Microsoft has finally smartened up their marketing efforts and will begin calling all mobile phones with Windows Mobile 6.5 and beyond “Windows Phones”. This leverages the existing brand value Microsoft has in their desktop software and therefore mobile product they can readily identify with. Apple has built that name from the ground up with their iPhone and Google has a long way to go in branding Android.

In fact, October 6th could be the beginning of a big shift for Microsoft if they can properly pursue this marketing endeavor. Everyday consumers are confused with what the heck a “Google Phone” is or what it would mean to have a search engine phone let alone Android. But a Windows Phone? That makes immediate sense as any Windows user will likely assume their phone will run a version of Windows for their phone!

The name is one thing and while it is paramount to the brand’s growth and success, we’re more interested on the actual handsets that will be launching as Windows Phones on October 6th. Unfortunately we have no clue what they are or will be and Microsoft only issued a very vague press release:

Microsoft to Deliver New Generation of Windows Phones on Oct. 6
Leading mobile operators and phone manufacturers worldwide prepare to introduce an array of sleek new Windows phones.

REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 1, 2009 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that Windows® phones will be widely available at retail stores worldwide on Oct. 6, 2009. The new phones will be the first to feature Windows Mobile 6.5, the latest version of Microsoft’s mobile phone software, and will deliver new customer experiences through an improved, easy-to-use user interface, better browsing capabilities and access to valuable services, including Windows Marketplace for Mobile and Microsoft My Phone.

“A Windows phone gives people a single phone that works for their whole life, keeping them connected to the people and information they care most about by harnessing the power of the PC, phone and Web,” said Todd Peters, corporate vice president of the Mobile Communications Marketing Group at Microsoft.

Industry Players Rally Behind Windows Phones

Partners from around the globe are committed to updating or expanding their portfolios to include phones with Windows Mobile 6.5.

• In North America: Mobile operators AT&T, Bell Mobility, Sprint, TELUS and Verizon Wireless, and phone manufacturers HP, HTC Corp., LG Electronics, Samsung and Toshiba Corp.
• In Europe: Mobile operators Orange, Deutsche Telekom AG and Vodafone Group Plc, and phone manufacturers Acer, HTC, LG Electronics, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba
• In Latin America: Mobile operator TIM Brazil, and phone manufacturers HTC, LG Electronics and Samsung
• In Asia Pacific: Mobile operators NTT DOCOMO Inc., SOFTBANK Mobile Corp., SK Telecom, Telstra and WILLCOM Inc., and phone manufacturers Acer Inc., HTC, LG Electronics, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba

One Phone for Work and Play
Windows phones are ideal devices for work and play, giving consumers the confidence to get things done with mobile versions of the software they recognize and expect from their PCs. The redesigned Internet Explorer Mobile browser includes a new engine and built-in Adobe Flash Lite support for better rendering and completion of tasks, so it’s easy to do more from a phone, such as check in for a flight, get directions or pay bills while on the go. Microsoft Office Outlook Mobile delivers a familiar, consistent e-mail experience across the PC, phone and browser, while Microsoft Office Mobile allows customers to open and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents right from their phone. With Windows Live on their phones, users can keep track of friends in one place, no matter which social networking sites they belong to — Facebook, Twitter or MySpace Windows Live.

Powerful Mobile Services
Windows phones will debut with two new powerful mobile services so that the information, contacts and applications customers want are always at their fingertips. A wide variety of approved and certified applications will be available for direct download to Windows phones from Windows Marketplace for Mobile, and an easy return policy lets customers buy with confidence. The free My Phone service allows customers to automatically back up and sync photos, music, contacts and text messages from their phone to the Web, making it easy to access and manage them from their phone or PC or restore the information in the event of a lost phone.

A Customized Experience, From Keyboards to Widgets
Windows phones give consumers the choice of a broad selection of form factors from sleek, touch-screen devices to full QWERTY keyboards to make it easy to find a phone that fits their needs. Windows Mobile 6.5 provides easy access to third-party applications such as Facebook, Netflix and Zagat, and an improved, touch-friendly user interface that allows customers to tailor their phone to suit their individual style. With the new version, users can change the look and feel of their phones with designer themes or a personal background and customize their home screen with widgets so the information they need is always easy to find.

Personally I think Microsoft would have been better off waiting until the launch of Windows Mobile 7 to announce the new “Windows Phone” name approach at the risk of having 6.5 – and the newly labeled Windows Phones – being called a failure if they don’t meet an exceed expectations.