older Windows platforms. This announcement will impact thousands of applications designed for the previous software versions. According to Microsoft’s (MSFT) Charlie Kindel, “For us, the cost of going from good to great is a clean break from the past."

Microsoft is expected to integrate Zune and Xbox LIVE with its new phones. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said, “In a crowded market filled with phones that look the same and do the same things…Windows Phone 7 Series marks a turning point toward phones that truly reflect the speed of people’s lives and their need to connect to other people and all kinds of seamless experiences.”