Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer took a few moments during his company's financial analyst meeting to put a brave face on its smartphone efforts.  "It was less than a year ago that we launched the first Windows Phone," he told an audience of media and analysts gathered to hear Microsoft executives run down the company's financials and strategy. "We haven't sold quite as many probably as I would have hoped we would have sold in the first year."

Microsoft has remained steadfastly reluctant to share any hard sales data with media or analysts. Research firms such as comScore have estimated Microsoft's smartphone market share as gradually declining over the past few months.

Nonetheless, in keeping with his role as chief executive, Ballmer expressed optimism about the platform's chances. "I think with a little bit more effort, a little bit more energy, the level of enthusiasm from the customer base is high enough we've just got to kick this thing to the next level," he said. "And I think we're in absolute good shape in order to be a very strong third ecosystem in the smartphone world."

As in, third alongside Apple's iPhone and Google Android, the latter of which is present on a growing number of devices.

Microsoft hopes that its upcoming Windows Phone Mango update, which includes some 500 tweaks and added features, will help attract additional customers to the platform. Ballmer cited Microsoft's partnership with Nokia, in which the latter will port Windows Phone onto its upcoming devices, as another cause for hope.

In addition to Nokia, Microsoft has secured commitments from Samsung, HTC, LG Electronics, Acer and ZTE to build devices preloaded with the Mango update. Those additional manufacturers could help increase Microsoft's ecosystem presence, although Nokia has bled market share at a startling rate ever since announcing it would abandon its homegrown smartphone software in favor of Windows Phone.

For more, read the eWeek article Microsoft CEO Ballmer Optimistic About Windows Phone Despite Sales.

test