Possible Windows Phone 8 Features Leaked In Video

Windows Phone 8 will bring more hardware options, an enhanced application ecosystem, improved business support and closer integration with Windows 8, according to a leaked Microsoft video.

The video, presented by senior vice president and Windows Phone manager Joe Belfiore and intended for partners at Nokia, was uncovered by Pocket Now.

Integration, integration, integration

The update, codenamed ‘Apollo’ by Microsoft, is planned after the forthcoming ‘Tango’ update and will bring some major changes to the mobile operating system.

According to the video, Apollo will add support for multicore processors, four new screen resolutions, Near Field Communication (NFC) support for contactless payment and data sharing across a variety of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

The update will allow for closer integration with the next version of Windows PC operating system, Windows 8 and both will share many of the same user interface components, allowing developers to reuse much of their code when porting applications from desktop to phone. The kernel, networking stacks, security and multimedia support are specifically mentioned as areas of heavy overlap.

Zune integration will be dropped in favour of a dedicated syncing application, while Skydrive integration promises seamless data sharing.

Expanding platform

Microsoft expects there to be 100,000 apps in the Marketplace at the launch of Windows Phone 8 and most current apps should function on the operating system. The addition of native code support will make it easier to port software from rivals iOS and Android and support for app-to-app communication and a revamped Skype client will also be included.

Improved data management options will reduce and simplify the task of tracking data usage and Wi-Fi connections will be given precedence. In an effort to attract businesses, Windows Phone 8 will add native BitLocker encryption, the same 128-bit encryption found on desktops, while business will be able to run custom software behind a firewall.

Microsoft has agreed a strategic partnership with Nokia in its attempts to expand the market share of the Windows Phone platform, and the Finnish manufacturer has announced three smartphones running the operating system.

Research suggests that Nokia may have shipped as many as 1.3 million Windows Phone devices so far, which would help to strengthen the claims of some observers that the platform will overtake Apple’s iOS by 2015.