14 DAY TRIAL // Windows Mobile 7, the next iteration of Microsoft's mobile operating system, which should emerge into the wild sometime in late 2010, is expected to include a great deal of enhancements over the previous flavors of the platform. Microsoft has already been reported to plan adding to it features like Zune services, access to Xbox Live, Silverlight, and more, and now we learn that other novelties might also be included with the OS, such as a completely new Central Menu Experience, better integration with Live services, a fresh camera application.
The new details on what Windows Mobile 7 might include come from MSFTKitchen, which brought them to light from searching through LinkedIn profiles. According to the news site (via WMPoweruser), a Program Manager profile on LinkedIn shows the following, “Designed a completely New feature (Central Menu Experience) which is integrated in Windows Mobile 7. Responsible for getting Central Menu Experience features code-ready for CTP release well within specified time-frame.” What the Central Menu System might refer to is something that should resemble Titanium on Windows Mobile 6.5, or the menu system that ZuneHD comes around with.
Other tidbits MSFTKitchen found while searching through the profiles include reference to a “Catalyst For WM Seven” that seems to be “the next version of Windows Live for Windows Mobile. The new Windows Mobile 7 devices will give the richest mobile connection to Catalyst. Catalyst consists of Messenger, Mail, Spaces and Photos. All these applications help user keeping in touch with friends, family, and co-workers.” In addition, reference to a Windows Mobile 7 Camera and Photo Application also emerged, which is also good news.
Moreover, Microsoft is also working on Windows Mobile 7 Outlook development, on the touch gesture support in Windows Mobile 7, as well as on a Window Mobile 7 OS-based Mobile product having QUALCOMM 72xx chipset. In other words, there's a chance that the upcoming operating system would be compatible with older mobile phones, which can only be seen as great news. The platform is expected to RTM sometime in the spring of 2010, while being pre-loaded on handsets starting with late 2010.