Windows Mobile Turns Six

Microsoft had been prebriefing news organizations about next week's Windows Mobile 6 launch at 3GSM. Some news operation in Europe chose to break the embargo, which set off a scramble today for news about the software.

Perhaps more interesting than news are reviews, such as the one from PC Magazine. Early on, Sascha Segan's review portends poorly for Windows Mobile 6. The new software is more an "honorable Version 5.5 than a true 6," he writes, adding that "the biggest change with Windows Mobile 6, in fact, is probably the names."

I haven't yet used Windows Mobile 6, but I can say from experience that Version 5 was a marginal improvement over its predecessor. In fact, the lack of real difference disappointed. I had hoped Version 6 would be much better.

Still Microsoft made some fundamental changes to Windows CE, such as major tweaks to the kernel, that will benefit Windows Mobile 6. Windows CE has vaster threading capabilities, which greatly extend the platform's applications handling.

Those changes may not be immediately obvious where customers most interact with the software: the user interface. Windows Vista looks shiny and new, while Windows Mobile 6 is more same `ol, same `ol, at least based on the screen shots.

Yet there are tweaks, lots of them, and enough for Sascha to give the software high marks--and a coveted PC Magazine Editor's Choice.

Maybe the small changes--rather than something much larger--are a factor of development cycles. During the Nov. 30 Windows Vista launch for businesses, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said that "we're doing Windows Mobile upgrades roughly once a year." He continued:

"That's about its cycle time, if you will. And because of the way the software has to go with the phones through a certification process at companies like Verizon and others, we just recently finished a release, but you won't see the results of that in market probably for a little bit longer period of time, not more than a year, but a little bit longer period of time, just based upon the cycle time with the hardware manufacturers and with the wireless operators."

Some of the first Windows Mobile 6 devices are expected in second quarter.

Those new devices will offer improved functionality with Microsoft Office because of Windows Mobile 6 enhancements. More importantly, Microsoft has enhanced some of the online features and capabilities, such as e-mail. It's my understanding the new software is more data-centric than ever.

The importance of the changes cannot be understated from the global perspective. Microsoft is well-aware that in many emerging markets, the first computing and Internet device often is a mobile phone rather than a PC. This phenomenon of "technology skip" is a priority of Microsoft's emerging market strategy; Technology for Emerging Market is a core focus of Microsoft Research India.

If Microsoft can't sell Windows on a PC in some emerging markets, a mobile is a reasonable alternative. Such an approach could even reduce the high Windows piracy profile, because embedded operating systems are more tightly tied to the devices.