The mobile operating system update for the Windows Phone, Windows Phone 7.5, or “Mango”, has finally been released.
The upgrade is rolling out globally, including in SA, and Microsoft aims to make the update available to 98% of phone customers worldwide within four weeks.
Microsoft first announced the upgrade in May, promising over 500 new features and a radically updated user interface.
President of Microsoft's Windows Phone division, Andy Lees, says: “One of the things I'm most proud about with Windows Phone is that we took a different approach.
“We looked around and saw that smartphones were largely becoming application launchers, and consumers were left to navigate a sea of icons and a grid of apps. We looked to build all the core things that consumers want to do directly into the phone, and focus it all around people - not icons.”
The phone integrates other Microsoft services, including Bing, Office, Xbox LIVE, Internet Explorer 9 and Windows Live.
“That is truly a huge advantage for us, and it's something I feel incredibly good about. This is not just a product from the Windows Phone Division; this is really about all of Microsoft,” says Lees.
Voice recognition technology also allows for hands-free searches and texting - with text to voice, and voice to text conversion.
Expansion
The initial launch of the Windows Phone 7 was not very successful, and the company was losing market share to its competitors. As a result, the launch of the update has been seen as an opportunity for Microsoft to re-launch the Windows Phone.
Earlier this year, IDC analysts said Nokia's announcement of its shift from Symbian to Windows Phone would have significant implications for the smartphone market.
"Up until the launch of Windows Phone 7 last year, Microsoft has steadily lost market share while other operating systems have brought forth new and appealing experiences," said IDC senior research analyst Ramon Llamas.
"The alliance brings together Nokia's hardware capabilities and Windows Phone's differentiated platform. We expect the first devices to launch in 2012. By 2015, IDC expects Windows Phone to be the number two operating system worldwide behind Android."
According to Lees, Microsoft's partnership with Nokia will help open up the company's addressable market significantly, giving Windows Phone 7.5 a presence in more countries at more price points.
Mango in SA
In terms of the release of the Windows Phone 7.5 update locally, some of the new features will not be available. The Bing integration will not include Local Scout (a highly localised search function).
Microsoft SA also says the local Windows Marketplace is not as large as its US counterpart, which has over 30 000 apps. “However, this is growing rapidly and widely sought apps, such as Whatsapp, are already available for Mango users to download.”
The new Windows Phone handsets, the HTC Radar, the HTC Titan and the Samsung Focus S are also not expected to be available in SA until next year.
Users can check the status of their phone's update on the “Where's my phone update?” table on the Windows Phone Web site.
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