MSDN: What's New for Developers in Windows Mobile 5.0

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobility/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/dnppcgen/html/whatsnew_wm5.asp' target='_blank'>http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobility/...hatsnew_wm5.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Windows Mobile-based devices, both Pocket PC and Smartphone, are widely deployed around the world. Much of what drives the popularity of these highly portable devices is their rapidly improving hardware capabilities. These devices now provide high-quality displays, cameras, increased memory sizes, and powerful communications capabilities that were unimaginable not long ago. Windows Mobile 5.0 puts these powerful device capabilities and much more into easy reach of developers."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050512-WhatsNew.gif" /><br /><br />This is a neat article outlining what's new in the developer's side of Windows Mobile 5.0. You'll find information relating to the new APIs, the new features of Outlook Mobile, plus a full breakdown of some of the tools in Visual Studio 2005. If you look hard enough, you'll also see the following: <i>"Windows Mobile 5.0 software for Pocket PCs and Smartphones now share a common CAB format. Sharing a common CAB file format notably reduces the time required to create CAB files and to support the installation process because all device installations are handled through a single CAB."</i> Sweet! :way to go:

[DaleReeck]

While its cool to see the articles about the new features of WM2005, unfortunately most of us won't even get a whiff of the new OS until late this year or next year. Figure about summer/fall for the first new WM2005 devices to come out. And for those lucky enough currently with a device that is going to be upgraded, figure about fall/first quarter 2005 for upgrades. And my guesstimates are probably optimistic.

The only possibility for quicker deployment is that manufacturers already had the update for a while and are already on their way to a complete update (like HTC and their leaked WM2005 upgrade). In that case, it may be only a few months until we see updates. But I suspect it will be later rather than sooner before people see WM2005 updates IMO...

[ctitanic]

so, what about the old cab format? is this means that old programs available in the old format can't be installed in the new WM 5?

[DaleReeck]

so, what about the old cab format? is this means that old programs available in the old format can't be installed in the new WM 5?

Either three things:

1. They changed the SmartPhone format to match the WM2005 format

2. They changed the WM2005 format to match the SmartPhone format

3. They made an entirely new format incompatible with both old PPC AND old SmartPhone software

Hmmm, I wonder which one Microsoft chose to make our lives "easier"? ;)

[ctitanic]

so, what about the old cab format? is this means that old programs available in the old format can't be installed in the new WM 5?

Hmmm, I wonder which one Microsoft chose to make our lives "easier"? ;)

I like your humor :devilboy: :evil:

[huangzhinong]

It's funny, but not entirely new. It just means ( I guess) the new CAB format files can't be installed in the old devices but the old CAB format files can be used in new devices.

[ctitanic]

It's funny, but not entirely new. It just means ( I guess) the new CAB format files can't be installed in the old devices but the old CAB format files can be used in new devices.

that means that we will have to keep using the old format if we want to be compatible with all devices :devilboy:

Sucks!

[The PocketTV Team]

It's funny, but not entirely new. It just means ( I guess) the new CAB format files can't be installed in the old devices but the old CAB format files can be used in new devices.

that means that we will have to keep using the old format if we want to be compatible with all devices :devilboy:

Sucks!

In fact the new CAB format has a big advantage: it is compressed, so the CAB files are about half the size, which is a big gain to install apps OTA (over the air), i.e. directly from a server to the device, using WiFi or GPRS.

Also, the new CAB files can be signed, which will be useful since the new Pocket PC's under WM5 will use a security model similar to that of Smartphone (i.e. apps will not always have the right to run in kernel mode unless signed with a privileged certificate, depending on the security setting of the device).

Also, due to the large number of new API's in WM5, it is very likely that binaries using these new API will not be compatible with older devices (WM2003), because the DLL for those new API's don't exist in older devices, so the app won't be able to resolve some symbols at load time... unless developers use a complicated and dynamically configured set of DLL's to handle all cases.

So you can expect that most apps will have new versions for WM5, and legacy versions for older devices, at least for a couple of years.

The same happened with SH3 and MIPS a few years ago: very few developers still include the old SH3 and MIPS CABS in their setup files!

[ctitanic]

Also, the new CAB files can be signed, which will be useful since the new Pocket PC's under WM5 will use a security model similar to that of Smartphone (i.e. apps will not always have the right to run in kernel mode unless signed with a privileged certificate, depending on the security setting of the device).


Yeah, we have been talking about this wonder here

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=344131#344131

what seems to be a very good advantage for you for me it's not more than a way to sucks more money from us. ;)

[Zidane]

Also, the new CAB files can be signed, which will be useful since the new Pocket PC's under WM5 will use a security model similar to that of Smartphone (i.e. apps will not always have the right to run in kernel mode unless signed with a privileged certificate, depending on the security setting of the device).
The new CABs can be signed, but the security document posted by Microsoft didn't indicate that the WM5 security model will be like SmartPhones. In fact, it differentiated them quite a bit.

As one who's been playing with the system for a little while, I can say that it works more like XP SP2. You'll get a notification about an unsigned application asking you if you trust it. If you do and you tap on "Yes", you never get a warning about that application again.

Now, the document left it open as to whether or not the security model will ever change, but right now, it is not much different from the way things currently work. Please see the quote below:
A device that is one-tier is one where any process that runs, runs trusted. A device that is two-tier is one where a process runs either trusted or normal. On a two-tier device, only privileged applications run trusted.

Currently, Pocket PC only supports one-tier. Smartphone supports either one-tier or two-tier, but the vast majority of Smartphones are two-tier.

