HTC’s first Windows Phone 7 out in November

Looking at HTC’s recent smartphones, you might be forgiven for thinking the handset maker solely supports the Android platform, but those with a longer memory should remember that it was also a strong WinMo 6.5 manufacturer as well, with top-range phones like the HD2 helping to promote Microsoft's OS.

This looks to be following through to the upcoming iteration of the Windows Mobile platform (or Windows Phone 7 as it’s now called) with a leaked roadmap that has managed to find its way into Omio’s hands from a trusted source.

The phone that stands out the most from the map is the as-yet-unheard-of HTC Gold, suspected to be the same phone (Mondrian) that was extracted from a WinPho7 ROM earlier in the year.

No details have been released about the handset, but rumours strongly hint at a 1 – 1.3 Ghz smartphone, possibly using the same Qualcomm Snapdragon as the Desire.

While the appropriate tone for these sorts of rumours is normally one of unrestrained cynicism, the date and method (leaked roadmap) of this one seems to fit with both previous claims from Microsoft and how forthcoming HTC phones are normally leaked.

Interestingly, no mention was made of the HTC Mozart, which was previously thought to be out in October (according to some dodgy looking poster, anyway).

If you’re struggling to work out why a Windows Phone 7 handset is good news for gaming, you can always read our handy guide here.