Microsoft on HTC HD2 WP7 upgrade: HD2 “doesn’t qualify because it doesn’t have the three buttons”

HTC HD2 owners hoping for some good news regarding a Windows Phone 7 series upgrade for the HTC HD2 can it seems now officially lower their expectations to zero.

Microsoft has confirmed, in an interview with APC Magazine, that the device does not meet their very strict criteria for the new OS.

Natasha Kwan, General Manager for Microsoft’s Mobile Communications Business in the Asia-Pacific region, told APC:

“Because we have very specific requirements for Windows Phone 7 Series the current phones we have right now will not be upgradable”; the HD2 “doesn’t qualify because it doesn’t have the three buttons”.

Tony Wilkinson, Business Operations Director for Microsoft Australia, hinted to APC that it may be due to more than that however. “There are some hardware components that the HD doesn’t have”.

Microsoft is hoping to keep Windows Mobile 6.5 in the market as a low cost and enterprise platform however, and hope recent enhancements to the OS will keep it competitive.

“We think there are people who will want 6.5, and the 6.x platform has a lot of enterprise and line of business apps” Kwan said. “A lot of 6.5 applications have been built very much from the old paradigm of the stylus. Those legacy apps will be a lot more compatible on 6.5.3 because we have magnifier technology which lets you use your finger for navigating, even though it has a much bigger surface area.”

Has Microsoft just scuppered future sales of the HTC HD2? Let us know below.