Microsoft Previews Windows Phone 7 Mango Update

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Windows Phone fans and users were given a rather nice look at what they can expect to see in the coming months earlier this morning. Of course, that means Microsoft has offered the detailed look at what we can expect to see with the Mango update.

That being said, while this sounds like good news for Windows Phone users (as well as those on the fence), it comes with a bit of sadness — the Mango update is not going to be available until sometime this fall — as in several months away. More so, according to the details in the press release;

“The “Mango” release will be available for free to Windows Phone 7 customers and is scheduled to ship on new phones beginning this fall.”

Still, we suspect that the carriers and manufacturers will have their own schedule in terms of current devices getting the Mango update and that could add some time to that fall release timeframe. But on the bright side, that statement does lead us to believe that we are going to have some new hardware come available this fall.

Otherwise, Microsoft is now touting “more than” 17,000 available apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace and that they have new partnerships with Acer, Fujitsu and ZTE. But perhaps more important here, is what we can expect to see once Mango arrives. The updates seem to be broken down into three categories — communications, apps and the internet.

Communications: Easier to Connect and Share

• Threads. Switch between text, Facebook chat and Windows Live Messenger within the same conversation.
• Groups. Group contacts into personalized Live Tiles to see the latest status updates right from the Start Screen and quickly send a text, email or IM to the whole group.
• Deeper social network integration. Twitter and LinkedIn feeds are now integrated into contact cards, and “Mango” includes built-in Facebook check-ins and new face detection software that makes it easier to quickly tag photos and post to the Web.
• Linked inbox. See multiple email accounts in one linked inbox. Conversations are organized to make it easy to stay on top of the latest mail.
• Hands-free messaging. Built-in voice-to-text and text-to-voice support enables hands-free texting or chatting.

A Smarter Approach to Apps

• App Connect. By connecting apps to search results and deepening their integration with Windows Phone Hubs, including Music and Video and Pictures, “Mango” allows apps to be surfaced when and where they make sense.
• Improved Live Tiles. Get real-time information from apps without having to open them. Live Tiles can be more dynamic and hold more information.
• Multitasking. Quickly switch between apps in use and allow apps to run in the background, helping to preserve battery life and performance.

Taking the Internet Beyond the Browser

• Internet Explorer 9. A browser based on the powerful Internet Explorer 9 and including support for HTML5 and full hardware acceleration.
• Local Scout. Provides hyperlocal search results and recommends nearby restaurants, shopping and activities in an easy-to-use guide.
• Bing on Windows Phone. More ways to search the Web, including Bing Vision, Music Search and Voice so it’s easy to discover and decide.
• Quick Cards. When searching for a product, movie, event or place, see a quick summary of relevant information, including related apps.