Microsoft News Tracker

When Steve Ballmer takes a road trip, everybody listens since the wild and wacky guy always seems to spill the beans on something. And so it was last week in Australia when Ballmer revealed that there will actually be a hitherto only rumored 6.5 release of Windows Mobile. Sacha Refshauge at Neowin has the details:

While visiting Australia for Liberation Day, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer spoke of the Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade for next year in his roadmap.

In talking about Windows Mobile 6.5, Steve Ballmer did not go in to specifics but did hint at an improvement in the interface and flow of the software. It is believed, however, that this will be the first release to contain the reported Zune software integration instead of the much delayed Windows Mobile 7 release.

Though there was no specific date given for Windows Mobile 7, it was believed to be scheduled for as late as the third quarter of 2010, two years away.

Which is a considerable slip from the previously rumored delayed date of 2H09. A source tells Neowin that Windows Mobile 6.5 could possibly ship in 1Q09.