subject: Windows Phone Harping On A New User Interface [print this page] Windows Phone is the Microsofts mobile operating system or platform. The other mobile operating platforms include Apple iOS, BlackBerry, Android and Nokias proprietary software Symbian. Since the advent of Windows 7.5 Mango, there has been an upheaval in the world of mobile operating system warfare. Evidently, the Mango has been eating into the shares of Apple and Android by leaps and bounds. Microsoft has very strong line up of OEM vendors/ partners who plan to release Windows based phone namely Samsung, HTC, ZTE, Acer, Fujitsu and Nokia. Amongst these, Nokia stands tall and is head and shoulders above other brands to flood the market with Windows based phone. As a matter of fact, Nokia is the front runner to ship the most number of Windows based phones than any other brand in the world. In the first quarter of 2011, Nokia and Microsoft had entered into strategic alliance where the former confirmed that the focus would shift to manufacturing smart phones powered by Windows 7.5 Mango developed by Microsoft.
In Nokia World 2011, Nokia had announced its first flagship model Nokia Lumia 800 and Lumia 710 both based on Windows 7.5 Mango. Recently, Nokia has launched and added two new Windows based phones expanding the Lumia family Nokia Lumia 900 and Nokia Lumia 610.
Windows 7.5 Mango boasts many a firsts such as this is the only platform to integrate SMS, Windows Live Messenger and Facebook chat. Another first that Microsoft claims is allowing the user to switch instantly between SMS and IM in the same conversation that is found in the Threads card of the Messaging Hub. Another feature that is so much talked about is letting the user to text and email a group of contacts or members from one place (Groups in People Hub). A group can hold a maximum of 20 members.
Windows Phone harps a new user interface popularly known as Metro. Metro has given a new lease of life the home screen which is called Start Screen where the user can pin unlimited tiles. Tiles are shortcuts to applications, games, favourite contacts, email, SMS, favourite songs and even your favourite websites. Tiles helps user to quickly access your favourite content within a snap of a finger. Internet Explorer 9 is integrated and supports HTML 5 and supports tabbed browsing up to 6 tabs. The user who has a Facebook account or profile can chat after logging in the Internet Explorer 9 can chat inside the browser giving you a delightful and seamless PC like experience.
There are other future updates to the Windows Phone 7.5 codenamed Mango too. Amongst the updates, that is very prominent is Windows Phone Tango which is a minor update and officially named 7.5 Refresh slated to be released in April 2012. Windows Phone Tango has the capability to run on low cost variants of Windows Phone with low clock processor and having less RAM.
The next big update is the Windows Phone 8 codenamed Apollo and is for the next generation of Windows based phones and expected release date is slated for Q4 2012. Windows Phone 8 brings in a bouquet of features along with it.
