Microsoft's Mango takes important step toward release

Microsoft marked a milestone Tuesday, signing off on the release to manufacturing (RTM) build of "Mango," the (code named) long-awaited update of its Windows Phone platform.

In Tokyo the same day, Microsoft also showed off the first of what's expected to be several new Mango-running Windows Phone handsets. While in the U.S there's growing curiosity about devices that will come from Microsoft's new relationship with Nokia, the Japan-only IS12T — which will arrive in September, is waterproof and features a 3.7-inch display and 13.2-megapixel camera — was built by Fujitsu Toshiba Mobile Communications, according to IDG.

Acer and ZTE will also be offering Windows Phone devices, and so like Nokia will have welcomed the RTM.

"This marks the point in the development process where we hand code to our handset and mobile operator partners to optimize Mango for their specific phone and network configurations," Terry Myerson shared in a July 26 post on the Windows Phone Blog. "Here on the Windows Phone team, we now turn to preparing for the update process."

The Mango update is said to include more than 500 new features. Among his favorites, said Myerson, is something called Conversation View, which makes it easy to see long email conversation threads; App Multitasking, for easily navigating between email, music, games and more; a feature called Threads, which sews together text messages, instant messages and Facebook conversations; and Internet Explorer 9, which offers support for HTML5-based Web sites.

"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," said Myerson.

Microsoft is hoping for a win with the upgrade, just as it did with the original Windows Phone 7 release — which, while well reviewed, was no match for the force of the latest Apple iPhone and new Android-running handsets.

Banking even more heavily on Mango than Microsoft is Nokia, which was today downgraded by Moody's Investors Service by two notches, to the second-lowest investment grade rating, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"Moody's would expect Nokia to contain its cash consumption over the coming quarters until the Windows Phone-based devices find traction, enabling the company to maintain a substantial cash position," the firm reported.

In June, footage of the "Sea Ray," a code-named Windows Phone-running Nokia device (MDP: Did Nokia's Elop Just Show a (Fuzzy) Nokia Windows Phone?) was "leaked" after Nokia CEO Stephen Elop showed it off at an event in Asia. Expected to begin shipping on Nokia phones later this year, and in volume in early 2012, the arrival of Mango can't come soon enough for Nokia.