Microsoft Confirms Clean Slate from Windows Mobile: No Backwards Compatibility on Windows Phone 7

Microsoft has confirmed that Windows Phone 7 Series will represent a clean break from the current Windows Mobile codebase that has formed the basis of Windows Phone Classic.

Because of the focus on Windows Phone 7 Series to integrate newer technologies and platforms such as Silverlight and XNA, existing applications built on the current platform up to 6.5.3 will not be compatible with 7 Series.

However, Microsoft did stress that it will continue to support Windows Phone Classic device and application development for the foreseeable future, as developer Charlie Kindel states that: “[we]will continue to work with our partners to deliver new devices based on Windows Mobile 6.5 and will support those products for many years to come”

Microsoft revealed the details ahead of next week’s Game Developer Conference and its own MIX developer conference in the middle of the month.