Microsoft is going to release two major pieces of software this year: Windows 8, the desktop and tablet operating system; and Windows Phone 8, codenamed Apollo, their smartphone operating system. We’re eager to find out what’s new in Apollo, because Mango, today’s version of Windows Phone, just doesn’t cut it for us. We’re not alone in saying that either. Joshua Topolsky, Editor in Chief of The Verge, said this is his Lumia 900 review: “Try as I might to envision the Lumia 900 as my daily driver, the math never added up. There’s just too much missing, or too much that feels unfulfilling.” Walt Mossberg, from AllThingsD, echoed the same thoughts about the device: “The phone had just too many drawbacks in my tests to best its chief competitors.” But enough Mango bashing, let’s talk about today’s news. According to WPCentral, Microsoft started testing Windows Phone 8 internally on March 30th.
If testing only just started two weeks ago, and it normally takes three to six months to make sure everything is running right, then that would mean the software would be finalized anytime between July and September. For as long as we can remember, the rumors we’ve been hearing about Apollo have said it’s going to hit the market in October. So everything is lining up.
Earlier this year the folks at Pocketnow scored a huge Apollo exclusive. They discovered that it’s going to support dual core processors, high resolution screens, NFC, app to app sharing, advanced security features, and more. Assuming they’re right, Apollo looks to be the first real version of Windows Phone that can take on iOS and Android. It’s a shame it only took two years to deliver, but hey, you can’t win ’em all.
So if you’re currently thinking about buying a Windows Phone, don’t. It’s not worth it. In half a year there’s going to be products out on the market that are an order of magnitude superior. You’ll feel cheated too since we’re hearing that today’s Windows Phones will not be upgradable to Windows Phone 8.