After a careful analysis of the rapid rising demand for smartphones, Microsoft Corp. announced its expectations for the global unit sales of its Windows Mobile cell phone software.

The optimistic forecast enables Microsoft to expect a growth of at least 50 percent for 2008 and 2009 each.

"Fifty percent growth is the minimum," Eddie Wu, the software company's managing director of OEM embedded devices Asia, told Reuters during today’s press conference.

He added that according to the company’s estimates, by June when the 2007-2008 fiscal year will end, Microsoft expects to sell at least 20 million units, following the 11 million units sold in the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

Mr. Wu also explained that a significant growth has been also noticed in markets like Europe and the United States, aside from the massive success in the emerging markets of Asia, the Middle East, Brazil, Russia and India.

The company’s mobile communications division offers operating systems for smartphones and several other mobile devices which are based on the Windows Mobile platform, with clients such as Motorola, HTC, High Tech Computer, Samsung Electronics and Asustek Computer.

Microsoft’s main competitors include powerful market players Apple, Blackberry’s maker Research in Motion and Palm Inc. Microsoft also competes against vendors like Nokia and LG Electronics which use Symbian-based operating systems.

Global smartphone sales have reached close to 12 million units in 2007, with a 52.5 growth from 2006 and the trend shows no immediate stop.