In a conference call this morning, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer confirmed to investors that the software developer now plans to release Windows Mobile 7 from its original projected release of 2009 to sometime in 2010, with Windows Mobile 6.5 being launched by the end of the year.
During MWC, Microsoft formally announced and detailed Windows Mobile 6.5 along with confirming its release, while manufacturers such as HTC confirming future device upgrades to 6.5 once it becomes available.
Update: Sources have confirmed to PhoneNews.com that Microsoft field engineers are helping to develop Windows Mobile 7 as a direct derivative of Windows 7, in the same vein as Apple with Mobile OS X. Windows CE development is also being ended, with Windows Mobile 7 being developed in parallel with Windows 7.
What I have learned is that Windows Mobile 7 is not going to be based on Windows CE, but on Windows 7. We had a .NET FE in for some other MS work and he was being put on the project to develop for Windows 7 on mobile devices.
In other words, you are confirming that Mobile 7 is a derivative of 7 proper?
Yes. I am going to be vague, but he was a field engineer, .NET developer, and was being pulled from field support and put on the project to put the full Windows 7 OS on mobile devices. I asked him if it was just Windows 7 CE, and he indicated that Windows CE was being killed, and future versions of Windows Mobile devices would be based on the full OS.
This is fantastic news! I sure hope this is true, because it’s great news.
Two new Windows 7 pricing details revealed……
In anticipation of the big October launch of Microsoft Windows 7, two new announcements regarding pricing have been made – one a good deal, the other, not so much…
The first offer is called Family Pack, which includes Windows 7 Home Premium insta…