Microsoft Announces Multi-touch Windows Mobile 6.5.3

Now here’s a surprise: Microsoft has quietly released a significant new version of Windows Mobile 6.5 for Sony Ericsson’s upcoming Aspen handset (pictured), ahead of the expected unveiling of WM 7 at Mobile World Congress next week.

ZDNet has been sent the official feature list and it’s impressive:

• Capacitive touchscreen support
• Platform to enable multitouch
• Touch controls throughout system (no need for stylus)
• Consistent Navigation
• Horizontal scroll bar replaces tabs (think settings>system>about screen)
• Magnifier brings touch support to legacy applications
• Simplified out-of-box experience with fewer steps
• Drag and drop icons on Start Screen
• (Mobile) Internet Explorer Page load time decreased
• IE Memory management improved
• IE Pan & flick gestures smoothed
• IE Zoom & rotation speed increased
• Updated runtime tools (.NET CF 3.5, SQL CE 3.1)
• Arabic read/write document support
• Watson (error reporting) improvements and bug fixes

Is Microsoft back in the game? Not solely with this, but it is a promising stepping stone for Windows Mobile 7. Let’s hope Microsoft gets its finally gets its act together in the smartphone market. After all, the more competition the better…