To say that Microsoft‘s Windows Mobile operating system is going through a rough patch would be a bit of an understatement.

It has been overtaken by Apple iPhone on the list of smartphone platforms in the US and the latest version of the OS, 6.5, is little more than a filler while the firm works on Windows Mobile 7. That platform, however, is unlikely to see the light of day before the end of 2010, despite originally being slated for release this year.

So, how much has WinMo got left in the tank?

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Figures from comScore reveal that as of October 2009, Windows Mobile was powering 7,131,797 phones, up from 6,807,554 in February. The number topped 7 million in May before falling back down to 6.6 million in July. Contrast this with Apple’s figures, which were 5,258,504 in February and climbed steadily throughout the year to 8,970,049 in October.

RIM still leads the way in the States with a shade under 15 million users, but Apple’s surge into second place at the expense of Windows Mobile must be a worrying sight for Microsoft.

The delays that have blighted Windows Mobile 7 have now pushed the release date back to late 2010, as revealed by Microsoft UK head of mobility Phil Moore recently.

Where are the new WinMo users going to come from? How much will the smartphone landscape have changed by late 2010? If Microsoft’s market share continues to stagnate, RIM and Apple will be so far ahead that it’s difficult to see Redmond ever recovering.

We also can’t forget Android. ComScore recently revealed that in the US 17% of consumers looking to buy a new smartphone were leaning towards an Android-powered device, such as Motorola‘s new Droid device, called the Milestone here in the UK.

So there are plenty of challenges heading Microsoft’s way and I don’t see too many reasons to be confident about Redmond’s chances of fending them off.

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