As it was expected yesterday Microsoft officially announced its new mobile operating system. Steve Ballmer, chief of Microsoft said the company realized that most of users don’t need pocket computers but are interested in mobile devices with ’social’ functions. Windows Phone 7 Series is absolutely new operating system and has no anything in common with Windows Mobile 6.5.3 and other previous versions of this popular OS. For example new mobile OS doesn’t have multitasking support in the usual sense of the word. Nevertheless user will be able to listen to music while working on the Internet via built-in browser. This new mobile platform is focused on work with various web services and owing to integration with Xbox LIVE and Zune boasts a good multi-media component.

One of the most remarkable features is Metro user interface. Start screen consist of small components called ‘live tiles’. They can be applications, widgets, contacts, or labels. All user activity is divided into five so-called hubs: one entirely devoted to the work with contacts (People), the second - office applications (Office), the third – photos (Pictures), fourth - music and video, the fifth - games. There is also special hub for Windows Marketplace.

As for system requirements it is know that all devices running on Windows Phone 7 Series will have capacitive touchscreen display, accelerometer and three hardware buttons – ‘Start’, ‘Search’, and ‘Back’. The first smartphone based on Windows Phone will appear in late 2010. According to Microsoft vendors including Samsung, LG, Sony-Ericsson and long-time partner HTC have committed to offering devices running Windows Phone 7 Series.