Confirmed: Windows Mobile 6.5 to become Windows Phone Starter Edition
By Nilay Patel 
posted February 26th 2010 3:26PM
posted February 26th 2010 3:26PM
Windows Phone 7 Series might have been the big news out of Mobile World Congress this year, but it looks like Windows Mobile 6.5 will live on as the basis of Windows Phone Starter Edition. We'd already heard some whispers to that effect, but now it's been confirmed by ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, who got some answers about the stripped-down mobile OS directly from Redmond. It's obviously designed to be a cheaper alternative for developing and emerging markets, much like Windows 7 Starter on the desktop, and it'll come in versions with and without Office Mobile preloaded when it ships on devices later this year. (Office 2010 will be included when it's officially released.) Here's the odd thing, though: when asked which features of 6.5 have been stripped to create Starter, MS replied with a list of radio support that conspicuously omits HSDPA 3G, but includes EV-DO. Simple typo, or an attempt to force international adoption of WinPho 7 in developed countries with 3G networks? We'll do some digging and find out.P.S.- Just to be clear here, it appears that the family will be Windows Phone 7 Series, and then potentially two WinMo 6.5 products: Windows Phone Classic and Windows Phone Starter Edition. Only Starter has actually been confirmed at this time, though, and we still don't know exactly how Microsoft is going to organize all of this and sell it. We'll keep you updated.
What ever happened to WinMo 6.6?
@JeremyBenthem
Microsoft makes crappy products, so every few years they have to rename them to fool the end user, since word usually gets out... :(
Sense UI was very slow on my tilt2. Using the default windows start menu was much better. However, I got daily lock ups. In fact I ended up installing an app called reboot! The swoosh of the boot up screen is still ingrained in my memory. It also took a long time to boot up.
I tend to browse the web wayyyyyy more on my iPhone than the tilt2. In fact the best windows phone I owned was the win 6.1 xperia x1.
@jaffreywali
Did you get a custom ROM from XDA?
@Sogeking
Yes. I ended up using the default windows today screen and used an app called home screen customizer. To manage the RAM I ended up using HTC Addict RAM cleaner, but it didn't work. Memory would run out even if I did nothing. Just email push would freeze it. I get push email for all my accounts with no problems on the iPhone.
The iPhone is just a better platform. I was one of the biggest windows mobile fan. I owned a dozen phones from the ipaq 6500 to the tilt2.
I am going to go out on a limb and say that I doubt Microsoft will call Windows Mobile 6.5 "Windows Phone Starter Edition", There is absolutely nothing "Starter" about it. And I am going to go out on a limb again and say that Microsoft knows better not to call it that. Please don't make you and I look like a fool Microsoft!
This is rediculous, I love the new Windows Phone 7 Series, but hate Microsoft's brandings. It's like they work so hard to come up with the longest and most complex names for their products :S
They should give this version (6.5) to phone manufacturers for free and then they could sell low end smart phones with lower cost.
If I was drinking at the time I read that title it would have been all over my screen.
Kind of like windows and the 18 different versions of a stupid OS. MS is so lame and so 1990's it's not even funny any more.
@(Unverified)
Mactards are so behind in the times that they're not relevant...or funny any more.
Oh wai-
So wait im a little confused does that mean people with a HTC Pure or Tilt2 with WinMo6.5 will not be able to upgrade to the new Windows Mobile 7?
@Nespy
Yes...not officially anyway. The hardware specs of those phones don't meet the minimum published requriements for the new OS. So, the only way to get that for those models is to wait for xda or somebody to figure out a way to make it happen.
@Nespy I seriously doubt that you will be able to upgrade 6.5 to 7.
@Nespy
I doubt any port to Windows Phone 7 will be possible. If the OS is as similar to the Zune OS as it looks, then it'll be locked down tighter than Fort Knox. The Zune HD itself is almost unhackable.
Cant wait to get my copy of Windows Mobile Series 7 Home Professional Super-duper with cheries on top edition
@MrLinux
Srsly, their names really suck, for one their to long and second to many different strageties at once. MS is so confused at this point, they're just throwing darts on a board now.
Typical MS giving too many versions. I wouldn't be surprised if I see Windows Phone 7 Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate. Ultimate will cost more than the phone itself. XD
Don't get me wrong, I love 6.5, its just I'm craving for 7. I need a new phone, and I'm holding my purchase until phone 7 is out.
Oh btw, they should have named it Windows Mobile Legacy -- it sounds better imo.
Windows phony starter edition.
