Microsoft Moves Users' Mobile Data into the Cloud

According to the latest news on the Web, Microsoft is on its way to unveil three new mobile services next month at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. It seems that the software giant has plans to rival Apple's MobileMe service by means of moving users' mobile data into the cloud.

Back in October, the company announced the Windows Azure platform at its professional developers conference and it seems that it has several new products meant to expand its software and services platform. Some sources close to the software giant pointed towards the fact that the products the company has in the works for this move would be codenamed SkyBox, SkyLine and SkyMarket. Moreover, it seems that Microsoft will add the new offerings to its Windows Live branding.

The first service, “SkyBox,” allows users to synchronize the information on a phone with the Web. The company plans on offering automatic backup and restore services, as well as access and management of phone data, while also providing easy communication and sharing with other users. In addition, the service is able to deliver sync of contacts, calendar items, email/SMS and pictures into the cloud, the same way Apple's MobileMe does. The difference between the two is that non Windows Mobile devices might also benefit from Microsoft's offering.

The second service, “SkyLine,” is targeting small businesses, and its functionality is similar to that of SkyBox. Businesses will be able to set up their phones with their own domain names with Microsoft's Exchange hosting.

The third service, “SkyMarket,” is Microsoft's mobile marketplace, which can be seen as a rival to Apple's AppStore and RIM's Blackberry application center. The service was discovered in September 2008, and it only works with Windows Mobile devices. It is designed to demonstrate the thousands of Windows Mobile applications that are currently available.

At MWC, the software giant is also expected to announce Windows Mobile 6.5. The OS has already been rumored to be tested by device partners and to be announced during the first quarter of the year.