Microsoft Teases Multitasking, IE9, Twitter for WP7
Windows Phone 7 may be a good mobile operating system, but it's missing a few key features. Microsoft has revealed more about features users can expect soon, including copy-and-paste, multitasking, Internet Explorer 9 and Twitter integration.
At the Mobile World Congress convention in Barcelona, Microsoft explained that these features would be rolling out in stages. The most urgent updates, which include copy-and-paste functionality as well as compatibility with CDMA networks (Verizon and Sprint), will be ready for an over-the-air update in early March.
This update was originally scheduled to happen before now, so many early adopters of the Windows Phone 7 platform are anxious for this one.
The next update, which will be much bigger and may be the rumored "Mango" update , will come later this year. Microsoft did not give a specific date. The update will include multitasking for third-party apps , IE9 for Web browsing and direct Twitter integration.
It appears that Microsoft has taken a page from the webOS playbook in its integration of multitasking. A demo showed that Windows Phone 7 will handle multitasking with a "card" system very similar to webOS. By holding down the back button, the current app zooms out to show as a card in a line of cards that can be swiped back and forth. Tapping on one of the cards brings up the associated app, making app switching very easy.
