According to a report on eWeek.com, Microsoft has reported their major Mango update is coming in the next two weeks. Microsoft’s general manager of customer experience engineering said, “For months, we and dozens of our partner companies have been laying the groundwork for the Windows Phone 7.5 update—and making solid progress.” He went on to say, “As a result, we now expect to start rolling it out in the next week or two.” Included in the major update will be more information on the “Where’s My Phone Update” table that Microsoft keeps so that customers can see update statuses.
Customers have been waiting sometime for anything to happen with Microsoft Windows Phone and it was recently reported that Windows Phone 7 is gaining plenty of interest over the last couple months even as Android is taking the mobile industry by storm. Another report out this week said that about 45 percent of smartphone users still don’t even know what Microsoft Windows Phone 7 is, so that speaks volumes as to where Microsoft is going to have to spend a bit more time with marketing the operating system. Throughout this year Microsoft has been public about the Mango update and that update includes about 500 fixes and features, making it a very major update. With Apple and Android in the lead for mobile OS, Microsoft is hoping to make waves with the update and lure customers to the Mango powered handsets.
If Microsoft can get the Windows Phone 7 name out there to the masses, the newly updated platform could draw developers, which in turn brings more customers.
Online there are plenty of positive reviews for the Windows Phone platform, just not enough customer awareness. Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, says that because the company hasn’t sold as many handsets as expected, that is why the market share has been declining over recent months. Ballmer went on to say, “I think with a little bit more effort, a little bit more energy, the level of enthusiasm from the customer base is high enough we’ve just got to kick this thing to the next level.” Ballmer did not go on to say that Windows Phone operating system was going to take over with the levels of Apple or Android, but hoped the OS could fit nicely in third place with the other two.
