14 DAY TRIAL // Redmond-based software giant Microsoft is hard at work with the development of Windows Mobile and it seems that the company is focused on several versions of the operating system. We've already seen a wide range of builds for the Windows Mobile 6.5.1 version leaked into the wild, but now we learn that yet another flavor is being prepared, namely the 6.5.3 version.
The latest Windows Mobile build that emerged into the wild is Build 28002, which is reportedly from the 6.5.3 branch of the platform, and it comes into the wild with a series of user interface polishes, something that one can see from the screenshots available with it. However, an exact list of changes the new build comes around with is not available at the moment.
As WMPoweruser notes, there are no details on why the development process jumped from Windows Mobile 6.5.1 directly to 6.5.3, yet this suggests that the guys working on the platform have made significant progress in bringing it to a more appealing level. The new Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Build 28002 is said to be much faster than the previous ones, which is a good thing after all.
And since all this build numbering and platform versions might become confusing from a certain point of view, the guys over at fuzemobility have stumbled upon an explanation for the numbering scheme, which goes as follows: 212xx = AKU1, all builds leading up to and including WM 6.5 213xx = MOT Motorola 214xx = ???? 215xx = SAM Samsung 216xx = HTC 217xx = COM1, continuing dev of 6.5.0.1 – 6.5.0.40 218xx = COM2, continuing dev of 6.5.0.50 219xx = MD, feature branch (unstable features are added here, backported to 218xx – this tree is based on COM1, so older base os code, but the UX code is newer [user experience]) 22xxx = SEMC Sony Ericson 230xx = COM3, continuing development of 6.5.0.60 234xx = COM4, continuing development of 6.5.1 236xx = LG Electronics
According to the news site, the 230xx builds (a wide range of the previously leaked builds were from this series) are more stable for they are official builds, while the 234xx ones include some of the newest available features, though some of them are experimental, and might be seen as the precursors of Windows Mobile 7.
There is still a lot of work to be done when it comes to the next-generation Windows Mobile 7 operating system, since the platform is expected to RTM only in spring next year, yet we're sure that more details on it will emerge in the near future. In the meantime, take a look at the new Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Build 2800, or head over to the XDA-Developers forum to learn more on it.