Microsoft takes the wraps off the new Windows Phone 7.5 today. Microsoft claims its mobile phone software is adding more than 500 new features in the update, codenamed Mango, ready to appear on phones such as the Dell Venue Pro and forthcoming Windows phones from HTC, Sony Ericsson and Nokia -- but still no new phones.
Acer, Fujitsu and ZTE will also make Windows Phone handsets, Microsoft said today. But with no new phones announced, we're still waiting for Windows Phone 7 to make a decisive stand against Android and the iPhone -- which have a huge headstart and are showing no signs of slowing down.
Windows Phone now includes multi-tasking. Other features include messages focused on people instead of apps, so you can see texts, IMs, emails and social network posts from the same person in one place, or from groups of people. A combined inbox shows email from all your email accounts in one place.
You can also talk to your phone with speech-to-text features. Internet Explorer 9 and Bing will add more ways to surf and search the Web, borrowed from the desktop versions.
WP7's live tiles will be souped up in 7.5, showing more information on the large bright squares on the home screen.
Our crack team of mobile commandos is at the launch of the Windows Phone update as you read this, so stay tuned for full details and an in-depth preview of the resprayed OS.Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer revealed earlier that Mango would have more than 500 new features. In the same speech he also blurted out that Microsoft's next desktop OS Windows 8 would arrive in 2012, quickly refuted by a Microsoft spokesman as a "mis-statement". Glad to see everyone at Redmond knows what they're doing.
The Mango update will be free to everybody with a Windows Phone -- all four of you. Are you looking forward to the new-look Windows Phone? What features would tempt you away from Android or iPhone? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
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Comments 9
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1000105421 24 May, 2011 16:32
Definitely (looking foward to new-look Windows phone). I'm patiently waiting for Nokia to release handsets to get the best of both worlds: Nokia's experience in making solid handsets, and Microsoft's sleek new phone OS.
nero700 24 May, 2011 16:38
i do believe you mean 7.1 :)
jamesfed 24 May, 2011 18:00
I think they do mean WP 7.1 - 7.5 is the one that most people are calling it but calling it something it isn't is just plain wrong.
Anonymous 24 May, 2011 22:06
I love my Samsung Omnia 7. More features sounds great. All I really want is facebook the same as iPhone with push notifications and games that I can buy once, and play on both my xbox and phone.
madmurdo 24 May, 2011 22:48
should point out im the 5th here with a windows phone. somebody cant count ;)
and for the record i LOVE it! only 17 and turned down an iPod to get one of these. Maybe not the envy of all my apple obsessed friends, but soon will be. Hope they really develp the Xbox integration and DONT AXE ZUNE!!
Grace Aldena 25 May, 2011 10:45
The new features are really awesome but no new phone is down sizing. The multitasking offered by windows is great
Anonymous 25 May, 2011 21:51
now im a little bit more interested but like most people looking forward to nokia maps and the GOOD messaging apps available on android and the iPhone e.g. whatsapp ping chat and Skype etc. Seeing as they just bought skype i'm expecting some brilliant shtuff. have they said anything about additional updates needing new phones or will all windows phones get the same updates all the time? if ms can match the GOOOOD apps the other OS's have then i know what my next upgrade will be.
jaidensmith01 30 May, 2011 12:59
The phone with Windows 7.5 is going to be a real delicacy...i am actually waiting for it....want to explore the galore of applications on it!!
Anonymous 8 August, 2011 10:22
All four of you?