Windows Mobile 6.5 due 6 October

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 1 Sep 2009 at 14:30

Windows Mobile 6.5 will be released on 6 October, Microsoft has announced on its blog.

The software giant has confirmed that Acer, HTC, LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba will be producing handsets based on the OS, all of which will appear under the new Windows Phone branding as Microsoft looks to re-establish itself in the consumer market.

"We discovered that most people who carry a Windows phone don't realise it's running Windows Mobile," says Stephanie Ferguson, general manager of Microsoft's Business Experiences Team.

"We also heard from many people considering their very first smartphone purchase that they'd very strongly consider a phone running Windows because it's a brand they know and trust. You'll see us try to simplify our branding so it's easier for people to know when they're carrying a Windows phone and easier to find them in stores," she adds.

The strategy seems wise. Microsoft's current offering, Mobile 6.1, has suffered at the hands of the iPhone and Android-based smartphones and the company will be hoping to claw back customer interest with its latest crack at the mobile operating system market.

The biggest visible change in 6.5 is the revamped menu which can be scrolled up and down to reveal new apps. The interface has clearly been designed with touchscreens in mind and features larger finger-friendly icons, surrounded by plenty of empty space to avoid accidental button pushes.

There's also the latest version of Internet Explorer Mobile, which brings new touch controls for zoom, as well larger back and forward buttons and a touchscreen keyboard. More interestingly, there's full Flash support, which should help differentiate it from Apple's Flashless alternative.

Windows Mobile 6.5 will also come bundled with Microsoft's Marketplace apps store, which will offer users access to 20,000 Windows Mobile applications at launch, according to the company.

Bridging the gap

The release was intended to fill the gap before the arrival of Windows Mobile 7 which will bring gesture recognition and a host of next-generation features. Indeed, Windows Mobile 6.5 was dismissed by Steve Ballmer as "not the full release we wanted... We still don't get some of the things that people want on the highest-end phones. Those will come on Windows Mobile 7."

However in recent weeks, Microsoft has become increasingly bullish about the mobile OS, with Robbie Bach, president of the company's entertainment and devices division, claiming it will offer a better mobile browsing experience than the iPhone.

The company also told the BBC that "our new class of phones sets us up for the future," possibly referring to a new dual OS strategy that will see Windows Mobile 6.5 positioned against budget smartphones, and Mobile 7 pitched at the premium end of the market, spearheaded by the iPhone.

Windows Mobile 7 was originally slated to be released by the end of the year, but has now slipped into the first half of 2010.