The Future of Windows Phone 8

So it is finally here…almost, we still have to wait for the SDK (probably in a few months) and for actual general availability. But this sneak preview has shown us the exciting future for us. Here are some links for you to enjoy:

• Announcing Windows Phone 8
• Why Windows Phone 8 means the BlackBerry is doomed and other Ars Technica links
• Can we Upgrade our WP7 Device to Support WP8?
• What’s New in Windows Phone 8?
• Microsoft is back! (Comic)
• The future of Windows Phone: Complete Notes with Screenshots from the Windows Phone Summit

The new kernel is not compatible with the old one which means that all apps will be created from scratch. However, making apps for both WP8 and Win8/WinRT will be easy. One great addition is that WP8 games can be written in C++ using DirectX. It is kinda sad for XNA developers, but transition can be eased with DirectX Tool Kit from Shawn Hargreaves. When we are able to make native games for XBox, then it will be really easy to create games for all major Microsoft platforms.

New start screen is awesome and far better than the current one. With higher resolutions on larger screens, this looks awesome. Sad thing is that WP7 devices will not be upgradable to WP8 since it is not a minor or major update to the OS, it is entirely new OS. We will get some chimera called WP7.8 which will feature new start screen and little, if anything, else. Since WP8 devices will not come for a long time, this might halt current WP7 sales.

Features like NFC, Wallet, VoIP integration, better start menu make WP8 seem like a really mature platform. No word has been said on much desired notification manager or some sort of Windows Explorer, maybe they will come in final version. And with commitment from major companies like Huawei, Samsung, Nokia and HTC, maybe WP8 will finally eat into the whole smartphone cake.

Are you looking forward to it?