Woah woah woah - Microsoft is making naming conventions consistent across platforms? What kind of crazy bizarro reverse perverted world is this?
Will the old Zunes be Zune Starter? Will original Xbox become Xbox Starter?
Why the hell would you want a "Starter Edition" OS on your phone?
@DoctarPeppar : What's even funnier is that the Starter edition would be the one with lots of software available, full multitasking, etc that you can actually do things with, while the 'Premium' one is crippled by comparison. Oh, but it has 'hubs'! Whoopee!
@trwrt
Windows phone classic will have all those features. What I was getting at is why you would want starter edition when WPC is going to be available as well.
@trwrt
Also, there's a good chance we can create our own hubs.
Wait until MS announces development info for WP7 to make your judgment about multitasking and the hubs.
@DoctarPeppar
Who the hell knows what Classic will have? At least we know that WinMo 6.5 is a full-featured OS; we don't know if Classic will be as good.
Isn't "starter edition" something that's stripped down to be fast and efficient on lower tier devices? How is WM 6.5 "stripped down to be fast and efficient on lower tier devices"?
from my experience, WinMo can do anything....really. It just doesn't do it very elegantly unless you ROM it. Once you custom ROM a WinMo device, the game changes in favor of WinMo depending on which ROMs you use. But I think that's the problem in and of itself. Why should a user HAVE to resort to custom ROMs and hacks to get a device to work to the best of it's potential? Hence...WinPhone Series 7
@HelghanSuperSniper Dammit, hit the submit button too fast...This "starter" edition sounds like some flim flam way to keep 6.5 alive which doesn't make sense if WinMo Classic aka WinMo 6.5 will still be supported.
What, is Microsoft going for irony? The "Starter Edition" is a better, more full-featured OS than the "full version"!
I'd be willing to get a Touch Pro2 as a backup computer (not giving up my N900, but I wouldn't be opposed to owning two handheld PCs), but I wouldn't touch any windows phone seven appliance with a ten-foot pole.
@jgp
You've used Windows WP7S and know exactly what it's going to be like months before release? Mind telling me who's going to win the Super Bowl next year?
DEAR MICROSOFT... GOODBYE.. FAREWELL... AND NO I WONT MISS YOU
why don't they just name the new versions
Larry.. Mo.. and Curly ... fit like a glove ;)
I'm betting there will be strong demand for WM 6.5 phones for a long time. At least until Android is ready for prime time.
Let's not forget that Windows Mobile is based on a Windows CE core. Windows CE powers a ton of business devices out there, including thin clients, POS terminals, barcode scanners, etc, etc. So Microsoft can't abandon the platform anytime soon, and may as well keep milking Windows Mobile as well.
Stupid MS marketing is stupid... Bad enough they have a starter edition for desktops let alone a freaking phone LOL
Looks like Microsoft is continuing its trend of having 10 different running OS confusing people like they did with Vista and now Windows 7. People that are not tech heads are just going to want to get a simple trendy phone not be confused.
Its pretty simple actually ..... By keeping 6.5 it will allow phone manufacturers to continue making underpowered "crap" phone that don't follow Phone 7's manufacturing requirements.
It would be tough for win 6.5 if apple offers a $99 3gs type phone for multiple carriers. As it is win mo phones are the most expensive and slugglish in their class.
Again, my reference is the tilt2. It' best features were the keyboard - still the best physical one in the industry. But the screen specs while great on paper lacks the contrast of the iPhone screen. I've realized that contrast and ability to handle dark scenes are more important than resolution. Some of these high res mobile screens have poor contrast, including the Droid . Looks great with a bright screen but sucks for viewing video. Point is, win mo 6.5 needs good hardware to be good, but as a starter version will be put on the lowest end hardware - thereby hurting it's prospects even more.
Winmo 6.x will stay up at least few years, because 7 series doesn't suite to corporate needs when switching apple style app delivery. Corporates need to run their own software apps and this model won't allow it.
HTC's sense is also interesting problem, how long can HTC keep up with old rusty 6.x, or will they just satisfy making hardware and add few home tiles or add something to hubs, because that's pretty much what is allowed. OEM's role is bit invisible when screens and UI's are so same. But still, huge improvement from 6.x.
Based on the comments above, I think they should call it WinMo Peckerwood Edition.
I'd stay with "starter edition". At least I can use thousands of applications.....install from memory card, as well as it can run multitasking.
Except WM7 has backward compatibility, can install applications from memory card, and does multitasking, I'd stick with current version.
What'll be the future of WinMo6.5? I mean will it gain developer support?