Aug 25, 2011 18:01 GMT  ·  By

As soon as the next flavor of Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system will arrive on shelves, users will be able to enjoy a new set of features and capabilities, that's no mystery.

Microsoft already announced plans to include a number of over 500 new features in Mango when compared to the previous Windows Phone release, and the first handset to include them, the Fujitsu IS12T, is already available for purchase.

However, it appears that there will also be a series of features and capabilities included in Mango that will not be available on all devices.

Some of the handsets should also include front-facing cameras, and that was confirmed once again by Microsoft during their TechED New Zealand conference.

A recent tweet from Windows Phone NZ, an unofficial account that follows the evolution of Microsoft's platform, has unveiled that the Redmond-based company confirmed again the availability of such devices.

Windows Phone Mango will offer support for cameras on the front, which means that video calling capabilities might also arrive on devices running under it.

The said tweet mentions this as well, pointing at the upcoming availability of Skype on Windows Phone with deep integration on the OS and video calling features.

Moreover, we learned that the company was also on its way to bring to the market a Lync Mobile app with similar functionality, one that would be released on other mobile operating systems out there as well, including Android, iOS and Symbian.

The info on the possible inclusion of front-facing cameras on Windows Phone Mango devices might not be new, since details on it were spotted in the Windows Phone 7.1 SDK as well, but more confirmation on this is always welcomed, that's for sure.

For the time being, however, there are no details available on when the first Mango phones with cameras on the front might arrive on shelves, nor on when Skype might make an appearance on the Windows Phone mobile platform as well, but all the necessary details on this should become official in the near future, so keep an eye on this space for updates.