Having N950 and having tried WP7, the swipe interface is refreshingly good and miles ahead of WP7's core UI. This is not to say WP7 is bad, but it feels like it's designed by engineers. I think given Harmattan and WP7 devices side-by-side, most people will pick Harmattan. Obviously, this is what NOK-MS don't want to see. Besides, the US carriers are unlikely to pick up a phone that has been announced dead before it's born. So I understand the business decision but it's crap.

WP7 might help NOK survive a little longer, but I don't believe it will propel NOK-MS very far. On the other hand, I still believe N9 has a chance to be successful in Asia...