14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is just about to announce a new version of Windows Phone dubbed Mango, with the company having already revealed that the new iteration will introduce a massive boost in terms of the number of new features, no less than 500.
Windows Phone Mango is scheduled for general availability in the fall of 2011, and will be offered free of charge to users of Windows Phone 7 devices.
According to the Redmond company, Windows Phone Mango will usher in the evolution of communications, mobile applications and the way that WP smartphone owners use the Internet.
Among the enhancements highlighted by Microsoft there are some related to streamlining communications:
- Threads - Will offer users the possibility to swap back and forth between messages, Facebook chat, and Windows Live Messenger, all in the same conversation.
- Linked Inbox is designed to grab content from multiple email accounts and pull them in a single Inbox.
- Hands-free messaging - Windows Phone Mango comes with built in speech-to-text and text-to-speech support.
- Groups – personalized Live Tiles that contain entire groups of contacts. Windows Phone Mango users will be able to send messages, emails or instant messages to entire groups of friends right from the start screen.
- Improved social networking integration – Windows Phone Mango brings better integration with Twitter and LinkedIn and allows users to perform Facebook check-in. The new version of the platform also comes with facial recognition technology that simplifies photo tagging.
Here are some Windows Phone Mango application improvements:
- App Connect – Apps will be connected with search results and integrated into Windows Phone Hubs in order to make access to them easier.
- Improved Live Tiles – Windows Phone Mango will update the info in Live Tiles without the need for users to open any apps.
- Multitasking – applications are now able to run in the background, allowing users to rapidly switch between them. Despite this, Microsoft insists that battery performance will not be impacted.
There will also be Internet-related enhancements in Windows Phone Mango, including:
- Internet Explorer 9 – Microsoft will offer Windows Phone Mango users the possibility to run the Mobile version of IE9, a browser which will feature HTML5 and hardware acceleration support.
- Local Scout will make it easier for customers to find destinations they’re interested in, close to their location.
- Bing on Windows Phone sports enhancements to search including Bing Vision, Music Search and Voice.
- Quick Cards – on specific searches, Windows Phone Mango users will benefit from results including a summary as well as relevant applications.