According to various reports, Sprint has delayed the release of the
PPC-6800 from its previously planned launch later this month. The delay may extend all the way to October, in order to launch with EVDO Rev. A access and Windows
Mobile 6 instead of launching with what would have been an
incremental software and hardware upgrade with Windows Mobile 5.0 AKU
3.3 and EVDO Rel. 0 access.
Sprint’s internal rational is likely due to the lack of a built-in updating system for Firmware Over-The-Air. While Windows Mobile 6 includes Windows Update, such support is minimal, and can only update select Windows files. Microsoft has no plans to add Firmware Over-The-Air to Windows Mobile in the near future.
This is a marked departure from the data sheet we reported
on last month which mentioned EV-DO Rev A and Windows Mobile 6 would be provided via software upgrades, in order to avoid delaying the release of the PPC-6800.
