Tuesday 6 October has been earmarked as D-Day for the launch of the first mobile phones to feature Windows Mobile 6.5. The same day Microsoft will unveil its own apps store, Windows Marketplace for Mobile.
Microsoft said today the new devices will deliver new customer experiences through an improved, easy-to-use user interface, better browsing capabilities and access to valuable services, including Windows Marketplace for Mobile and Microsoft My Phone.
“A Windows phone gives people a single phone that works for their whole life, keeping them connected to the people and information they care most about by harnessing the power of the PC, phone and Web,” said Todd Peters, corporate vice president of the Mobile Communications Marketing Group at Microsoft.
In Europe mobile operators Orange, Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone and manufacturers Acer, HTC, LG, Samsung and Toshiba ready to launch the new devices.
In North America mobile operators AT&T, Bell Mobility, Sprint, TELUS and Verizon along with manufacturers HP, HTC, LG, Sony Ericsson, Samsung and Toshiba will debut the new Windows Mobile 6.5 phones.
The redesigned Internet Explorer Mobile browser includes a new engine and built-in Adobe Flash Lite support for better rendering and completion of tasks, so it’s easy to do more from a phone, such as check in for a flight, get directions or pay bills while on the go.
Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile delivers a familiar, consistent e-mail experience across the PC, phone and browser, while Microsoft Office Mobile allows customers to open and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents right from their phone.
The new Windows phones will debut with two new powerful mobile services so that the information, contacts and applications customers want are always at their fingertips.
A wide variety of approved and certified applications will be available for direct download to Windows phones from Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and an easy return policy lets customers buy with confidence.
The free My Phone service allows owners to automatically back up and sync photos, music, contacts and text messages from their phone to the Web, making it easy to access and manage them from their phone or PC or restore the information in the event of a lost phone.
The new Windows phones will give consumers the choice of form factors from sleek, touch-screen devices to full QWERTY keyboards to make it easy to find a phone that fits their needs.
Windows Mobile 6.5 will provide easy access to third-party applications such as Facebook, Netflix and Zagat, and an improved, touch-friendly user interface that allows customers to tailor their phone to suit their individual style.
With the new version, users can change the look and feel of their phones with designer themes or a personal background and customize their home screen with widgets so the information they need is always easy to find.
By John Kennedy
