Details of the Microsoft announcement, which was made at the Mobius 2007 Conference in Amsterdam, are under NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) restriction, and cannot be released to the public based on mutual agreement between Microsoft and Mobius attendees.  What is known about this WM6 update is therefore lacking, though the annoucement does serve to as confirmation that an update is forthcoming.

According to various Internet reports, the update will be available in the first quarter of 2008 and should run on most (if not all) Windows Mobile devices released in 2007.  This update is not Windows Mobile 7, code named "Photon," but an update for Windows Mobile 6, similar to Windows Mobile 2003 SE which was released shortly after Windows Mobile 2003.  Though no other hard information is available, there have been some interesting developments in the past few months which may shed some light on the WM6 update.   

In September 2007, the::unwired revealed that Microsoft had filed a patent for an interface on which the Windows Mobile 6 update may be based.  The patent was entitled "Extensible Filtered Lists for Mobile Device User Interface" and showed a simpler version of the carousel interface seen in the screenshot above. 

An interface based on scrolling selection bars and drop-down options may prove a worthy direction for the Windows Mobile OS, which has employed the same basic menu structure since its introduction.  Such a shift would also position the OS for better competition, at least aesthetically, with new mobile operating systems like that powering the Apple iPhone.

It should be noted that all information concerning Windows Mobile 6 update is currently rumor and has not been verified by Microsoft. 

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