Flagship Phones Shipped With Windows Mobile 6.5

When Microsoft launched Windows Mobile 6.5 in October 2009, it aimed to modernize its mobile platform with a touch-friendly interface and redesigned menus ahead of the complete overhaul that would become Windows Phone 7. Several top-tier hardware manufacturers developed high-end devices designed to showcase this updated operating system. This article highlights the notable flagship smartphones that shipped out of the box with Windows Mobile 6.5 pre-installed, offering premier specifications for their era.

HTC HD2

Widely regarded as the pinnacle of the Windows Mobile era, the HTC HD2 (codenamed "Leo") launched in late 2009 as the definitive Windows Mobile 6.5 showcase. It was the first Windows Mobile phone to feature a massive 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen—a rarity at the time when resistive styluses were standard. Powered by a 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and layered with HTC Sense, the HD2 masked much of the legacy Windows interface beneath fluid animations, weather widgets, and multi-touch capability.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X2

Announced as the successor to the Xperia X1, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 launched with Windows Mobile 6.5 as its native operating system in early 2010. Designed for enterprise and multimedia users, the X2 featured a slide-out tilting QWERTY keyboard, an 8.1-megapixel camera with autofocus and flash, and Sony Ericsson's custom "Xperia Panels" interface to make the underlying operating system more visually accessible.

Samsung Omnia II (GT-I8000)

While early carrier models in select territories briefly tested Windows Mobile 6.1, the global flagship release of the Samsung Omnia II launched specifically to coincide with the official October 2009 debut of Windows Mobile 6.5. The handset featured a vibrant 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED display, an 800 MHz processor, and Samsung's proprietary TouchWiz 2.0 user interface, offering extensive multimedia playback support without the need for third-party file converters.

LG eXpo (GW820)

Released in late 2009 for the North American market, the LG eXpo was a high-spec flagship running Windows Mobile 6.5 straight out of the box. Geared toward business professionals, it paired a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor with a slide-out horizontal keyboard, an integrated fingerprint sensor that doubled as a navigation pad, and an optional clip-on pico-projector accessory capable of projecting presentations directly onto walls.

Acer neoTouch S200

Acer entered the high-end mobile market in late 2009 with the neoTouch S200 (also known as the Acer F1). Shipped directly with Windows Mobile 6.5, it was one of the earliest smartphones to leverage Qualcomm's 1 GHz Snapdragon platform. The device focused on raw performance, pairing its fast processor with a 3.8-inch resistive WVGA touchscreen and a minimalist software skin that provided direct access to the native Windows Mobile 6.5 honeycomb start menu.