It looks like Windows Mobile 7 has been pushed back to the fourth quarter of 2010. Actually, Microsoft has not published any release date for the mobile platform so what is really being pushed back are the expectations that the previous round of rumors had. This pushes the release closer to the holiday season though. Any release after that wouldn't bode well at all.WMPoweruser.com has a quote from Phil Moore, which is the head of mobility at Microsoft UK from the Connect technology summit in London.

"It has been put back until late next year but it is definitely coming. You're going to see a lot more on Windows Mobile 7. Giving the enterprise users and consumers what they want will be part of Windows Mobile 7. You'll get flexibility on a much easier touch UI."

"Late next year" isn't very definitive, but it sounds more like an end of year launch rather than something as early as August or September. That makes it all the more likely that Apple, Google and even Palm will release major updates to their platforms before WinMo 7 ships, putting Microsoft's OS even further behind the eight ball.

It isn't huge news, nor wholly unexpected, but the later it comes out, the more pressure there will be for WinMo 7 to be outstanding in order to complete with next generation versions of the competition.