Windows Mobile

• Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system developed by Microsoft that was used in smartphones and mobile devices, but by 2011 was rarely supplied on new phones. The last version is "Windows Mobile 6.5.5"; it is superseded by Windows Phone 7, which does not run Windows Mobile software. Unlike operating systems for desktop computers, it is usually not possible to upgrade the operating system on a Microsoft based mobile phone via official and legal means, even by a later release of the same basic operating system let alone a different one; hardware replacement is the only way for less popular and older devices.
• Most Windows Mobile devices come with a stylus, which is used to enter commands by tapping it on the screen. Microsoft announced a completely new phone platform, Windows Phone 7, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 15, 2010. Phones running Windows Mobile 6.x will not be upgradeable to version 7.

Most versions of Windows Mobile for Pocket PC have these standard features:

• Today screen shows the current date, owner information, upcoming appointments, e-mail messages, and tasks. (Home screen in later WM6.5 builds)
• The task bar shows the current time and the audio volume.
• Office Mobile, a suite of Mobile versions of Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook Mobile.
• Internet Explorer Mobile, an Internet browser developed by Microsoft for Pocket PC and Handheld PC that comes loaded by default with Windows Mobile and Windows CE for Handheld PC.
• Windows Media Player for Windows Mobile.
• Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), which in mobile phones allows the phone to make its Internet connection available to computers via USB and Bluetooth.
• File system similar to that of Windows 9x/Windows NT, with support for many of the same file types.
• Ability to multitask.

Hardware

There are three versions of Windows Mobile for various hardware devices:

• Windows Mobile Professional runs on smartphones with touchscreens
• Windows Mobile Standard runs on phones without touchscreens
• Windows Mobile Classic which runs on 'Windows Mobile Classic devices' (Pocket PCs). 

Windows Mobile Classic devices (Pocket PC)

Main article: Pocket PC

A 'Windows Mobile Classic device' is a Windows Mobile personal digital assistant (PDA) that does not have telephone functionality. It was formerly known as the Pocket PC. It was the original intended platform for the Windows Mobile operating system. These devices consisted of both standalone Pocket PC devices without mobile phone capabilities, and those that included mobile phone capabilities. The most current name of Windows Mobile intended for use on Pocket PCs is officially "Windows Mobile 6 Professional" for devices with mobile phone capabilities and "Windows Mobile 6 Classic" for devices without mobile phone capabilities.

Windows Mobile Smartphones

Main article: Smartphone

The 'Windows Mobile' (Microsoft's term for its range of smartphones) became the next hardware platform after the Pocket PC to run Windows Mobile, and debuted with the release of Pocket PC 2002. Although in the broad sense of the term "Smartphone", both Pocket PC phones and Microsoft branded Smartphones each fit into this category, it should be noted that Microsoft's use of the term "Smartphone" includes only more specific hardware devices that differ from Pocket PC phones. Such Smartphones were originally designed without touchscreens, intended to be operated more efficiently with only one hand, and typically had lower display resolution than Pocket PCs. Microsoft's focus for the Smartphone platform was to create a device that functioned well as a phone and data device in a more integrated manner.