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Microsoft further detailed the Mango update for Windows Phone 7 at a press conference in New York on May 24, an update that brings 500 new features to the platform, and will take the version number to Windows Phone 7.1, rather than 7.5 as previously rumoured. The release date was left nearly as ambiguous as before – someone in fall.
The biggest change is true multitasking, allowing users to switch between all types of apps, including third party apps, which will continue to work in the background. Andy Lees, president of Microsoft’s Mobile Communication Business, added: “Third-party applications have been freed from their silos…They’re [now] part of the total experience.”
Live Tiles have been improved, enabling better glance-and-go information and notifications. Other changes include a version of Internet Explorer 9 (left) for the Windows Phone platform - apparently faster than any other mobile browser out there, a new unified linked inbox, a thread-based IM aggregator, and a new Groups-based contact system. Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook are all natively integrated.
Also new was the native application – Local Scout – providing real-time local search results and recommendations for dining, shopping, and entertainment, as well as Quick Cards, giving brief descriptions of related apps, events, and products in search results. Improved Bing for WP7.1 also brings Visual Search and Music search to the fore. WP7.1 will also feature App Connect, an improved way to discover apps in web-based searches.
While Windows Phone Marketplace has over 18,000 apps, and has grown rapidly, we can’t help but wonder if it will be enough for Microsoft to carve back a niche in the smartphone market.