Microsoft are to announce the new Windows Mobile 6 platform at next week’s 3GSM trade show in Barcelona, although devices with the new system aren’t expected to ship until spring. There will be three versions — Windows Mobile Professional for Pocket PC (touchscreens), Windows Mobile Standard for smartphones (non-touchscreen) and Windows Mobile Classic (for PDAs without integrated phones).

Windows Mobile 6 is expected to be backwards-compatible with version 5 software, and the article adds another tidbit. Although there won’t be a VoIP application coming standard with Windows Mobile 6, the system will be able to handle VoIP telephony if network carriers / device makers decide to add such support.