It's been a tumultuous couple of months for Microsoft and its phone strategy. But with the Kin distraction settled and beta developers' tools already in the hands of those ready to build apps for upcoming Windows Phone 7 handhelds, now may be just the right moment to take the long view with all things Windows Mobile.

One of those leading the charge for the Windows Phone project is Microsoft veteran Joe Belfiore, vice president and director of Windows Phone program management.

Belfiore owns the software and design (essentially how the phones look and work) for this next generation of Windows phones. He's also busy shepherding the products, which will likely arrive from a number of manufacturers, in conjunction with the software. It's all timed for a release sometime this fall "in time for the holiday season," he said.

We sat down with Belfiore to talk about the Microsoft vision for mobile phones, how some Kin leftovers might or might not make their way into the platform, and what Microsoft has learned from Apple's iPhone 4 and Android's rapid growth. Belfiore also addressed how Microsoft might help grow the Zune Marketplace app library so it can compete with the Apple App Store.