14 DAY TRIAL // On Tuesday, Redmond-based software giant Microsoft announced more info on the next release of its Windows Phone operating system, dubbed Mango, and also made available for download a new flavor of its Windows Phone Developer Tools.
Available only in beta for the time being, the new developer tools should provide application builders with access to more phone resources than before, through the inclusion of support for more APIs.
With the new tools, developers should be able to get ready for the next Windows Phone OS release, set to bring a wide range of new features into the mix.
Here are some of the main enhancements that developers would benefit from with the new tools:
- Background processing - New profiler and emulator for testing - Use of Silverlight + XNA together - Silverlight 4 - IE9 web browser control - Live Tile enhancements: use of back of tiles and ability to update Live Tiles locally - Deep linking into apps from notifications and Live Tiles - Additional sensors; direct camera access, compass & gyro - Fast application switching - Networking / sockets for communications - Local SQL database for structured storage - Access to calendar and contacts for apps Moreover, the next release of the platform would arrive on shelves with support for new ways in which users can interact with the applications on their devices.
According to Microsoft, apps in Mango would extend the Windows Phone design system, and should remain engaged with the customer, as well as contextually relevant.
Applications would interact with Bing Search, Pictures and Music & Video experiences, and would also benefit from new functionalities added to the Live Tiles on the Start screen.
“For example, with Bing Search, when searching for products, movies, events or places, the customer will see among the results a link to a 'Quick Card' for that specific search,” Matt Bencke, General Manager, Windows Phone Developer and Marketplace Experiences, explains.
“That card contains an 'apps' panel (formerly known as the 'extras' panel). This panel will display both installed and non-installed apps associated with that search query term. This is just one example of how the app experience is different on a Windows Phone in ways that give you a unique opportunity.”
At the same time, Mango would bring forth new manners in which users can find applications, while improving the ways in which applications in the Marketplaces are merchandised.
Those of you who would like to get started with the development of applications for the Windows Phone platform would find the new Developers Tools 7.1 beta available for download on Softpedia as well, via this link.