If you are a Windows Phone 7 user and picked up a first generation Windows Phone at it’s release, today is like Christmas in July. With Fujitsu outing their new Windows Phone, complete with the full Mango build on board, and the news that all current users are that much closer to what will be the update that brings WP up to parity with most other smartphone platforms, one year after release, it has to put a smile on your face. Overnight the Windows Phone Blog let fly with information that Mango was RTM, [released to manufacturers], which probably doesn’t mean a lot to most people out there. What it means though is that the final release of Windows Phone 7.1/7.5, the Mango update for WP is on track, all the official code from Microsoft has been compiled tested and they are happy with it.
What happens from here though, is the question, RTM means all the handset manufacturers have a build that they can test with their new devices and customise, tweak for their hardware.
We can’t wait to get Mango in your hands so you can experience all the new features for yourself and give us feedback on where to go next. As we reach additional milestones we will be back to share more but until then, thank you for your support of Windows Phone.
There are also murmurings of the RTM being seeded to developers,
The company is currently working on releasing a new build according to Cliff Simpkins, a Windows Phone 7 Product Manager at Microsoft. ”We’re working to get devs an updated build soon. Stay tuned to the dev blog,” said Simpkins in a comment on Microsoft’s Windows team blog. Simpkins also appeared to hint at an announcement within 24 hours in a twitter message on Tuesday. “Give me a day to get an official answer for folks,” said Simpkins in reply to questions on Windows Phone Mango RTM bits for developers.
It would be nice to get early access to the final build, but it will not stop you having to flash back to the Pre Mango backup that you made when you installed the Mango Beta, to get the real update, when it arrives. The program seems to be following it’s rumoured schedule, and all new devices aside, it still looks like we are looking at a September release to all for the Mango update. While most early adopters of the OS would concur that it is a pleasure to use, there are still holes that need to be plugged and the Mango update promises those plugs. The RTM status infers that we are on the verge of big things, and while the hardware improvements may not be that great, we already know that the Software is powerful, and not wholly hardware dependant. We are going to see support for bigger cameras, more powerful chipsets, not dual core though, and a lot of new OS features.This may be make or break for people who are already using the OS on first generation phones, but Microsoft have to capture a whole new market with Windows Phone, and their bets are on the Mango update. Have thy done enough? I suppose we will see in September!
