The foundation of the Windows Mobile operating system is Windows CE. So when Microsoft updates Windows CE, it means hints to any forthcoming updates to Windows Mobile.
Today’s keynote at the Mobile & Embedded Developer’s Conference (MEDC) revealed details about Windows CE 6. The kernel will be redesigned to deliver an increase in the number of simultaneous application processes as well as the amount of virtual memory that is addressable by each process (from 64MB to 2GB). Windows CE 6 will also support Windows .NET Compact Framework 2.0 and the new Networked Media Device Feature Pack (NMD FP) which will equip Windows CE with a DVR engine and support for Internet protocol set-top boxes (IP-STB) and other networked media devices (NMDs). At the same time, the footprint is expected to remain at about 300KB. Beyond that, little information was made available.
While the new functionality will make its way into future Windows Mobile versions, there was no suggestion as to what timelines we can expect.