IE Mobile 6 situation on Sprint's Treo Pro explained: it's built on WinMo 6.1 AKU 1.4

Not long ago, Microsoft had taken a stand that "existing devices" wouldn't be offered an upgrade to its significantly improved (read: actually usable) Internet Explorer Mobile 6, arguing that current hardware wasn't capable of supporting the new browser's heft. That ultimately proved to be poppycock as cooked ROMs started coming out of the oven with IE Mobile 6 goodness baked right in -- and now that Sprint's version of the Treo Pro has it even though the GSM version seemingly won't be offered an official upgrade, a whole new explanation is in order. Although it does require 128MB of RAM and a 400MHz core, we've now been told that it has more to do with IE Mobile 6's unwieldy footprint -- it's hard or impossible to bundle it into an easy-to-distribute CAB, apparently -- which makes it a better fit for an entire load of Windows Mobile than an update. Occasionally, Microsoft will freshen an existing version of WinMo with a so-called AKU, and going forward, all 6.1 devices to hit the market (including the Sprint Treo Pro, coincidentally) will use AKU 1.4, which includes IE Mobile 6. So there you have it: prior to 6.5, new devices should be rocking the updated browser, but otherwise, start scanning for a cooked ROM -- knowing the community, they shouldn't be that hard to find.

[dsstrainer Posted Mar 4th 2009 10:38PM]

"its significantly improved (read: actually usable) Internet Explorer Mobile 6"

more like

"its barely improved for 1995 (read: worse than PIE5. Now just slower for mobile sites, which was the only thing PIE had going for it. Now there is no good "quick" mobile browser) Internet Explorer Mobile 6"

Until phones get 1Ghz procs with 512MB ram.. there is no point in trying browsers like opera, skyfire, and iris. The phones just fall flat on their face. PIE5 is at least quick for mobile sites like m.engadget.com
PIE6 can't even display that site correctly.

[Zodiac Posted Mar 5th 2009 8:49AM]

I thought WinMo is ancient. No?

[theefman Posted Mar 5th 2009 9:10AM]

DssTrainer, which device have you tested PIE6 on that is an official release and not a hacked rom? Or are you one of the internal testers for MS?