Windows Mobile 6 Naming

Version Name Changes  

With Windows Mobile 6, we are changing the names of the three versions of the operating system from the conventions of past releases, as follows: 

This change in version names will better align the brand with the evolution of the market from traditional hand-held devices to today’s telephony-enabled “smart” devices. The new version names connect the two telephony-based versions of Windows Mobile 6 in a hierarchy which reflects their relative functionality: Standard (optimized for devices without touch screens) and Professional (designed for devices with touch screens). The Classic version of the release is designed for traditional PDA devices, which do not provide mobile telephony.   Windows Mobile is also now powering an increasing variety of device form factors, many of which are blurring the traditional concepts of “phone” and “PDA.” These new device styles and forms factors have rendered the previous Windows Mobile version names (which were based on device form factors) out-of-sync with, and sometimes counter-intuitive to, common marketplace conventions. 

Device Taxonomy and Description Changes 

Along with the new version names, we are officially retiring the terms Pocket PC and Pocket PC Phone Edition. In the future, we will use more conventional terms when referring to Windows Mobile powered devices: we will refer to devices based on Windows Mobile as either smartphones or PDAs.  

 Application Compatibility and Windows Mobile Powered Devices   

There are differences between the Standard and Professional versions of Windows Mobile 6.  These differences mean that applications developed for one version may not operate on devices running the other version. (Classic will run the same applications as Professional.)  It is critical that anyone offering Windows Mobile applications clearly and unambiguously guide their customers to the applications compatible with their specific device. We recommend a very simple approach:  

1. Direct customers’ attentions to their particular device to determine whether or not it has a touch screen.

2. Catalog and/or clearly identify individual applications as compatible with either touch screen or non-touch screen Windows Mobile powered devices.

This approach has the advantage of being effective for both Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6 powered devices, and it does not require customers to identify the specific release (5.0 or 6) or version of Windows Mobile on their devices.

Click Here for Windows Mobile 6 Screenshots!