Additionally to speaking up Windows tablets and slates at the January Consumer Electronics Demonstrate (CES),
Office 2010 Professional Plus, Microsoft execs also are expected to use the conference to give yet another push to Windows Phone seven. But the very first “major” update to the WP7 platform may not hit until August or September of 2011, my sources claim.In recent weeks, there have been rumors of both January and February “minor” Windows Phone seven updates. I;m also hearing talk of a major fall update (codenamed “Mango”),
Office 2010 Pro Plus Key, which will precede Windows Telephone 8 (codenamed “Apollo”), slated for late 2012.The Mango update is supposedly bigger than the January and/or February update, according to my sources. Mango is a great deal more like a Windows Phone OS 7.5 — and may even be named that when it debuts.I;m thinking the January/February update might actually be a single update. That 1st update is supposedly how Microsoft will deliver copy and paste to users. WinRumours.com reported recently that a possible second update will introduce enhanced developer controls for applications, access to programming interfaces that will allow for greater multi-tasking, in-app downloads and better customization.Mango, according to tipsters, will add Silverlight run-time and HTML 5 support to Windows Telephone 7, Far Eastern language support and other features and functionality. (Silverlight already is the primary development platform for Windows Telephone 7 devices,
Office Pro Plus 2010 Key, but a Silverlight browser plug-in isn;t yet available for the phones.)I;m wondering if it also might add additional enterprise functionality, as the very first Windows Telephone 7 devices are consumer-focused phones, as Microsoft execs themselves have acknowledged. The first crop of Windows Telephone 7 devices only support a subset of Exchange ActiveSync;s feature set, for example. As Windows Telephone Secrets author Paul Thurrott recently noted, Microsoft officials have said they plan to gradually flesh out that list.To be clear, none of this information is being confirmed by the Softies. I asked Microsoft for comment on its Windows Telephone seven CES plans,
Microsoft Office Pro Plus, as there is talk that CES might be the launching pad for the very first Verizon and Sprint CDMA Windows Telephone 7 phones. I also asked about Microsoft;s plans for updates, including Mango,
Office Professional, in 2011. I received no response.What kinds of features do you think are on the 2011 “must add” list for Windows Phone 7 if Microsoft is to really jump start sales (which are currently thought to be under 500,000 devices)?