Skip to main content

Microsoft CEO promises 500 new features in Windows Phone Mango

microsoft-steve-ballmer-japanese-developer-forum500 is a big number, but it’s exactly what Steve Ballmer promised developers at the Japanese Microsoft Developer Forum today. WMPoweruser has posted video of the Microsoft’s CEO calmly claiming that the new version of Windows Phone, codenamed “Mango,” will have more than 500 new features. He also said that more info will be revealed at Microsoft’s Mango event in New York and seemed to hint at possible carrier and handset announcements.

“We embarked on Windows Phone about a year later than I wish we had,” said Ballmer. “Shame on us. But we’re moving forward very…actively. We launched Windows Phone last November; we’ve done a set of upgrades; we have a release that will come to market later this year in Japan. Not only is it a new release that is now much more global, but we’ve added over 500 new features to Windows Phone. We have a big launch event to talk about the next release of Windows Phone tomorrow so that information will be, uh, forthcoming, including some of the particulars about who’s going to be building Windows Phones and which carriers will be offering them here in Japan.”

What those features are and to what scale Ballmer is referring, we do not know. The way he worded it, Mango could very well have 20 notable features and 480 tiny minute changes that no discerning person will notice. Or perhaps 500 is a legit number. Numbers aside, Mango will have some cool new features including the ability to make homescreen “live tiles” out of just about any page of an application, essentially allowing your homescreen to deeplink into a particular page or feature of an application. Actual multitasking is also on the docket, as is turn-by-turn navigation. To learn about all the features coming to Windows Phone (that we know about), head to our Mix 11 roundup and new features page.

Ballmer also brought up Skype, claiming that helping people communicate is one of the most fundamental things Microsoft does and there’s no better platform for that than Skype.

We will be at Microsoft’s Mango event live tomorrow morning, so check back for the full report.

Jeffrey Van Camp
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Deputy Editor, Jeff helps oversee editorial operations at Digital Trends. Previously, he ran the site's…
Fujifilm’s new Instax Pal camera is fun, but pricey
Fujifilm's Instax Pal camera.

INSTAX Pal Promotional Video "Making small moments feel big"/FUJIFILM

Fujifilm has just unveiled the Instax Pal camera, a diminutive digital device targeted at teens who might want to print their pictures, too.

Read more
Do iPhone 14 cases fit the iPhone 15? There’s an interesting answer
Speck Presido2 cases for the iPhone 15.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 series have identical display sizes, but there are slight variations in their total dimensions due to design changes. This has led to a common question of whether the cases designed for iPhone 14 would fit the iPhone 15 models. The answer to this question is not straightforward and depends on whether you are looking for a perfect or a reasonable fit.

The iPhone 15 series consists of four models, just like the iPhone 14 series. These are the 6.1-inch iPhone 15, 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus, 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, and 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max. The prices of the iPhone 15 series are the same as the previous models, and they come with several improvements. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are made of titanium, while the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max have stainless steel bodies. Additionally, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus now have the Dynamic Island for the first time.

Read more
Don’t buy the iPhone 15 — 5 reasons to wait for the iPhone 16
iPhone 15 Pro Cameras.

Apple revealed a slate of new products at its recent Wonderlust event, including the new iPhone 15 lineup, Apple Watch Series 9, and Apple Watch Ultra 2. We also got a minor update for the AirPods Pro in the form of a new USB-C charging case to align with the iPhone ditching Lightning.

This year, there’s actually a lot to love about the iPhone 15, as it’s a much bigger upgrade than its predecessor. We now have the Dynamic Island across the entire lineup, USB-C charging, a 48MP camera, and a beautiful display that reaches double the brightness of the iPhone 14 with 2,000 nits. It also packs in the A16 Bionic chip that launched with the iPhone 14 Pro.

Read more