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Microsoft today announced and previewed Windows Phone 7.1 (codenamed Mango), which the company says will include over 500 new features. Frankly, with everything that is in the update, we're surprised it's not called Windows Phone 8.
The Mango release will be available for free to Windows Phone 7 customers and is scheduled to ship on new phones beginning this fall. Details on device update timing will be provided closer to availability.
Microsoft has a lot slated for Windows Phone. In terms of communications, the company wants to make it easier to connect and share with the following five main features:
- Threads – Switch between text, Facebook chat, and Windows Live Messenger within the same conversation.
- Groups – Group contacts into personalized Live Tiles to see the latest status updates right from the Start Screen and quickly send a text, email, or IM to the whole group.
- Deeper social network integration – Twitter and LinkedIn feeds are now integrated into contact cards, and Mango includes built-in Facebook check-ins and new face detection software that makes it easier to quickly tag photos and post to the Web.
- Linked inbox – See multiple email accounts in one linked inbox. Conversations are organized to make it easy to stay on top of the latest mail.
- Hands-free messaging – Built-in voice-to-text and text-to-voice support enables hands-free texting or chatting.
Microsoft wants to integrate apps directly into the core experiences of the phone. In addition to making it easy to get timely notifications and updates from apps right from the Start Screen, the Mango release will also surface apps as part of search results and within Windows Phone Hubs. Here are the three main app improvements that are coming:
- App Connect – By connecting apps to search results and deepening their integration with Windows Phone Hubs, including Music and Video and Pictures, Mango allows apps to be surfaced when and where they make sense.
- Improved Live Tiles – Get real-time information from apps without having to open them. Live Tiles can be more dynamic and hold more information.
- Multitasking – Quickly switch between apps in use and allow apps to run in the background, helping to preserve battery life and performance.
As for the browser, IE9 is coming. The Mango release will connect the Web to the unique capabilities of Windows Phones, such as location awareness, camera, and access to apps. Here are four online enhancements to look forward to:
- Internet Explorer 9 – A browser based on the powerful Internet Explorer 9 and including support for HTML5 and full hardware acceleration.
- Local Scout – Provides hyperlocal search results and recommends nearby restaurants, shopping, and activities in an easy-to-use guide.
- Bing on Windows Phone – More ways to search the Web, including Bing Vision, Music Search and Voice so it's easy to discover and decide.
- Quick Cards – When searching for a product, movie, event or place, see a quick summary of relevant information, including related apps.
On top of all this, Microsoft has announced new OEM partners: Acer, Fujitsu, and ZTE. Of course, Nokia is also on board, as are the existing manufacturers Samsung, HTC, and LG. Curiously, Dell, which currently makes the Venue Pro, was not mentioned anywhere.
Microsoft also took the opportunity to declare that there are now more than 17,000 apps available on Windows Phone Marketplace. Access to apps will be expanded by launching Windows Phone Marketplace in new countries.
Support for additional languages is also being added. Microsoft has confirmed it will support the following additional languages: Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Swedish.
Last but not least, a beta release of the free Windows Phone Developer tools, which will be used to create the next generation of Mango apps and games, should be posted as a public download to Microsoft's website by tomorrow. It's odd that Microsoft doesn't have it ready yet, but it's possible the company wants to draw out the hype around this update.
"Seven months ago we started our mission to make smartphones smarter and easier for people to do more," Andy Lees, president of the Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft, said in a statement. "With 'Mango,' Windows Phone takes a major step forward in redefining how people communicate and use apps and the Internet, giving you better results with less effort."
User Comments: 41
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Who the hell wants a half eaten apple when u can have a Mango
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Who the hell wants a half eaten apple when u can have a MangoWell, if you don't have an iPhone, then you don't have an iPhone.
(I don't know what that even means, but for some crazy reason, it's been stuck in my head)......
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swing and a miss*Use the "Edit" button.
Whoops.....:o
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500 new features is a lot for a point update. Would have expected Microsoft to call it WP8 or even WP9. I hope that they've also worked out the bugs which plagued the initial update process.
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For once I agree with Princeton.About WP7, must wait, see and play, eventually waiting for Nokia to provide.
