Microsoft Enter the Browser Wars… Maybe

Posted by: Peter Murphy on Sep 28 2008

Who would have thought that after all of this time, Microsoft would actually come up with an update for MIE [Mobile Internet Explorer]. Based on IE6, which is still undoubtedly the choice for lot’s of companies with secure monitored software environments, I mean at work a lot of us are tethered to this older desktop version.
On our Windows mobile devices, MIE is at about IE4. Many users have resorted to third party browsers, Opera, Netscape, and Mozilla come to mind, and there are many more out there still like Makayama Touch Browser, Iris, and of course Skyfire that’s just gone to open beta in the US. 
Now what really gets to me about this, is the fact that Microsoft are so slow, and have really been shown the way by other developers, and their responses to the browsing needs of windows Mobile users are nil. We are still waiting. Apparently, this will be an update of the likes of Mobile Office, something you can download and install, like a patch to your WM6.xx device.

The Unwired seem to have the lowdown on the new MIE, on some sort of very strange screen size. Even the author at the Unwired, airs his doubts about the shots and the update.

So far so good. But some things irritates me: Why does the scrollbars on the right and bottom look like Windows 95 or Windows CE? That’s not the "fresh" Windows Mobile 6.1 style. Also I haven’t seen a single indication of "tabbed browsing" which means Internet Explorer Mobile 6 might still offers a single instance for Web browsing only.

I’m not going to hold my breath, but really, when could we expect the native browser of Windows Mobile to get some class, and save us some money updating third party applications?

Via The Unwired

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