You didn't think Microsoft was still around did you? That is, in the mobile phone market. With iPhone and Android emerging as the top mobile OSes, Windows Mobile 6.5 has merely been hanging in the shadows.

Microsoft’s been busy working to play catch up. Later this year they will release Windows Phone 7 with a totally revamped interface. Apparently Microsoft calls it “Metro UI.” Sigh.

Regardless of what that means, it looks pretty great. Lots of flat blocks of color and big type. It actually makes Apple’s stuff look somewhat dated in comparison. Perhaps the flatness is such a stark contrast to the popular effects-laden “2.0″ aesthetic.

Another interesting thing about the layout is the “seamless” pages. For example, the “People” or contact section looks to be one long horizontally scrolling page (you can see how the big titles get cut off as you scroll). Small details like this are risky, especially from someone as big as Microsoft. I hope it makes it to production intact.

All in all, it looks like a very interesting product. I wonder if it’s any indication of where Microsoft design is headed.