Microsoft’s chief executive Steve Ballmer admitted that Windows Phone 7 could not gain any traction so far.

Speaking at the 2011 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC 2011), Ballmer touted the success of Windows 7 and Office 2010, but he could not tout Windows Phone 7 software as its sales have so far remained anemic.

According to figures released by Nielsen, Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 owns only 1 per cent share of the mobile platform market in the United States.

The figure becomes more pessimistic when we take Android’s and the iPhone’s markets shares into account. Android and the iPhone own 38 per cent and 27 per cent of the market share, respectively.

However, Mr. Ballmer said he was positive about the future of Windows Phone 7. Speaking on the topic, he said, “It’s been a heck of year and you are going to see lots of programs in that market as we move forward,” he said. “Nokia and people in the phone business believe in us.”

Touting Windows 7 and Office 2010, Mr. Ballmer claimed that the two software programs sold more than 400 million and 100 million licenses, respectively, in less than two years.