A Microsoft insider took a major chance by spilling an internal Microsoft document containing details about the upcoming Windows Mobile 7 platform. Among the juicy tidbits of info are that WinMo7 will forgo stylus input and will be finger-touch based a la iPhone instead. Once again, Apple innovates, Microsoft follows.I don't know who this gentlemen is, but he is certainly risking the wrath of Microsoft's legal department, and even fully admits it in his blog post. Whatever pitfalls await him, we're left with some great advance information about the upcoming Windows Mobile 7 platform.

The majority of his post discusses how users will interact with WinMo7. The big change? Everything about the user interface will be revamped so that users' chubby digits can interact with it via a touch screen. No more stylus. No more ballpoint pen. No more pecking with your finger nail. Windows Mobile 7 is going to copy the iPhone. Users will be able to use their fingers to flick lists up and down, and left and right. Users will be able to pinch the screen to zoom in and zoom out. And everything will accommodate users' fingers by being larger and more intuitive.

Another interesting feature is that the new platform will make use of gestures to control certain actions. This means WinMo7 will support accelerometers and have the groundwork in place for things like shake control, or twisting the device to do things.

As much as this is good news for the usability of the Windows Mobile 7 platform, it is sort of pathetic of Microsoft to emulate the iPhone so much.

The blog post also contains numerous screen shots of what the platform looks like. While there are no hard details about the applications and features shown in those screen shots, it is obvious that Windows Mobile 7 is a major overhaul of the platform, including not just the UI, but the applications as well. I invite you to take a look.