And Microsoft’s announcement continue. After revealing the company’s first retail tablet device Surface yesterday, the company today revealed information about the next version of its phone series, Windows Phone 8.
The platform update that is coming this fall ships with much needed hardware upgrades that brings the phone in parity with Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS operating system. Most important features include dual and quad core cpu support, three different screen resolutions, removable microSD storage and more.
Existing Windows Phone users won’t receive updates to Windows Phone 8. They will instead receive an upgrade to Windows Phone 7.8 which will bring some of the features to the phone. Other features, for instance those that require specific hardware, won’t for obvious reasons be added to those phones.
It also needs to be noted that all Windows Phone 7.5 apps will continue to work on version 8 of Windows Phone.
Windows Phone 8 Hardware Specs
- dual-core cpu support in Fall, quad-core cpu support at a later point in time
- screen resolutions: WVGA 854×480, WXGA 1280×768, and 720p
- removable microSD support, with app installation support
- Internet Explorer 10
- Common platform with Windows 8
- NFC support for mobile wallet, with security codes in the SIM card
- Bitlocker and Office support
- Skype support
- Customizable live tiles
- Nokia NAVTEQ mapping support
First Verdict
Microsoft focuses on business aspects with integration of Bitlocker and Office, which is a feature that sets it apart from other phone operating systems. Since most business users work in Windows environments, it makes sense to offer programs and features that are known and used widely by users.
The common platform is another great change that is certainly going to benefit Windows Phone in the long run. Think of apps and games that can be developed not only for the Windows 8 operating system, but also at the same time for Windows Phone. Microsoft is using the Windows development community to improve the app-landscape of the phone.
Hyperlinks
I suggest you check out TheVerge’s piece on the phone as it is revealing all the important information that I may not have touched here in this short article.