WinMo 6.5 to debut Oct. 6 on devices from Verizon, AT&T and Sprint

Microsoft said devices featuring its new Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system will become available on Oct. 6, making its debut on devices from Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Sprint in the United States.

Microsoft has been promising an improved, easier-to-use interface, better web browsing and the introduction of the new Windows Marketplace for Mobile application storefront. Specifically, WinMo 6.5 will feature a redesigned Internet Explorer Mobile browser boasting a new engine and built-in Adobe Flash Lite support for improved rendering and completion of tasks. Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile will deliver a consistent email experience across the PC, phone and browser, while Microsoft Office Mobile will enable customers to open and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents from their phone, Microsoft said.

Microsoft has said it is banking on the new release to bolster its sagging position in the mobile OS market.

"When we started work on Windows phones, we met with people all over the world who were likely to buy a smartphone and talked with them about what's important to them in their phone. Looking at the U.S. market, for example, we found that about 15 million people in the next year will buy a new smartphone. Of the people we talked to, 74 percent listed productivity as the top feature they value in their smartphone," wrote Stephanie Ferguson, Microsoft's Mobile Communications Business general manager, on Microsoft's Windows Blog. "We took this feedback to heart, making the user interface more touch friendly and improving notifications and updates from email, text and calendar items. We also included the latest Internet Explorer Mobile browser and added free services like My Phone to help protect data in the event of a lost phone and Windows Marketplace for Mobile for access to a wide variety of applications for direct download."

For more:
- see this release
- check out the Windows Blog post

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