Some simple math performed on the numbers given by Microsoft and HTC representatives during a press conference at Mobile World Congress leads to a staggering conclusion: HTC alone is responsible for some 80% of all Windows Mobile sales.That number is pretty outrageous. This is how it played out, according to MoCoNews.

During the introduction of Windows Mobile 6.5, Microsoft's SVP of Mobile Mobile Communications noted that since the birth of Windows Mobile, about 50 million devices have shipped worldwide on handsets from 50 hardware partners. With so many partners, you'd think things would balance out a bit, but they don't.

Next on stage that day was HTC CEO Peter Chou. He said, "Twelve years ago when we started our company, we met with Microsoft early on. It was clear that we shared the same vision of smart connectivity. I'm an old veteran of Windows Mobile. We try really hard to make all the visions happen, and we have sold more than 40 million HTC Windows mobile phones around the world."

I'm sure you can see the math. If HTC sold 40 million WinMo smartphones out of the total of 50 million, that means it has sold 80% of all Windows Mobile phones!

I spoke with an HTC representative about this, and he agreed that the numbers make sense. Consider, HTC has only been branding devices as its own for the last 12 to 18 months. Before that, its WinMo phones were often branded by the carrier selling the device. People were buying HTC phones without necessarily knowing the phone was made by HTC.

Furthermore, HTC actually manufactures many of the devices that are sold by other companies, such as Pantech and Palm.

Add that to the robust sales figures HTC has enjoyed with its line of Touch smartphones, and it's not an unreasonable conclusion that HTC is pretty much Microsoft Mobile's BFF.

MocoNews, which broke the story, notes, "The next conclusion to make is that the other 49 OEM partners, including Palm, Motorola, and Samsung, have sold 10 million phones all combined."

If I were any of those other vendors, I'd want to do something to change the balance.

Can they?