In a post on the Windows Mobile Team Blog, Microsoft has announced the availability of the Mobile Internet Explorer 6 emulator for web developers.
The browser is expected to be available at some point in 2009 as a part of Windows Mobile 6.5 and will feature support for desktop rendering, text wrap for portrait-oriented displays, AJAX support and enhanced JavaScript support, deeper search integration, improved cursor navigation, improved touch, gesture and panning support, multiple zoom levels, and easy switching between full/mobile versions by user agent switching.
Update: Windows Mobile team member Kush has confirmed in the comment section of the aforementioned post that IE Mobile 6 will not be made available as a download for current devices running 6.1. Â Instead devices released from now into 2009 will feature the browser.
The reasoning given is a bit complex, as he goes on to state: “Regarding making IE Mobile available as a separate download or update, the rich media experiences that IE Mobile 6 enables require more powerful, advanced devices. That is why it will not be available as an upgrade or direct download for current phones, but rather will be made available on new phones.”
As PhoneNews.com has reported on numerous prior occasions, new Windows Mobile devices historically do not contain considerable advances in performance. In fact, nearly all Windows Mobile 2003 devices could be upgraded to WIndows Mobile 6.1, should Microsoft and device makers compile the update for those devices.
Because Microsoft only profits from the sale of new devices, Microsoft typically forces customers to pay hundreds of dollars for a new phone, instead of purchasing a software upgrade. This process has been cited as generation billions of dollars in e-waste, a toxic situation for both the economy… and the environment. Hackers have also easily bypassed these limitations, releasing Windows Mobile upgrades compiled by the community.
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Microsoft has also indicated that the browser will be available to existing Windows Mobile 6.1 devices. No word on if they will keep to that, however, in the wake of the Windows Mobile 6.5 announcement.
The emulator is using Windows Mobile 6.1.4, so that does indicate that existing devices will still be able to use it.
As I just updated the article, looks like Microsoft is forcing hackers to do their work for them.
Yeah, we’ll just have to cook it ourselves. I’m getting closer to building my own kitchen every day.
PIE6 is a lot nicer, it seems to render flash better then opera does at this point, it is slow, but still it looks promising. I have been running PIE6 on my Diamond since yesterday. and it looks nice. and my Touch, and 6800 today.
It will be good to see what they can come out with next.
Tabs would be great
Faster overall performance would be great (not going to hold breath though)
Should be good. and Look for interesting times ahead.