BARCELONA--Microsoft is expected to show off the long-awaited Windows Mobile 7 operating system for smartphones at Mobile World Congress, as the company attempts to resurrect itself in this arena and better compete against rivals Apple and Google.

The operating system will be demonstrated during Microsoft's press conference here Monday, according to several reports. News of Microsoft's plans to talk about Windows Mobile 7 at MWC had been reported by CNET's Ina Fried in late January.

Details about the new operating system are still light, but The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that the user interface will look a lot the one used on Microsoft's Zune HD music player.

Even though Microsoft retains a great deal of market share worldwide in the smartphone category, it has been slipping the past few quarters as others, such as Apple, Google, and Research In Motion, gain ground.

Full story: c|net