Microsoft, which has been carving a larger slice of the mobile device OS market, is developing a new product, code-named “Crossbow,” which will incorporate features such as instant messaging, a Microsoft executive confirmed Monday.Crossbow will have strong links with Office 2007 and Exchange 12, Microsoft’s pending new office application suite and e-mail server, said Pieter Knook, senior vice president for the mobile devices and telecoms sector. Crossbow would be the successor to Windows Mobile 5.0, released in May 2005.Crossbow will take aim at the Symbian and BlackBerry operating systems. The OS will contain a new mobile version of Office Communicator, an Office 2007 enterprise communications application, which includes instant messaging on public and private networks, Knook said.“As the Office [2007] PC versions of those applications improve, we’re tracking that on the Windows Mobile side,” Knook said. Knook said it’s premature to say when Crossbow would be released, but the company plans for an annual mobile OS release. Mobile operating systems are also complex since operators often must be tested to ensure their systems can work with a new OS, a six- to 12-month delay after a release, Knook said.That process is nearly complete for the push e-mail capability of Windows Mobile 5.0, Microsoft’s slow assault against BlackBerry e-mail that may now start to bear fruit. The company’s new push e-mail capability depended on software upgrades on the telecom operators’ side, as well as new versions of Exchange Server 2003 and Windows Mobile 5.0. Those upgrades are nearly complete, Knook said. “You’re getting to the point right now where this quarter is really where the whole offer comes together,” he said. Microsoft is hoping to nudge BlackBerry aside on costs and convenience for administrators. Knook estimates an enterprise deploying mobile e-mail with 20,000 users could save US$1.5 million in software purchases alone, plus additional costs on licensing over BlackBerry, he said.Microsoft is counting on strong connections with device manufacturers to strengthen its position with those enterprises already using Exchange but with a BlackBerry server. The new push e-mail feature would enable those companies to eliminate the BlackBerry middleware, which also consolidates their support structure, Knook said.-Jeremy Kirk, IDG News ServiceFor related news coverage, read Microsoft Exec: ‘Huge Opportunities’ in Mobile Search.This article is posted on our Microsoft Informer page. For more news on the Redmond, Wash.-based powerhouse, keep checking in. Also, have a listen to CIO Publisher Gary Beach’s podcast on Microsoft’s upcoming operating system, Vista, as well as the topic of open source.Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content opinion Website spoofing: risks, threats, and mitigation strategies for CIOs In this article, we take a look at how CIOs can tackle website spoofing attacks and the best ways to prevent them. By Yash Mehta Dec 01, 2023 5 mins CIO Cyberattacks Security brandpost Sponsored by Catchpoint Systems Inc. Gain full visibility across the Internet Stack with IPM (Internet Performance Monitoring) Today’s IT systems have more points of failure than ever before. Internet Performance Monitoring provides visibility over external networks and services to mitigate outages. By Neal Weinberg Dec 01, 2023 3 mins IT Operations brandpost Sponsored by Zscaler How customers can save money during periods of economic uncertainty Now is the time to overcome the challenges of perimeter-based architectures and reduce costs with zero trust. By Zscaler Dec 01, 2023 4 mins Security feature LexisNexis rises to the generative AI challenge With generative AI, the legal information services giant faces its most formidable disruptor yet. That’s why CTO Jeff Reihl is embracing and enhancing the technology swiftly to keep in front of the competition. By Paula Rooney Dec 01, 2023 6 mins Generative AI Digital Transformation Cloud Computing Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe