Microsoft had given a briefing on the upcoming Windows Mobile 6 also known as Crossbow, to a French newspaper on the condition that the information be kept secret until its release which was supposed to happen next week.

In the meantime, the newspaper decided to publish an article yesterday and gave all the details it had learned on Windows Mobile 6. It's quite surprising that Microsoft didn't consider this before sharing all the info with a newspaper seeing how rumors pop out even when no information is given.

So bottom line is that with or without wanting to, Microsoft has in a way pre-announced Windows Mobile 6 quite a few days earlier than intended. The full announcement is apparently still scheduled for the 12th of February.

Also, a few days ago, a Japanese Microsoft employee published a snapshot of what appeared to be a screenshot of Windows Mobile 6 and some information on what the new operating system will include.

Several rumors about Windows Mobile 6 have been confirmed. It looks like the Pocket PC version will display HTML-formated e-mail and include improved versions of the Mobile Office applications.

The smartphone version will bring significant changes and will include Mobile Office applications allowing users to view and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. Windows Mobile 6 will also include a version of Windows Live, enabling users to chat with more than one person at a time, send files or images or record and send voice notes.

After all the leaks and rumors, Microsoft will apparently announce Windows Mobile 6 next week at the 3GSM Congress in Barcelona and according to them, devices running the operating system will be made available worldwide by the second quarter of 2007.