Windows Phone 7 major update: Mango

Microsoft has unveiled a major update (500+ improvements ! ) to it’s mobile platform Windows Phone 7. Platform launched in October 2010 and has seen good momentum in terms of marketplace applications (17000 and counting).     

What Mango has to offer ?

1 Easier communication

·  You use Facebook chat? You use Windows Live Messenger? Now you can switch between them and text within same conversation.

·  Like to send same message to a group of people in one go? Contacts can be grouped into personalized Live Tiles and text, email or IM can be send to whole group that too from the Start screen.

·  This update brings built in speech-to-text and text-to-speech. This would be really useful while driving

2 Improved approach towards apps

·  With App Connect, search results will now include apps. It will be connected to Marketplace, so along with installed apps you will see relevant apps you can download from marketplace.

·  This is one of the most desired features. Phones running Mango will support  Multitasking. Apps will have capability to run in background and one can easily switch between open apps

  3 Mango will come loaded with mobile version of IE 9

·  Browser would have support for HTML5 (latest HTML standard) along with hardware accelerated graphics.

·  Microsoft’s search engine Bing will also see some handy features coming to it. They will include capability to search the web with Voice and for the music lovers, music search will be added   

Another interesting feature will be Bing Vision. You can use your phone’s camera to get information on things around you.

4 Web based marketplace

It will make easier for phone owners to get relevant apps as they can do so on their PC browser in addition to their mobile device. Users will be able to purchase apps using their credit cards and then they can be transferred to the user’s  phone. Apps will have better visibility and promotion as there will be options to share links in mail and recommend on social sites like Facebook, Twitter.

Competition in mobile space is increasing by the day with Apple and Android moving ahead with pace. Microsoft is hoping to chalk out bigger market share in this space. To get to it's goals faster, It has also forged a partnership with Nokia which would use Windows Phone 7 as it's primary OS in future. 

You can check out the Windows Phone 7 based phones here