Microsoft India has launched new range of handsets from device partners, featuring Windows Mobile 6.5. The company is also debuting two new services to bring added value to consumers — My Phone is an in-built, free service that offers 200MB of online storage to back up all contacts and phone information; and Windows Marketplace for Mobile offers consumers an easy way to find and purchase mobile applications.

Starting at Rs 11,000, the new Windows Phones that are available include Acer Be Touch E100, Acer Be Touch E101, Acer Neo Touch S200, Acer Be Touch E200 and HTC Touch 2. By the end of the year, this will extend to cover over 20 phones featuring Windows Mobile 6.5, including a host of new phones that will be launched by device partners during the next three months, said the company.

“We are delighted to offer the all new Windows Phone, powered by Windows Mobile 6.5 to consumers in India. Windows Phones have been designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s consumer who moves seamlessly between work and play,” said Hemant Sachdev, joint managing director, consumer and online, Microsoft India. “Today consumers want to stay connected and updated on the people and information they care about most, and Windows Phones blend in the best of the Phone, PC and web. A great example of this is the new My Phone service available today, with which users can be assured that their contacts and data is safe even if the device is lost or damaged!”

My Phone is a free service that helps people manage and protect the invaluable information stored on their phone, providing a restore option if the device is lost or damaged. It offers 200 MB of online storage and automatically synchronises a phone’s content to a password-protected Web site. Consumers can also automatically upload photos and video from their Windows phone directly to the My Phone service.

Windows Marketplace for Mobile offers people an easy way to find and purchase Microsoft certified mobile applications for both work and play, while creating new opportunities for developers to reach millions of people using Windows phones worldwide, the company said. People will have access to business applications for work, mobile applications for play and game titles, all of which can be purchased and installed directly on a Windows phone. Windows Phone come with a redesigned Windows Internet Explorer Mobile browser with built in Adobe Flash lite. Further, these phones come with Microsoft Office Mobile.

Microsoft now offers Windows phone Custom Theme Creator which allows consumers to create personalised themes for their Windows phone by choosing the colour and design that suites their style at http://www.windowsphone.com/theme.