Skip to main content

Microsoft outlines new features coming to Windows Phone 7 in 2011

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, keynoting the Mobile World Congress conference on February 14, announced a set of features that Microsoft is promising it will bring to Windows Phone 7 in 2011.

Ballmer also confirmed, as expected, that the first Windows Phone 7 update, codenamed “NoDo,” will be out in early March 2011.

Microsoft’s press release outlining today’s announcements did not specify how many Windows Phone 7 updates Microsoft plans to release this year. Nor did it use the codename “Mango,” which is the first major update for Windows Phone 7, expected to be available on WP7 devices this fall/holiday season. Ballmer did mention “a significant release” due later this year during his remarks, which, presumably, is a reference to Mango.
But Microsoft did announce that the following updates will be added to WP7 in calendar 2011:
  • Twitter integration directly into the People Hub
  • Support for Office documents in the cloud (Skydrive Docs), going beyond the current OneNote integration
  • Dramatically enhanced Web browser experience based on IE9  (IE Mobile 9)
  • A “new wave of multitasking applications” (i.e., third-party applications get multitasking support)
Ballmer (and the Microsoft press release from today) also made no mention of when Microsoft plans to make available to carriers CDMA support. I’ve gotten lots of questions about when Sprint and Verizon will be launching Windows Phone 7 devices. Some had expected the NoDo update to provide CDMA support, but there was no word today whether this will be the case. I’ve noted previously that I have heard CDMA WP7 phones may not be out until this summer.

Update: Microsoft execs say that CDMA support will be part of NoDo. The first Windows Phone 7 devices are coming from Verizon and Sprint should be out in the first half of calendar 2011, a spokesperson reconfirmed today.

Joe Belfiore, the Corporate Vice President of Windows Phone Program Management, emphasized during his demonstrations of an early version of “the significant update” of the Windows Phone 7 code that the IE 9 code on the phone includes the same core IE 9 code that runs on the PC. That means apps and sites designed for IE 9 will run automatically on WP7, he said.

Belfiore also showed off the ability for Windows Phones to integrate with Kinect, allowing phone users to participate in games using their avatars (support for which will be coming at some point down the road).

Microsoft execs declined to comment when I asked whether there will be any WP7 updates between NoDo and Mango. (Not a good sign, I’d say. I’m thinking that means no.) Based on today’s keynote, it sounds to me like anything that isn’t part of NoDo will have to wait until Mango

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LG KS360

The LG KS360 is a slide opening mobile phone which comes with a convenient slide out QWERTY keyboard for all you text & messaging users on the move. The slide out QWERTY keyboard provides an accurate & quick method when writing messages & also has a numeric keypad which is highlighted by a coloured section in the full QWERTY keyboard for when the user wishes to use enter numbers at high speed. The KS360 comes with a touch screen dialling which allows the user to make calls easily with minimal effort. The phone is available in a selection of colours which include black & silver, black & red, white & soft pink or titanium & bright blue. The colour options available are fun & fashionable which will suit all users of this stunning handset but the colour option is your choice. The casing weighs 108 grams & is 16.8mm deep by 101.5mm tall by 51mm wide which allows the user to slip this phone into their pocket or bag when not in use. The screen is 2.4 Inches...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Use of Generator

As the name suggests generators are for generating electricity, thereby ensuring that all your electricity requirements are met. There are several types of generators available in the market differing in their wattage capacity. These generators differ in their price, portability, fuel efficiency, voltage ratings as well as fuel type. Standby generators are a common type of generators that are used to provide backup in offices as well as home. Their wiring is inculcated along with the house wiring. When electrify goes off, the generator unit turns itself on and provide uninterrupted power supply. Go for the one that uses natural gas or propane as it offers you clean, safe and long lasting supply of power. Like other electrical units, generator creates a lot of heat and requires a cooling system so as to main the temperature. These generators can be either liquid cooled or air cooled. Liquid cooled systems are much more dependable as well as quite than the air cooled system. However, the...
Post a Comment
Read more

Advantage of Website Development with PHP

Website design and development have now played a vital role for every business, especially those who preserve their existence in the virtual of the internet. The business is usually boosted with a good quality website but this is not true every time. Nowadays there is war in the world of internet too. The websites via with each other for buyers. Frequently there is a reasonable amount of money involved in designing and development of a website. When it is concerning business, one has to take every step towards dropping costs and mounting sales. There are numerous coding languages for Website Development. One of the most popular coding languages is PHP. Some of the basis for this popularity is as follows. Compatibility is barely any issue with PHP. This coding language is friendly with different server platforms like Linux and Windows. This has a positive effect on the compatibility with the browsers like Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. A PHP based website can be downloaded easi...
Post a Comment
Read more