Over the past several months, Microsoft has been trickling out news about Windows Phone 7 a little at a time. However, there are still many details that remain unknown at this point in time. The unknown details include retail device information (including device name and specs), prices, and release dates. That is slowly starting to change.
According to Engadget, “While discussing the move to Microsoft"s next great hope in the mobile space, the Redmond COO told the world that the transition is expected to happen in the October timeframe across Europe, and in the November timeframe in the US.”
While there have been hints every so often that Microsoft intended to launch Windows Phone 7 at the end of the year, this is the first solid evidence that it is on track for a Q4 2010 launch. A video of Turner’s speech can be viewed here.
One potentially interesting factor in this news is the fact that Europeans may get the new platform before we get our hands on it here in North America. Windows Phone 7 is Microsoft’s latest attempt to reinvent their mobile platform. They are aiming to create a much more robust platform this time around.
Some major features of Windows Phone 7 include Hubs (integrated experiences for multimedia), The panoramic views that are provided within the platform’s multimedia functions, and Integration with key services such as Xbox Live, Zune, Facebook, and Office.