Today at CTIA, Microsoft officially unveiled their long awaited update to the Windows Mobile 6 platform.
The update known as Windows Mobile 6.1 actually resembles a completely new operating system in some respects while keeping a familiar face in others. Read More for the complete breakdown and the complete list of carriers and manufacturers committed to the upgrade.
In building Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1, the Windows Mobile divison set out to address common complaints that were found with daily use of Windows Mobile 6. The biggest complaint for new first-time users as well as seasoned veterans was the difficulty of setting up the device properly.
Windows Mobile 6.1 remedies this by introducing the Getting Started Center, an intuitive wizard which will be available from the homescreen and will assisst users with the most common issues such as pairing Bluetooth devices, setting up Wi-Fi connections, and configuring email accounts.
Another complaint was the difficulty in ordering tasks on the homescreen and the need to navigate to different parts of the operating system in order to utilize common functions. Windows Mobile 6.1 now features the most commonly accessed features on the homescreen such as the media player, message inbox, phone, and photo gallery.
Windows Mobile 6.1 also includes features inspired by the iPhone such as zooming in on sections of web pages and viewing complete pages on screen, flagging emails with gestures for mass deletion or movement to other folders, photo zooming, and in a nod to Garnet OS the operating system will now feature threaded messaging for SMS messages.
The rest of the improvements to the operating system also make it easier for large corporations to deploy fleets of devices and ease IT departments fears over information security by providing tighter integration with Exchange Server SP1 and introducing a new management tool known as System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 which helps to manage entire fleets of devices much in the same way Windows PCs would be managed over a corporate network.
Carriers have also expressed a committment to updating current devices. The following carriers will update selected devices from their current Windows Mobile lineup in the US:
- Alltel
- AT&T
- Sprint
The following devices from the aforementioned carriers will be updated:
- HTC Touch
- HTC PPC6800/Mogul
- HTC TyTN II/Tilt
- Samsung BlackJack II
- Samsung ACE
- Pantech Duo
- MOTO Q9c
- MOTO Q9h global
- HTC Touch Dual-ships with 6.1 pre-installed
The following manufacturers will be updating their current devices:
- ASUS
- HTC
- i-mate
- Intermec
- Motorola
- Pantech
- Samsung
- Toshiba
When is it coming out and how do I get it? This sounds like a major improvement from past versions and it is great that carriers and manufacturers are allowing upgrades to current devices and not forcing customers into a $600 upgrade.
It isn’t the first time this has happened, all Windows Mobile 5.0 devices received an update to AKU2 (Service Pack 2, in layman’s terms). However, not all 5.0 devices were updated to AKU3, a much more feature-rich update (AKU2 was more of a bugfix release). In fact, in the past, updates were issued directly to users (back then they were called End User Updates, EUUs). This hasn’t been used since Pocket PC 2002, however.
And no, you won’t be able to update over Windows Update. Windows Update Mobile is really designed for emergency security updates, and that alone… the only other type of update they’ve done is an Office Mobile update. Software in the device can be updated, but not the operating system itself.
As to when it 6.1 comes out, the final code is in the hands of the device makers. They will be compiling and testing the update for the devices. When that is done, it will be handed to the carriers for their testing and approval.
In short, there’s no one answer, it depends on your device, your carrier, and if the update passes approval the first try. As a general rule, it takes at least 90 days from release to manufacturers before the carriers even come close to approving the update. Add 90 days for each time the carriers reject the update.
Some updates have taken nine months or more to be released…
[…] only two news items coming from Sony Ericsson at CTIA were in regard to existing devices. First, as expected, the XPERIA X1 was upgraded to Windows Mobile 6.1. We did get to use it, and it lived up to […]
WOW, this thing is dated towards the begining of this month! I checked for updates about 4 days ago, today being 14 Apr and there’s nothing to get. I am a proud (somewhat proud) owner of a HTC PPC 6800, I really want to modify my phone but dont really have the slightest clue how to. Someone hook a brotha up! Thanks for reading…
Ryan, Windows Mobile 6.1 will be a ROM update. In other words, you will have to download an upgrade program from your PC, it will not be offered via Windows Update.
Has anyone tried to sign in on a forum and post a message on a forum?
WM6 & WM6.1 won’t allow one to post a message on a forum on the internet. WM5 worked perfectly but WM6 is just a browser and not a tool/pc in that way.
Are they aware of this cause in SA no one was until I pointed this out.
Is Windows Mobile going backwards?
Thanks
Martin