Windows Mobile 6 going official by Valentine's Day?

Although we got a small glimpse of Windows Mobile 6 during yesterday's HTC Vox preview, and we've known this thing was coming for a good while, it looks like some textual slippage has revealed that "Crossbow" just might coincide quite nicely with Cupid's weaponry. In a long list of MSDN Events and Webcasts, it looks looked like we'd be hearing all about WinMo 6 from none other than Jim Wilson on February 14th. Of course, the link has now been updated to hopefully cover up the leak, but thanks to Google's caching abilities and a sweet screencap, we've got the proof in front of us, friends. Unless something goes terribly awry, Microsoft will be making this OS official within a matter of weeks, and you can probably still look forward to hearing Mr. Wilson cover the system during his MSDN geekSpeak on Valentine's Day.

[Via Modaco]

[Jonathan Keim @ Feb 1st 2007 2:05PM]

I would love for this and the vx6800 to come out in February. I'm just waiting for my contract to expire so I can pick up my new smart phone

[JeffNLA @ Feb 1st 2007 2:36PM]

I agree WM5 is a total dog. It's like running vista on a 386!

[Ty @ Feb 1st 2007 2:45PM]

So is this free to upgrade or is it like the regular windows OS where you are nickel and dimed to death? I have a blackjack, I would love to have the latest and not so greatest on it.

[Trojan @ Feb 1st 2007 2:51PM]

It is unlikely to be a free upgrade. It's entirely up to each device manufacturer whether they will offer a FlashROM Upgrade to the newest version of Windows Mobile/PocketPC, if it's even possible (sometimes they new versions are larger than the available Flash on older devices).

[adam @ Feb 1st 2007 2:56PM]

its possible to make your own rom images, its just not easy. i know that over on xda developers, people have already made htc wizard wm6 rom images that are working 100% so it would not be hard for cingular/imate/dopod/t-mo/qtek/htc to release a wm6 update for just about any wm5 native device.

[Sam @ Feb 1st 2007 3:11PM]

I wouldn't mind paying for it for my 8525 as long as its not crazy expensive. If they price it out of my range, I may just have to find other ways to get it...

[applesucksLeo @ Feb 1st 2007 3:23PM]

Crossbow put a final arrow into poor Palm-Jobs heart...:)

[p3ngwin @ Feb 1st 2007 3:36PM]

i have an O2 XDA Exec and i have upgraded from WM5 to a custom rom from XDA Developers.
it's a lot better than WM5, doesn't look much different although there are a handful of improved apps and better memory management and some other things polished.
it's really better thought of as WM 5.5 or WM5se :)

also, WM6 has the same harware requirements as WM5, so 64megs rom and 64 megs ram devicesthat can run WM5 can be upgraded to Wm6.

it's just a matter of if your service provider will make a version, highly unlikely. it's better for them to make business by selling WM6 devices and obsoleting the previous devices.

bastards.

[rodrigo ratan @ Feb 13th 2007 7:00PM]

hi p3ngwin, I also have XDA EXEC with the lastest updates (not so fresh) from O2 XDA website. I'm wondering if all my apps will keep existing in the newer version like Camera, Contacts, Mobile Phone, UMTS support and also if my actual 3rd party apps will work like Destinator 6...

[adam @ Feb 1st 2007 3:38PM]

FWIW, i used to have a hp ipaq hx4700 and when they released the wm5 update for that, they charged $40 to purchase it. obviously there are certain ways around it but thats not exactly legal.

i would expect about the same of a wm6 update as far as price goes. hopefully cingular updates the 8125 officially but i kind of doubt it since the 8525 is the flagship and the 8125 is discontinued. i would hope at the least they update the 3125, 8525 and work with samsung and palm for getting the blackjack and 750 updated as well.

[Foof @ Feb 1st 2007 3:44PM]

The WinMob rep at the MS "Start of a New Day" Office07 launch event this week confirmed this. He said:
"We don't know anything about something called crossbow, but if we did, we'd say you'd hear about it no later than Valentine's Day."

[lupinstel @ Feb 1st 2007 5:15PM]

I am sure that women everywhere wait with bated breath, anticipating receiving this from their special someone on Valentines Day.

[xbit @ Feb 1st 2007 6:42PM]

I doubt anyone who digs Windows Mobile will be busy on that date. :)

[granny down east @ Feb 1st 2007 7:43PM]

Yeah, I hear ya, lupinstel. I was actually hoping I could download WinMo6 into my bag phone.
Well, miracles DO happen...

[ug @ Feb 5th 2007 3:42PM]

"it's just a matter of if your service provider will make a version, highly unlikely. it's better for them to make business by selling WM6 devices and obsoleting the previous devices."

This is why I hate smartphones. Forced obsolescence is a joke. You should be able to just buy a CD and load the damn OS onto the phone through USB.

[Sherwin @ Feb 9th 2007 7:40PM]

I just returned from the Microsoft Get Ready seminar here in MN, and was asking the mobile guy about SSL certificate validation changes to mobile phones for Direct Push. He said he cannot comment on future technologies or builds, but that I should wait until Valentines day. I guess this is what he was talking about.