Mango Brings Major Windows Phone Update

A major update to Windows Phone 7, code-named Mango, is coming later in 2011. Mango adds hundreds of new features and improves the usability and performance of the smartphone platform originally released in Nov. 2010. All existing Windows Phone 7 phones will be upgradable to Mango, and new phones shipped after Mango is released will include the update. A second beta of Mango developer tools is now available, allowing developers to write Mango-based applications and install Mango on Phone 7 phones. Mango could boost Phone 7’s lackluster sales, but Microsoft’s partnership with Nokia is probably even more important to Phone 7’s future.

Phone 7 Struggling So Far

Windows Phone 7 was a complete revamp of Microsoft’s smartphone platform, which was previously called Windows Mobile. Minor platform software updates have already been made available to Phone 7 users (the latest was code-named NoDo), but Mango is the first substantial update. All four major U.S. cellular operators (AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon) now offer Phone 7 models from hardware manufacturers such as Dell, HTC, LG, and Samsung. Phone 7 has also attracted application developers: its Windows Phone Marketplace Hub online store now offers about 25,000 applications.