Microsoft will be holding a Windows Phone 7 event later this month, but will it be enough?
It’s generally expected that Microsoft will use this event to show off ‘Mango,’ the code name used for the next great version of the mobile OS. This, after the company just launched Windows Phone about six months ago.
WP7 has an uphill battle to face the least, to say the least. Microsoft is coming in at a time when most consumers are happy with their iPhone or their Android phone. There’s not a lot of turmoil in the market at this moment.
Nevertheless, Microsoft is confident it can remain relevant in this market. After all, it did sign a deal with Nokia, a company that used to power more smartphones than any other company on this planet.
So what will Mango bring to the table?
– Live Agents: A huge improvement to the way Windows Phone 7 integrates with push notifications, Live Tiles, Deep Linking, and Background Agents. This is a developer-centric update that will add new functionality and enhancements to apps.
– Motion Sensor update: Developers will now be able to create augmented reality experiences, thanks to full access to Microsoft’s proprietary motion sensing tools that it previously kept under lock and barrel.
– Technical modifications: Silvelight and XNA will be usable from within the same app, and a new emulator will allow software makers to test out their creations in a more user-friendly environment.
Microsoft plans to push Mango to 35 countries. Meanwhile, however, many users are still waiting for a much more minimal update that was supposed to come out months ago but has been plagued with technical and logistical delays. Those users probably couldn’t care less about a promised future update, but hopefully it won’t be a recurring theme for WP7.
