
As well as looking a lot like Vista, Windows Mobile 6 adds features to devices such as PDAs, Pocket PCs and smartphones that were previously available only on PCs.
Users now have the options to follow web links from within messages, read emails in HTML format, communicate with multiple contacts using instant messaging and edit Office documents much more fully.
Users will also be able to use encryption to safeguard information on the device or on removable media such as SmartCards.
A Voice over IP feature has also been included, although this will not be available immediately.
Microsoft said that it wanted to add in the VoIP software so that it could be activated by phone companies or handset makers at a later date.
Windows Mobile 6, codenamed Crossbow, will launch in the second quarter of 2007.