Click to View

The big news today is the official launch of Windows Vista, Microsoft's five-year in the making PC operating system (OS). But what’s the state of the next version of Redmond’s mobile device platform?

Windows Mobile is due for a refresh during the second half of this year. When this happens, an unconfirmed report indicates it'll occur simultaneously with a significant change in nomenclature.

Pocketinfo.nl says the next edition of Microsoft's mobile OS, code-named Crossbow, will officially be called Windows Mobile 6 when it ships. Not a drastic deviation from Windows Mobile 5. However, it appears the software giant will do away with Windows Mobile 5's Pocket PC, Pocket PC Phone Edition, and Smartphone designations.

Instead, Windows Mobile for Smartphone becomes Windows Mobile 6 Standard, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC Phone Edition turns into Windows Mobile 6 Professional, and Windows Mobile for Pocket PC ends up as Windows Mobile 6 Classic.

Standard, as with Smartphone, will designate Microsoft-based handsets without a touch screen; Professional, as with Pocket PC Phone Edition, cellular-wireless handhelds or smartphones with touch screens; and Classic, as with Pocket PC, the ever dwindling number of new non-cellular wireless PDAs.

This is a significant change: The Pocket PC label first appeared back in 2001, followed by Smartphone a year later. In 2003, Microsoft merged Pocket PC and Smartphone under the Windows Mobile banner.

As leaked pictures of Crossbow have indicated, Windows Mobile 6 will have a sleeker and glossier look than Microsoft's current mobile platform. This includes a pair of Calendar and Contacts softkeys plus Vista-like icons and folders.

In the past, a Microsoft representative said added features in Crossbow would include robust ties to the Office 2007 suite (word processing, spreadsheet, presentation) and a mobile edition of Office Communicator - with instant messaging and other communications applications.

Even before the release of Windows Mobile 6, which isn't supposed to be to radical a change from Windows Mobile 5, there's already been a lot of talk of Microsoft's mobile OS after that. Due for release sometime in 2008, and code-named Photon, this platform is going to be full-blown redesign.

Reportedly, Photon will finally unify the Smartphone (Standard), Pocket PC Phone Edition (Professional) and Pocket PC (Classic) under a single umbrella platform (not just in name). Its interface may be customizable as well. Those who've gotten an early preview of Photon say it allows you to control every aspect of your smartphone from a single screen with one hand.