With Apple and Research in Motion each boasting their sales figure, Windows Mobile users have been wondering about how their platform is doing. The good news: Windows Mobile may actually be the smartphone sales leader. Although Microsoft is the software maker, the diversity of hardware makers, carriers, and equipment and form factors available make Windows Mobile a success, even amidst changing UIs in the OS game. The bad news: Despite success, the Windows Mobile group will endure the brunt of layoffs in Redmond, according to Electronista. And then finally, where is Windows Mobile 7?

Let’s focus on the good news for this article. According to InformationWeek, it is estimated that Apple shipped 17.4 million iPhones between July 2007 and December 2008. Nokia’s business smartphone platform only includes the N Series and E Series, both of which runs the S60 platform based on Symbian. Total for that is about 11 million smartphones. Nokia may have other converged devices based on the S60 platform that may not be accounted for in the 11 million estimate.

So how did Microsoft do? The firm had previously announced that it sold more than 20 million smartphones.

Despite showing its age, Microsoft is still proving that Windows Mobile is a competitive platform.