Windows Phone 8
While the world waits with bated breath for the new iPhone later this year, we haven’t got much longer to wait for the newest Windows Phone knowsn Windows Phone 8 Apollo to hit stores around the world, with more details released including the much anticipated release date.
The guys at Microsoft have finally given a statement regarding Windows Phone 8 – also known as ‘Apollo’ – at the summit last week, but they haven’t given potential customers as much as they hoped for. Many were anticipating a full scale announcement regarding the specification, but the manufacturers opted to give more of a glimpse than an unveiling.
Windows Phone 8 Image:
The one main problem that Microsoft have had with the Windows Phone over the years hasn’t been attracting customers away from the likes of the iPhone, Blackberry and Samsung Galaxy, but in actually selling the phones themselves. Customers who have bought the phones have been impressed and stayed relatively loyal to the brand, but the issue has been that people aren’t upgrading to the latest model. Instead they are updating the software on their existing smartphone and remaining with it in an almost “it isn’t broke, why fix it” attitude.
To counter this and encourage customers to opt for the new releases, all Windows Phone 7 apps will work on Windows Phone 8 handsets, but in the future all application developers will have to choose to make an app which works specifically on 7 and 8, or just 8, so users could find their options restricted, prompting them to move to the new handset. It’s a big gamble from Microsoft, who could lose customers by effectively forcing them to move, but one which will certainly boost sales figures.
The new start screen found on the latest versions of Windows Phone 7 will still be there in the new model, covering the full width of the screen so you can fit a lot more onto your screen than ever before. This can be adjusted by editing the size of the app titles with a choice of three sizes, so you can reduce the length to accommodate more space or spread the apps out by enlarging it.
The new phone gets a lot more hardware features and components. You might not get the same freedom as you do with Android phones, but the developers have ensured that you are able to run your phone on improved battery life with an outstanding user experience, giving the customer more of what they want, not just gimmicks to sell phones.
With Internet Explorer 10 as standard along with the phishing filter, users can keep malicious websites at bay, and the gaming experience has also had an upgrade, meaning users can expect more powerful games on their new handset.
Other features:
- Microsoft Wallet
- Video calling
- Speech recognition
So when can you get your hands on it? Well it won’t be within the next couple of weeks, but users can expect to see it in stores – briefly at least – in “the autumn” with a release date of “between October and Christmas” given at the summit. The Windows Phone 8 Apolllo will be perfect for a Christmas present then!
