The first mobile phones running the new Windows Mobile 6.5 are set to make their debut on October 6th. As expected, they will be branded as Windows phones as Microsoft looks to leverage its Windows brand name.
On Oct. 6th, you’ll see new Windows phones designed for a variety of tastes, needs and price points – with or without keyboards, with or without touch screens, as well as your choice of GPS, accelerometer and high resolution camera.
With Windows Mobile 6.5, Microsoft has made the user interface more touch friendly, improved notifications and updates from e-mail, text and calendar items, included a new version of Internet Explorer Mobile, and added a number of new services like My Phone and Windows Marketplace.
A number of carriers across the world will support the launch and announce new Windows phones on October 6th and later. Among these are AT&T, Bell Mobility, Sprint, TELUS and Verizon Wireless in North America; Orange, Deutsche Telekom AG and Vodafone in Europe; and NTT DOCOMO, SOFTBANK Mobile Corp., SK Telecom, Telstra and WILLCOM Inc. in Asia.
It remains to be seen what if any existing Windows Mobile phones will be upgradeable to Windows Mobile 6.5.
Meanwhile, Microsoft continues to work on Windows Mobile 7 which is not expected until the fourth quarter of next year.