It's always tempting to root against Goliath, so some Microsoft (MSFT) critics might be excused for quietly cheering the company's missteps in its efforts to sell an operating system for so-called smartphones -- the high-end handsets that offer Internet access, games, and even digital cameras. Smartphones are a small but rapidly growing component of the overall market for wireless phones, which is why Microsoft wants in so badly. But while few doubt the company's ability to create innovative software -- even for something as different from a PC as a mobile phone -- a series of recent stumbles illustrate the challenges Redmond faces as it moves into an already crowded market.
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