Windows Mobile 6.5 announced

Microsoft officially unveiled the latest version of its mobile operating system at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009.
The next generation of Windows® phones will be based on Windows Mobile 6.5 and feature a new user interface and a richer browsing experience. There is a web-based service My Phone for people to back up personal infromation and a Windows® Maretplace for mobile similar to iPhone App Store and Blackberry App World.

The most obivious of the new version is the new user interface, which has Zune-like Home screen. It provide a dashboard-like screen displaying important information such as new e-mails, texts, missed calls and calendar appointments (See picture). It also includes an improved touch-screen interface, which is more “finger-friendly” and touchable style type navigation.

My Phone service is quite similar to Nokia Ovi, where people and access and backup information on the phone to Web-based service. If you are to lose your phone you can easily restore the information such as contacts, calendar and photos, etc. It is currently a invite-only beta.

Together with the new version is the Windows® Marketplace for Mobile, where you can search, browse and purchase mobile applications for your smartphone. This seem to be the way to go in the smartphone wars by creating app store.

The bad news is that you will not see this version any time soon. Most likely in the later part of 2009. So watch this space.