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Arris said:
Played with the original WP7 phone in a shop. Can't say I like it and after having been burned by being stuck with a 6.1 Windows Mobile without a single update available for it, I wasn't that keen on adopting WP7. Didn't like the interface in the shop, so went with Android as I'd setup my girlfriends HTC Tattoo with 1.6 and liked it.
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Archean said:
Conceptually it looks like a copy of iOS, and I stand by my observation, and I don't offer any unthoughtful/stupid comments like that without my reasons. As an OS yes Android is a very different animal, but look at the mess a customer can find him/herself into when trying to decide about which one to buy, a good customer experience is never guaranteed. Now about the UI's which telecom companies are slapping on the these devices on top of Android's interface even more compounds the issue. Lastly, 3D vertical scrolling appeared only with gingerbread, which may look cool but that is that.
@aj
Yes it does, my assumption was the same as well, but I am not sure frankly. Also I do have Go Launcher EX, and it is much more stable than the TW UI, but somehow it drains battery a lot faster on my SGS. :o
This is the first time I've ever read someone contradict himself, AFTER contracting himself.
You said:
Archean said: ...but when it comes to OS and user interface, WP7 is well ahead of Android's cheap looking copied interfaceSo, to you, Android's UI is a copied, cheap-looking interface. Alright. But then you say that as an OS Android is a different animal. Ok. By different, you mean, what? I suppose you mean, seemingly different (because it's a given the OS is different than the others), am I correct? So, to you, what is truly cheap looking and copied? The OS or the UI? And if you meant the former, how can YOU tell it is "copied, and cheap-looking?"
But wait, lets just say you meant the latter. You blame it on the manufacturers who put on their UI. Oh you said, telecom companies? Well, around here they are called manufacturers, but let's call them how you call them. These "telecom companies" slap their interfaces on top of Android, so doesn't that mean Android ISN'T cheap-looking, or copied, since these "telecom companies," cheaply copied other interfaces? If that's indeed the case, then it's not Android's fault that customers have a "hard time" choosing a device, but the manufacturers'. Ops, I meant telecom companies.
Android's default interface is compromised of very specific, unique elements such as the notification bar up top, the scrolling 2D (now 3D) App drawer, live wallpapers, etc. Manufactures simply add a flavor of their own, but all the Android native elements remain there. Just because, for example, HTC Sense's launcher is curved, doesn't mean it's a different UI. Sure it's curved, probably a different color and what have you, but the elements, the elements sir, are there, and that's what makes an Android an Android. It is exactly the very reason why, to you they might seem all different, but yet, all Android...?
You love WP7's fast, fluid, and simplistic approach? Great, but please, do us a favor, and don't subjectively judge, specially if you don't know that telecom companies have absolutely no say over design decisions on an Android device.
And about that supposed hard time consumers have choosing an Android device... You should ask yourself, why would they even go through the "trouble?" But I digress...
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Firstly I was only talking about to 'UI', and comment about the look isn't just mine by the way.
Now, I hate to say this but:
1. UI's slapped on top of Android are trying hard to be like iOS. Sense looks slightly better (I've played around with DHD for a bit) but then again it is a subjective issue. Consider this, what if HP/Dell/Sony/Acer etc. start selling their computers/notebooks with Win7 but a customized UI slapped on top of it? It will surely create a similar sort of mess.
2. Second issue is responsiveness; it feels so sluggish at times that it can drive someone to edge of reasoning. I must add, this probably happens due to 'freeware' nature of the OS, everyone grabs it, modify/tweak it according to their own needs which may result in less optimized implementaitons. Hence, there is no uniformed experience. One user may be very happy and another one just might not.
When it comes to user experience, iOS beats Android hands down, why? Because of one simple reason ?ease of use', and well that uniformed experience for every user which Android just can't have.
I don't ?love' WP7's interface, infact I don't love things which can be referred to by using the word ?it'. I do like it for its simplicity and more innovative approach. But do keep in mind it too have its own shortcomings; which are in dire need of addressing, hopefully with next update.
Lastly, my comment about choice was directed towards more ?cheaper' alternatives carrying Android, which can struggle to keep up with the OS. One of the carriers here are offering an IDEOS cell running Froyo, and that phone have a 500Mhz processor in it with 256MB RAM, and it properly feels sluggish most of the time.
So to close this all out, Google need to get control of this situation, and focus more on creating a compelling and uniformed ?user experience' aspect, because that is what sells for longer period of time in the market, not all those fancy names with which they launch their next updates.