[The PocketTV Team]

> As one who's been playing with the system for a little while, I can say that it works more like XP SP2. You'll get a notification about an unsigned application asking you if you trust it. If you do and you tap on "Yes", you never get a warning about that application again.

That's true only when the device is configured in so-called "prompt-mode". In the case of Pocket PC Phones, the network operators may want to set the security of the device to something a bit more secure to prevent hacking of their network by malicious applications. There is no garantee that all the devices will be using prompt-mode. This is the information that I received directly from a MSFT person.

> Currently, Pocket PC only supports one-tier. Smartphone supports either one-tier or two-tier, but the vast majority of Smartphones are two-tier.

Correct, and with WM5, Pocket PC's will be using two-tier, hopefully with prompt-mode, but if you let a non-trusted app run (at the prompt), there is no guarantee that the operator will let the app use privileged API's (i.e. access to the telephone network API), because of security issues.

MSFT is slowly moving to a secured model, but they know that the software community doesn't like it too much, so MSFT moves slowly. So it is likely that most non-signed apps wil still run fine on most WM5 Pocket PCs, but it is also likely that security will tighten in the next version (WM6 ?), in line with longhorn improved security architecture.

[Robert Levy]

Correct, and with WM5, Pocket PC's will be using two-tier, hopefully with prompt-mode, but if you let a non-trusted app run (at the prompt), there is no guarantee that the operator will let the app use privileged API's (i.e. access to the telephone network API), because of security issues.

Unlike Smartphone, Pocket PC only support 1-tier and there is no concept of "privileged APIs on 1-tier. An app either runs and has access to everything or is prevented from running entirely.

[Robert Levy]

so, what about the old cab format? is this means that old programs available in the old format can't be installed in the new WM 5?

Either three things:

1. They changed the SmartPhone format to match the WM2005 format

2. They changed the WM2005 format to match the SmartPhone format

3. They made an entirely new format incompatible with both old PPC AND old SmartPhone software

Hmmm, I wonder which one Microsoft chose to make our lives "easier"? ;)

At a high level, Pocket PC now uses the Smartphone format and legacy CAB files are converted on the fly to the new common format before processing.

It's pretty complicated but I feel really good about our backwards compatibiltiy in this area... not 100% but very very close.

[Jon Westfall]

so, what about the old cab format? is this means that old programs available in the old format can't be installed in the new WM 5?

Either three things:

1. They changed the SmartPhone format to match the WM2005 format

2. They changed the WM2005 format to match the SmartPhone format

3. They made an entirely new format incompatible with both old PPC AND old SmartPhone software

Hmmm, I wonder which one Microsoft chose to make our lives "easier"? ;)

At a high level, Pocket PC now uses the Smartphone format and legacy CAB files are converted on the fly to the new common format before processing.

It's pretty complicated but I feel really good about our backwards compatibiltiy in this area... not 100% but very very close.

Backwards compatibility is a nice perk of this, although I believe most developers will opt to have a legacy install and a WM 2005 Install in their EXE files (As long as the program isn't big to begin with) so to take advantage of the new CAB features. After all, multiple CABs are usually just a headache for a developer, since users will (usually) just download the installer for their device and not give it a second thought.

[The PocketTV Team]

Unlike Smartphone, Pocket PC only support 1-tier and there is no concept of "privileged APIs on 1-tier. An app either runs and has access to everything or is prevented from running entirely.

Ok, but this is basically a non-secured environment, i.e. any application can access all the API's including the privileged ones.

My understanding is that some operators do not like that, and they are pushing to get a greater level of security on the Pocket PC, especially those that have network and/or phone capabilities. Am I correct ?

So Robert, you are saying WM5 Pocket PC will basically use the same model as current Pocket PC's, except that is an app is not signed, the users will be prompted, correct ?

You are saying that MSFT will not allow any WM5 Pocket PC to REQUIRE signature, correct ?

Manufacturers and Operators will be REQUIRED to use the prompt mode, correct ?

Unsigned apps will be capable to run in kernel mode on all WM5 Pocket PC's if the user accepts at the install prompt, correct ?

[Robert Levy]

You are saying that MSFT will not allow any WM5 Pocket PC to REQUIRE signature, correct ?
Manufacturers and Operators will be REQUIRED to use the prompt mode, correct ?

No. It's technicaly possible and allowed for an OEM or operator to ship a Pocket PC that only allows signed apps to run. But that would break every existing Pocket PC app so it's very unlikely that this would ever happen on a consumer-oriented Windows Mobile 5.0 device.

The 1-tier model is mainly for enabling enterprises to lock down their own devices.
So Robert, you are saying WM5 Pocket PC will basically use the same model as current Pocket PC's, except that is an app is not signed, the users will be prompted, correct ?
Unsigned apps will be capable to run in kernel mode on all WM5 Pocket PC's if the user accepts at the install prompt, correct ?
That's an accurate way of describing our default/recommended configuration. Exlcuding devices deployed in an enterprise that has explicitly locked down the device, it's a safe bet that all Windows Mobile 5.0 devices will go with this default.

[The PocketTV Team]

Cool, so it will continue be easy to hack operators networks from Pocket PC's :)

And Pocket PC phones, which seem to be growing in popularity, will remain very unsecure (compared to Smartphones), i.e. any un-signed app (e.g. a apparently inoccuous little freeware) can access your private contacts information, even if you lock your device with a PIN code.

Interesting...

[Pete Wilson]

I haven't noticed anyone mentioning having to buy the development environment. It appears like asp.net (Web Matrix), the future of Windows Mobile is paying Microsoft?

[The PocketTV Team]

Correct, developers will have to use Visual Studio 2005, which is not free.