Microsoft today showcased the next version of its Windows Phone OS as well as a number of upcoming apps. The presentation was part of the MIX11 conference currently taking place in Las Vegas.
“The next release of Windows Phone represents the evolution of our strategy for ensuring that developers are at the forefront of ‘what’s next’ by investing in even richer customer experiences, a powerful application platform and a thriving ecosystem,” said Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president, Windows Phone Program Management. “We will soon deliver a new set of Windows Phone Developer Tools that will enable developers to create a new generation of apps that are even faster, more capable and better integrated with Windows Phone.”
The next version of Windows Phone 7 will offer features such as:
- Application multitasking for background processing, audio and file transfer, and fast application switching
- Deeper phone integration so apps can, for example, take better advantage of the versatility of Live Tiles
- Access to the camera and Motion Sensor library so developers can build apps that incorporate device hardware and build augmented reality experiences
Among the new applications featured were Skype, Kik Messenger, the augmented reality app Layar, music service Spotify, and Rovio’s Angry Birds. Skype will not be available until the fall (as it will require the Mango update) but the other apps should be available before that, as early as in the next few weeks in the cases of Kik Messenger and Angry Birds.