Barcelona, Monday afternoon: Microsoft finally announces their next major release of Windows for mobile phones (I'm not calling it “Windows Mobile” because that's no longer what it will be called).

The Windows Phone 7 Series, which WM7 will be officially branded from hereon, attempts to start with a clean slate by providing users with a completely new user experience (UX) through its brand new interface design.

Some of the highlights of the new OS include:

• A clean interface built simply by “live tiles”, laid out - and fully customisable - on a scrollable panel;
• Unique use of typography (Arial Narrow?) used for headings, titles, and standard text throughout the platform;
• “Hubs” that offer different user experiences for the many functions and services that are available to users out-of-the-box;
• Improved social networking, media, and gaming capabilities out-of-the-box (Zune-like media treatment, XBOX Live gaming);
• Designed for devices with capacitive-based touch displays; and
• OEM-based customisations (like HTC TouchFLO) will no longer be possible.

I had a short stint with one of their prototypes - and my verdict: the product isn't ready.

It's all very fancy (the unique use of typography, the different types of transitions to simulate pace), and the stuff works as advertised. But the speed and reliability at which the items present themselves isn't something that I'd want to have to utilise on a daily basis.

Don't get me wrong. The Windows Phone 7 Series platform is a definite evolution from previous WM-based releases. But the radical change to a brand-new look-and-feel, setting brand-new expectations for both user and hardware manufacturer, is not going to be a simple feat.

Those Windows Mobile users hoping for something positively major may have gotten their wish today.

Yet, I believe this feeling will only be short-lived, up until the point when realisation finally hits about just how much Microsoft wants to maintain the control and uniformity of its latest OS/UI/UX development. The seemingly lack of customisation available to such devices won't go down well amongst its users, especially those who are currently “comfortable” with their WM device usage experience.

(And even with the list of device partners announced, I am curious as to just how well some - namely, HTC, Samsung and Sony Ericsson, who have already placed huge resources into the creation and customisation of the user experience - will take this. ‘Not entirely positive’, I would think.)

One day, this will come back and bite them hard - mark my words.