Things to know about Windows Phone 8

What's new in Windows 8 boot screen? Does Windows 8 have Skype built-in? When does Windows Phone 8 appear on the phone?

>>>Sketch 'portrait' Windows Phone 8

1. What hardware changes?

Windows Phone 8 supports multi-core processors (dual-core or quad-core), NFC, higher screen resolution (like 1280 x 720) and expandable memory card slot.

Qualcomm also confirmed that it will provide Snapdragon S4 Plus dual-core processors for future Windows Phone models. The Snapdragon S4, Qualcomm's fastest chip to date, can increase clock speed to 1.7 GHz per core.

2. What's new in the boot screen?

The boot screen was redesigned by Microsoft, extending the width of the current boot screen. Users will be able to change the size of each ' live tile ' on the start screen according to three different levels. The wallpaper is also colorful for users to choose.

3. What's new about the software experience?

Windows Phone 8 also supports in-app purchases (app-in purchase), electronic wallets for storing sensitive account information and loyalty cards (loyalty cards). Update over-the-air operating system, which means users do not need to connect the device to the computer to upgrade. The architecture of Windows Phone 8 has many overlapping points with Windows 8 for desktops and tablets, so there will be a lot of similarities in how these two operating systems handle security and game issues. , networking, playing music and watching movies etc.

4. When will Windows Phone 8 appear on the phone?

New Windows Phone 8 smartphones will be released this fall. Microsoft claims the new device will appear on the ' holiday season' , meaning from the end of September until before Christmas.

However, sad news for owners who own Windows Phone phones: Devices running Windows Phone 7.5 or below will not be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 8.

Some smartphones like Samsung Focus S, HTC Radar and Lumia 900 will only be upgraded to Windows Phone 7.8.

Microsoft said that although current smartphones cannot upgrade to the full Windows Phone 8 experience, some devices still support some new features of Windows 8 such as a new design boot screen.

Explaining this, Microsoft said that Windows Phone 8 requires relatively high hardware parameters that existing products have not met.

5. When are developers provided with SDK (application development toolkit)?

Microsoft will provide developers with details at the end of this summer, which is when they receive application development tools.

6. Which companies produce Windows Phone 8 phones?

Samsung, Nokia, HTC, Huawei, and ZTE are Microsoft's biggest partners, but many others will also produce Windows Phone phones. Samsung and Nokia have launched a series of phones running Windows Phone 7.5 in the US, Huawei and ZTE introduced Windows Phone phones with lower prices. We can expect this trend to continue with Windows Phone 8.

7. Does Windows Phone 8 have built-in Skype?

No, you must download and install Skype to use. However, Microsoft has integrated third-party applications such as Skype with the call menu, so calls made over the Internet (VoIP) will be displayed as a call by dialing a normal phone number. .