Mobius 2007: Windows Mobile Overview

By Dieter Bohn
Posted on November 29, 2007 8:39 AM
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Articleimages 2007 10 Images Index 02

So we're deep into the Mobius conference here and it's great to be hearing about what's new and cool with Windows Mobile. Friend of the site (well, we like him, anyway) Jason Landridge presented on a few things that were pretty cool, notably “Oops I'm late” and “Lawn Darts.”

~~Another presenter~~ Windows Mobile Shaman Derek Snyder¹ also showed us the next version of Windows Mobile, and I'm not talking Photon. Good news: It ran quite well on on current hardware and is expected to be given to manufacturers in Q1 of next year. Our take (insofar as we're allowed to have a public take) is that you'll definitely want it, but you probably won't riot if you don't get it. The rest, as Hamlet might say, is ~~silence~~ under NDA.

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Comments (4)

Dieter can't tell me what he saw, but I guess it is something like the rumored changes from this article:

Windows Mobile 6.1 Coming with New Interface?

Posted by marcus | November 29, 2007 8:37 AM

So this is timed to come out just before AT&T finally upgrades to 750 to WinMob 6? That'll put its Palm debut right around Palm Linux's launch window of 2010...

/disgruntled

Posted by Rene Ritchie | November 29, 2007 2:31 PM

So this is timed to come out just before AT&T finally upgrades to 750 to WinMob 6? That'll put its Palm debut right around Palm Linux's launch window of 2010...

/disgruntled

It's actually mixed news. If it goes to manufactures in Q1 2008, they have to test it, implement it into hardware (which sounds like the same) and go back and forth with MS if there are bugs/issues. Then they either have to update ROMs for the lucky bunch who actually get it and/or make new devices. Those then need to get "carrier approved"--another game of back and forth.

I'd be very surprised if you see this before Q2 or Q3 of 2008 (reports are devices will "ship" with it in May 2008).

From PocketInfo.NL (via ZDnet):

The new (Windows Mobile 6.1) interface will be based on the same principle as Windows Media Centre, with a vertically scrolling list and horizontal options…. There will apparently be further improvements in WIFI functionality (squirting?) and bluetooth pairing, and improvements in Exchange 2007 integration.”

Then there is the bigger issue: Photon.

It could be a long wait for Windows Mobile ‘Photon’

The long wait may be due to earlier reports putting "Photon" on at a 2008 release, now that looks likely pushed back to at least 2009 sometime.

6.1 looks to be a stop-gap release between 6.0 and Photon to dress up the OS a bit more, especially with some competition heating up with a 3g iPhone in 2008 (confirmed), Android and (gasp) maybe even PalmOS II in late 2008/2009.

Posted by Malatesta | November 29, 2007 3:41 PM

1: an overabundance of caution caused me to withhold Snyder's name. What he said was under NDA, not who he is. :D :D

Posted by Dieter Bohn | November 30, 2007 2:45 AM