Hands on: Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” forward facing cameras [video]

By Tom Warren, on 1st Sep 11 6:29 pm with 35 Comments

Microsoft revealed on Thursday that it plans to officially support forward facing cameras on its upcoming Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” handsets.

After months of speculation, leaks, rumors and near confirmations, HTC unveiled two new Windows Phone 7.5 devices on Thursday that both include a forward facing camera. The support in Windows Phone 7.5 will allow third party developers to integrate forward facing camera support into their applications. Microsoft has included APIs for developers to leverage to create a variety of applications for Windows Phone 7.5. Natively and out of the box, there’s no inbuilt application that will take advantage of forward facing cameras apart from the standard Camera app.

To activate a forward facing camera, users simply have to toggle an onscreen switch in the camera application to activate the front facing or rear facing camera.

Forward facing camera in Windows Phone 7.5

The confirmation of forward facing cameras will likely pave the way for the introduction of Skype on Windows Phone. Microsoft revealed earlier this year that Skype is coming to Windows Phone. Microsoft is also in the process of acquiring Skype, a deal that it expects to close by the end of the year. Although Microsoft are still tight lipped about their Skype plans, treat this support as confirmation of video calling support in Skype for Windows Phone.

  • http://www.searingarrow.com AlienSix

    Yes this should be standard on all WPs going forward

  • http://www.searingarrow.com AlienSix

    Yes this should be standard on all WPs going forward

  • adam

    wtf is the rubber thing at the bottom

    • http://www.searingarrow.com AlienSix

      Its the chin of the phone

    • corknut

      Protection. Always practice safe phone sex.

    • J A

      Thta is part of HTC’s weird design concepts that makes their devices longer than necessary with stupid extra chrome all around the device, making it look/feel bulk and thick.

    • http://www.facebook.com/matthewjohnston4 Matthew Johnston

      Judging by the lawsuits from Apple that Samsung is currently undergoing, those “chins” may not be completely unnecessary.

    • Guest

      LOL. You might be right. I’m still wondering how Apple can sue everyone for copying the look of the iPhone or iPad when both look my HP monitor turned sideways which predates both of them.

    • http://www.facebook.com/matthewjohnston4 Matthew Johnston

      Judging by the lawsuits from Apple that Samsung is currently undergoing, those “chins” may not be completely unnecessary.

    • http://www.facebook.com/matthewjohnston4 Matthew Johnston

      Judging by the lawsuits from Apple that Samsung is currently undergoing, those “chins” may not be completely unnecessary.

    • http://www.facebook.com/matthewjohnston4 Matthew Johnston

      Judging by the lawsuits from Apple that Samsung is currently undergoing, those “chins” may not be completely unnecessary.

  • http://twitter.com/efjay01 Ef Jay

    So why have all the secrecy about it and make it into a big thing that people speculated on for months? Ridiculous.

  • http://www.facebook.com/andreirlopes Andrei R. Lopes

    filming with iPhone? WTF?

    • Anonymous

      If only you knew how much Apple love there was behind the scenes here :P

    • Anonymous

      Ah, interesting that the Apple sycophants were out in force at a WP event. Apple probably had spies there so they could rip off more WP features, like they did in iOS5.

    • Anonymous

      Ah, interesting that the Apple sycophants were out in force at a WP event. Apple probably had spies there so they could rip off more WP features, like they did in iOS5.

    • Anonymous

      You just lost some creds there Tom, what a hypocrite. *facepalm*

    • Mr 03199

      I actually find it great that Tom uses Apple products, I hate biased reporters

    • Anonymous

      He can try it, yes, but not as a go to (seemingly everyday) device that he’ll GET CAUGHT with ‘oh-shit-wait’ on reflection.

  • Justin

    Video taken with iPhone4….. Investigating convert I suppose…

    • Johnwr29938

      That’s Tom who’s filming :P

    • https://profiles.google.com/christopher.gull/ CG

      Why does he look like someone from Avatar?

    • http://www.Nave360.com Sebastian Gorgon

      Blue lights

    • BieberHole69

      yea, what’s with the mood lighting

    • http://www.winrumors.com Tom W

      I am cyborg.

    • Anonymous

      So how do you like your iphone Tom? Ever consider using  WINDOWS phone device?

    • http://www.facebook.com/johnny.westlake Johnny Westlake

      Would you like to suggest one that can take better quality videos than an iPhone 4 in these conditions…? It’ll be hard because there isn’t one :P

    • Gabriel

      Tom is f*cking hot btw!

  • Anonymous

    Some new Settings menus: Internet Sharing, Battery Saver, Attentive Phone, Camera Modes, Sound Enhancer, SIM Applications.
    Can anyone figure out what “Attentive Phone”, “Sound Enhancer” and “SIM Applications could mean?

  • Anonymous

    Some new Settings menus: Internet Sharing, Battery Saver, Attentive Phone, Camera Modes, Sound Enhancer, SIM Applications.
    Can anyone figure out what “Attentive Phone”, “Sound Enhancer” and “SIM Applications could mean?

  • Anonymous

    when are Nokia due to show off their new mango phones…?

  • Aaron

    Tom, share your thoughts on how the handset feels in your hand and such.  does that chin make it too big?

  • mateen khokhar

    Is that Tango app that I spotted?