Windows Phone 7 Roadmap Leaked; Reveals Future Features

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Windows Phone 7 may not be the top mobile platform in terms of the number of users. Still, Microsoft is optimistic about uptake, and plans to eventually take on both the low-end and high-end markets, as evident in a leaked product roadmap.

Microsoft’s current Windows Phone 7 offerings mostly cater to the higher-end market, which is perhaps one reason they haven’t seen the popularity of Android in terms of user base and growth. Microsoft expanded support to more countries and additional languages with Mango, but they’re not stopping there. In a leaked roadmap, the Windows Phone 7 release, and the subsequent Mango update were only the beginning.

The general release of Windows Phone 7 in the fourth quarter of 2010 was about user-experience differentiation and launching a high-end product. Meanwhile, the Mango update this Q4 2011 was meant to provide new features, new languages and support for additional countries. As of October 2011, Microsoft has already set its sights on two major milestones by 2012, with Windows Phone 7 updates codenamed Tango and Apollo.

Tango focuses on “products with the best prices,” by second quarter of 2012, which means Microsoft and partners are likely to come up with phones that are less expensive (and less feature-packed) than their current flagship offerings. This might help the platform gain popularity among entry-level users, which, arguably, Android dominates at present.

But the bigger news is that the Apollo update is aimed at “increas[ing] overall volume,” with Microsoft offering “competitive superphones,” aimed at business users.  These are presumably smartphones powered by dual-core processors and running high-definition touchscreens. This is planned for 4th quarter of 2012, when Microsoft sees faster uptake of the platform, and therefore an improved market share. In short, it seems Microsoft is still testing the waters, and will be bringing out the big guns when the market is ready for enterprise-grade WP7 smartphones that pack a punch.