Dell Not a Launch Partner on Windows Phone 7 (DELL, MSFT)

According to Deutsche Bank analyst Jonathon Goldberg, Dell DELL is no longer a launch partner with Microsoft MSFT on its Windows Phone 7 launch. While Dell has released a statement saying that it remains a committed partner to Windows Phone 7, it appears that it won't be present for the launch. That leaves just HTC, Samsung, and LG for Microsoft. An Engadget.com report notes that "Losing two of the biggest computer-makers in the world (Dell and HP HPQ can't feel very good when you're trying to fight your way back to relevancy, but at least on the bright side, neither HP nor Dell have a track record of making anything other than heroically mediocre handsets." Dell's Matt Parretta commented that "Any reports, or speculation, that report Dell will not support Windows Phone 7 are false... Microsoft announced Dell as a supporting partner at this year's Mobile World Congress and nothing's changed. We are excited to collaborate with Microsoft on Windows Phone 7, and are looking forward to bringing customers amazing mobile experiences." Shares of Dell are higher by 2.39% this afternoon, to $12.03. Microsoft shares are down by 0.65%, to $23.67. Get free trades at tradeMONSTER!