Microsoft has released the icons that will be used in its Windows Phone 7 OS. The download page explains that the pack is meant for application developers writing software for the OS. There are 64 icons in the pack, 32 light and 32 dark, in .png format, with a vector-graphics option for import into Microsoft Blend.
The design of the icons is meant to coordinate with the OS"s general layout philosophy, which Neowin.net reported on at MIX 2010, and features a sharp, clear, sans serif font designed in-house by Microsoft that is meant to emphasize text as part of the aesthetic itself instead of just complementing it. This, in turn, will allow users to better "find their way" across the UI to the information they need.
Microsoft is standing behind the new user interface as a major selling point for the OS, and the reception of simple touches like application icons by the development community can serve as a critical benchmark of overall satisfaction with the look and feel of the graphic design.