Microsoft racks up 1.5M Windows Phone 7 sales in six weeks

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) can’t be faulted for pulling out all the stops to make sure it isn’t completely left behind in the mobile operating system war. Today the company announced sales of 1.5 million devices running on Windows Phone 7 in its first six weeks.
In a widespread ad campaign, the PC software king has been trying to differentiate its refreshed OS as an experience that lets users dip in and dip out of their smart phones, thereby leaving more time to enjoy life. Still, the platform has a long way to go before its app catalog and marketplace catches up with the likes of Android and iOS.
“It’s a different kind of phone, fast and easy,” said Achim Berg, VP of business and marketing for Windows Phones.
“What we see as well is that people like the new design and the different approach that we’ve taken,” he said. “And just as we did something different with the phone, we did similarly with advertising… Our campaign has been well accepted and shows that our product has been correctly targeted.”
Berg said his team is keeping an eye on customer satisfaction and device sales, adding that both serve to build momentum and presence in the market.
“We know we have tough competition, and this is a completely new product. We’re in the race – it’s not a sprint but we are certainly gaining momentum and we’re in it for the long run,” he continued.
Windows Phone 7 currently has 4,000 apps in its marketplace and a community of 18,000 developers.