Gallery: Microsoft Officially Unveils Windows Phone 8

Microsoft has unveiled the future of its mobile platform at the Windows Phone summit in San Francisco. As we had exclusively reported earlier, the WP8 OS now officially supports multi-core CPUs, pixel-packed screens, NFC, and microSD card. Even the new UI resembles the mock-up that we had prepared. Another big improvement is that it shares the code with Windows 8, the upcoming desktop and tablet OS. This means that developer can write apps for one platform and implement minor tweaks to make it usable on the other. Here's the complete list of new features that will probably help Microsoft take on its rivals:

Multi-core CPUs - According to Microsoft, WP8 will take full advantage of multi-core processors. Handsets with dual-core CPUs will be released this year, while fans will have to wait a little more for the quad-core variants.

Pixel-packed screens - The OS has full support for screens with pixel dimensions of 1280x720 and 1280x768.

MicroSD card slot - The platform's biggest gripe of limited storage has also been addressed. Yes, WP devices will finally have microSD card slots.

File Sharing - In Windows Phone 8, tapping your phone to another NFC device will let you share photos, documents, and contact info. However, Bluetooth file sharing is still not available.

Deep Skype Integration - Skype calls will be treated like GSM call and will also support features such as call waiting.

IE10 - Your browsing needs will be taken care of by the Microsoft's latest Internet Explorer 10. It will feature anti-phishing features such as SmartScreen Filter to block harmful websites and malware.

Wallet - With WP8, you'll be able to make payments via your cellphone.

Nokia Maps - Nokia's popular maps and navigation service will be a part of the platform. It will provide detailed maps and turn-by-turn directions in many countries, plus the ability to store maps offline on your phone so you won't need a data connection to find your way.

UI tweaks - As we already knew, WP8 offers live tiles of various sizes. Additionally, users will be able to pick different colour for each tile.
 

TAGS: Mobile Phones, Windows Phone, Microsoft, ck