14 DAY TRIAL // The next version of Windows Phone is expected to make an official appearance at the Mobile World Congress next month, some of the latest reports on the matter suggest.
Microsoft is expected to present the platform at the event, and should refer to it as Windows Phone 8, in line with the upcoming Windows 8 desktop client.
The Redmond-based software giant has been mum so far on the upcoming platform release, but some details on it did slip out via unofficial channels.
The upcoming OS version is reportedly codenamed Apollo, and is expected to arrive on devices in fall this year. However, Microsoft should start detailing it as soon as next month, ZDNet’s Mary-Jo Foley suggests.
One of the main changes that it will bring along would be the tight relation with the upcoming Windows 8 platform, also slated for a fall launch.
The two have been long rumored to be closely connected, and it appears that it will all pan out soon. Microsoft has designed them on the same core, and this is exactly what will be unveiled at the MWC Show.
A recent post on a Russian forum suggests that Windows Phone ‘Apollo’ uses the Core System from Windows 8.
This is a clear suggestion that the two OS flavors are paired, though it is yet uncertain to what extent.
Windows 8 has been designed with mobility in mind, but mainly with a focus on Tablet PCs. However, it is possible that Microsoft used the same kernel to build the platform for smartphones.
After all, Windows Phone 8 is suggested to resemble more with Windows 8 than it would resemble Windows Phone 7.5, the latest mobile platform release from Microsoft.
This is not the first time such speculation emerges. Microsoft too hinted at plans to offer a “consistent experience” on PCs and smartphones alike.
Nothing has been officially confirmed on the matter for the time being, but it would not come too much of a surprise if these rumors panned out.