Internet Explorer Mobile 6 with Flash, Faster Rendering Debuting Soon

Last spring, Microsoft announced, but did not release, Internet Explorer Mobile 6, a new version of its web browser for devices running Windows Mobile 6.1.

The most obvious enhancement in this new version will be support for new types of embedded streaming video, including Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight.

In addition, there will be a great many changes under the hood, and this application will essentially be a smartphone version of Internet Explorer 6 for the desktop. The current IE Mobile is based on a version of this browser that's over a decade old. 

Coming Soon

The unveiling of this new browser took place at the same time as the initial release of Windows Mobile 6.1, but the new version of IE wasn't included with the operating system update. Instead, Microsoft promised that it would be released later in the year.

The company now says that this browser should begin rolling out in the near future.

According to a Microsoft spokesperson:

We recently gave Windows Mobile device makers the final updates to our new browser. It's now up to our partners to roll out Internet Explorer Mobile 6 on their handsets; we're expecting some of the first phones with IE6 to be available in Asia and Europe by the end of calendar year 2008, with U.S. offerings to follow.

Video Overview of Internet Explorer Mobile 6

Last spring, at the time of the release of Windows Mobile 6.1 and the announcement of IE6, Microsoft's Derek Snyder gave Brighthand a preview of this upcoming browser:

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