Microsoft's Ballmer Defends Windows Mobile

Microsoft may not be giving its mobile users what they want -- at least not according to CEO Steve Ballmer -- but it plans to in the near future.

Ballmer talked up Microsoft's upcoming Windows Mobile 6.5 release Wednesday at the U.S. Public Sector CIO Summit held at the company's headquarters in Washington. Ballmer told the audience that although everything users want is not included in the 6.5 release, it will be in Windows Mobile 7.

An exchange between chief information officers at the summit, however, indicating that their employees prefer consumer-focused devices like Google's Android phones and Apple's iPhone over Windows Mobile devices, made Ballmer admit some delay, while also defending the operating system.

Defending Windows Mobile

Chris Kemp, chief information officer at NASA's Ames Research Center, told Ballmer that it's hard to stand by Windows Mobile when employees are bringing consumer devices into the business environment, according to an exchange reported by TechFlash.

"I'm wondering what your commitment is to continuing to get newer versions of the operating system in our hands so that we don't have to fight this battle on the ground," Kemp said.

Ballmer defended Windows Mobile by saying that, although everything is not included in the 6.5 release, it will be in the next one.

"I would be more shocked if he said the opposite and said 6.5 is where it is at," said Ramon Llamas, an IDC analyst. "Windows Mobile has had some aggressive updates in the last few years."

The 6.5 release, expected to be available this year, was first announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona last month, but has been delayed.

Once it's available, Windows Mobile 6.5 is expected to include a richer browsing experience and new services, including My Phone, which will be used to sync text messages, video, photos and contacts to the Web; and...