Microsoft's roadmap for Windows Phone was given a possible outline in a rumor Saturday. Tango, the first minor update, was pegged by Digitimes contacts as going live in March or April if Microsoft clinged to its roadmap. The rumored second Tango update would arrive in mid-year.
An escaped internal video for Nokia staff intercepted on Thursday has shown that Windows Phone 8 should be a massive leap, most of all in hardware. The PocketNow view of the clip, which was hosted by senior Windows Phone VP Joe Belfiore, revealed that the update nicknamed Apollo will add multi-core processor support and catch up to Android and iOS. It should also address a longstanding gripe about the lack of easily removable microSD card storage and bring in four new screen resolutions, greatly improving the diversity of phones
Skype product VP Rick Osterloh in a chat (video below) at CES this week promised that Skype for Windows Phone was "coming out soon." He didn't say more, but confirmed that the app for new corporate parent Microsoft was in development. Skype had shown its VoIP app running on Windows Phone as far back as , but it has remained mostly silent until now.
An uncovered roadmap may have solidified Microsoft's Windows Phone update plans. Its first update of 2012, Tango, is now penned in for spring in WMPowerUser's copy. Apollo, possibly Windows Phone 8, would arrive in the fall.
Microsoft's Windows Phone leader Andy Lees is being moved out of his existing role to work on a special cross-platform project, a leaked memo uncovered Monday. CEO Steve Ballmer told staff that Lees was working on a special project for next year that ZDNet understood would involve Microsoft support across PCs, phones, and tablets. The exact details weren't uncovered other than that Windows 8 and Windows Phone would be the key ingredients.
The next major Windows Phone build, dubbed Appolo and carrying the 8 suffix, will arrive in mid-2008, Nokia executive VP of Location and Commerce revealed to Engadget. Michael Halbherr said it will offer many improvements compared to the current Mango (Windows Phone 7.5) build. Halbherr also confirmed earlier rumors that the OS will have NFC support as well.
Windows Phone might repeat history and go without competitive high-end features until Windows Phone 8, according to a pair of tips. Historically accurate MS_Nerd claims that Apollo, WP8's codename, will add a Chassis 3 spec that brings the dual-core processors that Android and iPhone users already have. It should also bring 720p Retina Display-like screens, putting them just on par with the Galaxy Nexus and a handful of other phones arriving soon.
Beliefs that Microsoft would try to unite Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 may have been borne out by Microsoft's own employees. A recently departed Windows Phone program lead's resume mentioned by name early looks into "Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 OS convergence." While it doesn't prove that the next OS (codenamed Apollo) will necessarily integrate the two sides, it hints Microsoft has at least seriously considered the option.
Microsoft's next Windows Phone update, Tango, is focused regaining control of the low-end smartphone market, insiders gave away on Tuesday. The release is expected to be "all about Nokia" and would aim at cheaper devices than what Microsoft's partners can field today. One ZDNet informer expected Tango would center primarily on Asia, which has been underserved so far.
Canadian wireless provider Telus will get the BlackBerry Bold 9900 on August 15, a leaked inventory screen image sent in to BGR revealed. Other BlackBerry handsets, including the Torch 2 and the Torch 9860, are expected to arrive on August 15 and 22, respectively, while the new Curve (Apollo) is coming on August 29. The BlackBerry Orlando will come out on October 1, along with the Bellagio and, supposedly, the iPhone 5.
The forthcoming Blackberry Curve series phone, the Sedona has been spotted for Verizon with a light-up trackpad. The new shots confirm that this is the CDMA variation of the next-gen Curve, which is also be accompanied by a GSM version dubbed Apollo on launch. The shots included below show the device running Blackberry’s next phone OS 6.1, which reportedly still needs to be debugged before an expected May launch at Blackberry World.
RIM's 2011 BlackBerry Curve has been spied in person and has revealed a handful of surprises. The new model, now nicknamed the Sedona, is thinner than earlier phones and uses a new EM1 battery pack to help reach its goal. BlackBerry 6.1 has also been seen for the first time in the N4BB tip and now has an Android-style notification system that details status updates at the top, regardless of which app users are in.
A second BlackBerry leaked today and suggested RIM was becoming more serious about the features of the Curve. Nicknamed Apollo, the long rumored QWERTY bar phone would get a much needed speed update to an Tavor MG-1 800MHz processor to handle the extra load of BlackBerry 6.1, making it faster than the 624MHz chip in virtually every other RIM design. BGR was told it would finally return to high-resolution displays as well with a 480x360 screen that last saw the Curve series with the 8900 in 2008.
Imation started its Thursday with a new set of Apollo hard drives that includes one of the first Wireless USB disks. Called the Apollo Pro WX, the device uses the near-wired speed of the ultra-wideband signal to duplicate the features of a normal USB hard drive without the need to string a cable for the roughly 30-foot range of the standard. The storage is as secure as physical USB, the company claims, and comes with a reportedly unique automatic backup utility that exploits the drive's ability to stay connected without necessarily using an extra USB port.
Imation kicked off the launch of a new storage line today with the Apollo portable drive. The storage designer plans to separate itself from others by producing an especially thin and light USB hard disk that measures half an inch thick and weighs about 0.35 pounds. Outside, the design is claimed to be durable but upscale with a brushed outside and chrome trim. Like most notebook-class external drives, the Apollo takes its power entirely from the USB port and lets travelers cut down on the number of power cords.
