Microsoft is to launch the latest version of its Windows Mobile handset platform at the 3GSM World Congress 2007 in Barcelona. The new version aims to make it easier for users to manage information and narrows the gap between smartphone and Pocket PC Phone editions of the software.

Windows Mobile 6, previously codenamed Crossbow, adds support for HTML email messages, enables users to search emails stored on an Exchange server, and improves security by supporting encryption of data on Flash memory cards. Handsets with the new platform will ship in Q2 2007, Microsoft said.

"We wanted to innovate in the way customers use devices, to give the best experience on a small screen and bring the familiarity of the PC experience to mobile devices," said Jason Langridge, Microsoft's Mobility business manager for Europe.

The display in Windows Mobile 6 has been given a visual refresh as part of this, and hotkeys added to support shortcuts on devices with a keyboard.

Key enterprise features in the new platform include the ability to encrypt data held on plug-in Flash storage cards, which can be enforced by policy set by an administrator via Exchange Server. Flash cards can also be remotely wiped along with the rest of the device if it is reported lost.

Windows Mobile 6 now includes Microsoft's .Net Compact Framework and SQL Server, making it easier to support line-of-business applications on handheld devices. Reliability has also been addressed to enable a handset to run multiple applications for long periods without any issues, according to Langridge.
"It's a very powerful engine for business solutions," he said.

Handsets can also access network fileshares and SharePoint repositories without the need to set up a VPN. This feature enables mobile workers to get documents remotely without them having to be sent as an email attachment, Langridge said.

The Outlook client in Windows Mobile 6 can now display HTML-formatted messages, a feature supported on desktop PCs for some time. Users can also look up an email by name, and escalate the search to their entire inbox on Exchange Server 2007 if a match is not found on the handset. Calendar functions have also been boosted with a Calendar Ribbon giving an at-a-glance overview of a user's day, and workers can see if colleagues have accepted meeting invites.

Enhancements to the Office Mobile suite enable Word, Excel and PowerPoint to adjust document content to display better on a handset screen.
The smartphone edition of the platform now includes Office Mobile and has been renamed Windows Mobile Standard, while the former Pocket PC Phone edition changes to Windows Mobile Professional.

Windows Mobile 6 also now integrates Windows Live, enabling users to see all their contacts and presence information showing whether they are signed in.