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princeton said:
You're still yet to show evidence on how Android copies iOS in terms of the user interface. All you've referenced are third party skins and UIs. There are custom UIs on cydia that make your iphone looks like android gingerbread. Following your logic, that is to say, no logic. I could argue the iphone copies android.
Just face it buddy, your original comment was poorly thought out and was incorrect. Android has NEVER used the side scrolling grid for the apps, had the pulldown menu, uses widget screens before the app screens and a plethora of other differences.
You just said Touchwiz looks like iOS(p.s. touchwiz 4 doesn't) therefore android copies iOS. Now you're trying to change your argument to say that it's an issue with responsiveness and uniformity but that was never part of your original statement.
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How long is, "which came first the chicken or the android" going to continue?
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princeton said:How long is, "which came first the chicken or the android" going to continue?
Until Archean admits he was wrong by saying.
Android's cheap looking copied interface -
I'm sorry, I meant to say, "how long is the, which came first the chicken or the android debacle destined to continue".......
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Archean said:
Firstly I was only talking about to 'UI', and comment about the look isn't just mine by the way.
Now, I hate to say this but:
1. UI's slapped on top of Android are trying hard to be like iOS. Sense looks slightly better (I've played around with DHD for a bit) but then again it is a subjective issue. Consider this, what if HP/Dell/Sony/Acer etc. start selling their computers/notebooks with Win7 but a customized UI slapped on top of it? It will surely create a similar sort of mess.
2. Second issue is responsiveness; it feels so sluggish at times that it can drive someone to edge of reasoning. I must add, this probably happens due to 'freeware' nature of the OS, everyone grabs it, modify/tweak it according to their own needs which may result in less optimized implementaitons. Hence, there is no uniformed experience. One user may be very happy and another one just might not.
When it comes to user experience, iOS beats Android hands down, why? Because of one simple reason ?ease of use', and well that uniformed experience for every user which Android just can't have.
I don't ?love' WP7's interface, infact I don't love things which can be referred to by using the word ?it'. I do like it for its simplicity and more innovative approach. But do keep in mind it too have its own shortcomings; which are in dire need of addressing, hopefully with next update.
Lastly, my comment about choice was directed towards more ?cheaper' alternatives carrying Android, which can struggle to keep up with the OS. One of the carriers here are offering an IDEOS cell running Froyo, and that phone have a 500Mhz processor in it with 256MB RAM, and it properly feels sluggish most of the time.
So to close this all out, Google need to get control of this situation, and focus more on creating a compelling and uniformed ?user experience' aspect, because that is what sells for longer period of time in the market, not all those fancy names with which they launch their next updates.
Such a pathetic response, sir. Why don't you just admit you had a no argument to begin with. Now what does responsiveness have to do with anything? As a matter of fact, I can tell you, from the top of my head: HTC Inspire/Thunderbolt, Motorola Atrix, Samsung Infuse/ Galaxy S II, and so on. ALL of these phones perform better than the iPhone. Now, I'm now going to dwell too much into a now apparently senseless argument; I thought you would bring up a convincing point, but all that you seem to be saying is that you want to replace your current phone with another. You're subconsciously putting this desire for change into baseless arguments, to make yourself believe X phone is superior or that X phone copied the other. It might be, to you, but facts don't lie.
Princeton's reply sums up what I would say, anyway.
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I think you are pitting high end cellphones against the mainstream or low end ones (to which I was referring to), hence your response is rubbish to put it mildly. Now by placing UI elements slightly differently than iOS it doesn't mean they have came up with something genuine IMO. So the resemblance is there, if you don't want to accept it, it doesn't change anything. I remembered reading somewhere that Google stole Android logo from some Atari game, so I spent some time finding that just for you guys, [link] .
Baseless? I think you need to do a bit of research how much issues people face when it comes to Android, the same is true for iphone and WP or other platforms; as we are mainly focusing on android you are taking it bit more ?personally'. So the underlying logic in this may not be easy enough to grasp.
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7.1 speakers on a phone?! SWEET
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princeton said:Archean said:
So the underlying logic in this may not be easy enough to grasp.
Because it isn't there. You claimed that android is an iOS knockoff and that was disproved. Then you just tried to repeat what you're saying over and over to hope it somehow becomes correct.
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