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With the launch of Windows Mobile 6.1 at CTIA Wireless last week, many PDA and smartphone users worldwide started wondering when their PDAs and smartphones would receive an update the latest version of Microsoft's mobile-device platform.

While many manufacturers and carriers announced they would provide updates to their current handhelds and handsets, Hewlett-Packard (HP) was not one of them. Turns out there was a good reason for that. According to a report from Brighthand, which spoke with HP's worldwide public relations manager Mike Hockey, HP won't be offering Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrades.

Here's what Hockey had to say:

A series of iPAQs introduced last fall help to bring Hewlett-Packard venerable line of smartphones and PDAs in line with current offerings from other companies. This refresh included Microsoft's latest mobile-device operating system, Windows Mobile 6.0

HP will not be offering an operating system upgrade for currently shipping HP iPAQ devices beyond what ships on the device today -- Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.

This decision comes after having evaluated the potential for delays in firmware and software updates, device recertification, and carry-over costs to our customers that are often associated with an operating system upgrade.

Although HP won't be supporting Windows Mobile 6.1 with current iPAQs, Hockey added it will with future models.

See here for a list of new smartphones with and updates to Windows Mobile 6.1 announced at CTIA.