Microsoft has previewed the Windows Phone Mango update, which will be available to customers this fall.
According to Microsoft, the update, which was unveiled during an event in New York, was centered around making it easier for people to communicate with Windows Phone. The update also brings faster apps and web browsing.
Apart from making the platform more attractive for users, the Mango update will also make the platform available to more markets. Microsoft announced new partnerships with Acer, Fujitsu and ZTE.
Microsoft said that the Mango update deeply integrates smartphone apps with the operating system. This is possible due to the App Connect feature which integrates apps with different phone functions automatically.
Among the new features Windows Phone will offer, from the autumn, are integrated display of text messages and those on Facebook, improved web browsing and more thorough integration of social networking data with contact information.
New ‘Groups’ functions will also allow mass-messaging, and local search will allow users to, say, book restaurants more easily. Integration with cloud services such as Skydrive will also let users to synchronise documents if they edit them on a PC or their phone.
Microsoft also announced that it now has 18,000 apps on offer, and showcased the new British Airways app, which included improved ‘live tiles’ to provide quick access to information.
The platform will also get faster web browsing thanks to the Internet Explorer 9 web browser with support for HTML 5. Users can also perform visual search using the device’s camera, search for local businesses near their location and even conduct music search on Bing.
“When we looked ahead to the next release, we wanted to stay true to the principles of Windows Phone 7 – that software should get out of your way and quickly connect you to the things that matter most,” said Greg Sullivan, senior product manager of mobile communications at Microsoft.
