Preview: Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

First look

Microsoft has been talking about a new Windows Phone 7 update codenamed Mango since July this year. However, the company has not yet brought out a product on its revamped Windows Phone 7 version. As per rumors, Microsoft is about to launch a number of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango smartphones by September 2011. But the company has not confirmed the news. However, Microsoft earlier tweeted that its Imagine Cup finalists would be awarded with Windows Phone Mango phones in September.

Windows Phone 7.5 Mango

What’s new?

Though the much-touted Windows Phone 7.5 Mango has been in news since July 2011, Microsoft has not showcased a phone on the platform. Recently, the Windows Phone Dev Podcast predicted the launch of the first line of Windows Phone Mango smartphones by the middle of September. The portal said that it was told by credible sources of the arrival of Windows Phone Mango phones this month. The news has stirred up the technology world, which has been eagerly waiting for Mango smartphones.

What’s been refreshed?

Rumors forecast the surfacing of the first Windows Phone Mango smartphone this month itself. Microsoft has earlier reached in agreements with a number of hardware manufacturers like Nokia, HTC, Acer and many others to manufacture Windows Mango phones. It is not known which of them will uncover the first Mango smartphone.

Features walk-through

Microsoft that dreams to become a leader in the smartphone market has introduced more than 100 features on its Mango update. The company aims to end the dominance of Apple and Google in the smartphone market. Major features of Windows Phone 7.5 Mango are enumerated below.

Free for Windows Phone users: Different from Microsoft’s tradition of selling everything, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango comes free for the current users of Windows Phone 7. Users can experience the fresh software for free of cost on their handsets.

Improved Communications: Microsoft ensures more communication facilities on Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. Announcing the product back in July, the company said its new operating system will take advantage of all facilities to enhance communications among users. For this, there will be smart apps, great social networking and email integrations.

Enhanced Marketplace: Windows Phone has been generally blamed for the lack of apps. Microsoft has so far made it clear that the company is working on to realize an improved Marketplace for Mango. Marketplace is Windows Phone’s apps store.

Better Internet surfing: Microsoft has promised to improve web surfing experience on Windows Mango. The new OS will be up with Internet Explorer 9.0 that will support W3C standards like HTML5, CSS3, XHTML and SVG. Unfortunately, there will be no Flash Player support. A remodeled Bing search engine will be there on Mango.

What’s good?

Mango is one of major operating system updates from Microsoft. It is also the final update to its famous Windows Phone 7. The company is expected to bring out a Windows 8 this fall for both the smartphones and tablets. And so, we can certainly expect a refurbished operating system experience from Windows Phone 7 Mango. Moreover, we are going to get not a single product on Mango. There will be a host of smartphones from various technology makers on Windows Mango making it richer like Android.

What’s not so good?

Lack of Flash: Being one of the biggest downsizes, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango does not support Flash Player. Even if there is HTML5 on its IE 9, lack of Flash Player is a big cutback.

No optimization for landscape orientation: According to Matthew Miller of ZDNet, on Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, start screen and music & videos hub will only work in portrait orientation. There should be a better landscape orientation for the features.

Lack of USB: Mango falls short without a USB drive mode. There should be a USB or other options to transfer Office docs and other files.

Lack of apps: Though Microsoft guarantees a rich Marketplace, lack of apps will hunt Mango too.

Price and availability

Price and availability of Windows Phone Mango 7.5 are not known as the device is only to realize later this month.

Wrap-up:

Microsoft has been in rave efforts to stand up as a major challenge to Apple and Google in the smartphone market. Of course, the company is capable to make inroads into the iOS and Android supremacy. Many believe that Windows OS will be in the second spot after Android by 2015. Whatever it is, the Redmond PC operating system giant is working hard with an aim to gain a grip in smartphone market. Windows Phone 7 Mango will help the company a lot on its way ahead. It is also getting ready to come up with a Windows 8 this fall itself in reply to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and Apple iOS 5.