14 DAY TRIAL // We already knew that Microsoft was working on the release of new Windows Phone platform versions, but no specific info on when they might arrive had been unveiled before.
Today, however, we can have a look at a leaked Windows Phone roadmap that provides more details on the matter.
Following the release of Windows Phone 7 in October 2010 and of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango in October this year, we should see two new platform releases being pushed to users in 2012.
Codenamed Tango and Apollo, they should bring along a variety of features and enhancements, further improving the experience that users can receive from the OS.
The first of them to arrive will be Tango, which is expected to open the door for cheaper Windows Phones, just as rumored before.
Previous reports also suggested that it might be set to bring along LTE connectivity support and some other features as well.
This OS flavor is said to arrive sometime in the second quarter of the next year, much like this year’s Windows Phone NoDo update did.
As for Apollo, it was long said to be the next major release of Microsoft’s mobile OS, one that would arrive on the market as Windows Phone 8.
Among the features expected in this OS release, we can count support for dual-core application processors and HD screens, which translates into the availability of high-end smartphones running under Windows Phone.
With Apollo, Microsoft will finally manage to match the performance levels that Android can deliver today at the high-end of the market, thus increasing the platform’s competitiveness.
The leaked roadmap shows that this OS iteration was set for a fourth quarter release next year. Most probably, we’ll see it made available in October, in line with the major Windows Phone releases so far.
However, nothing was officially confirmed on these for the time being, and it might be a while before Microsoft makes a formal announcement. We’re expecting for some more details to be unveiled during CES or MWC next year, so stay tuned for more.
