Microsoft begins accepting Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” apps

By Tom Warren, on 23rd Aug 11 7:23 am with 7 Comments

Windows Phone Mango

Microsoft announced on Monday that the company has begun to accept Mango apps.

Developers are now able to submit their updated applications ready for the Windows Phone 7.5 launch in the coming months. The updated apps will allow developers to take advantage of new Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” specific APIs including gyroscope support, app multitasking and deep links. “The infrastructure for accepting your Mango apps is coming online as we speak,” said Microsoft’s Todd Brix in a blog post on Monday. “Some of you may already be seeing new content as we conduct a final round of tests.” Microsoft has promised to detail the Mango app submission process in full shortly.

Microsoft also released a new Release Candidate (RC) build of the Windows Phone OS 7.1 SDK. The new SDK will feature more than 1500 new API’s including the following:

  • Application multitasking for background processing, audio and file transfer, and fast application switching
  • Deeper phone integration so apps can, for example, take better advantage of the versatility of Live Tiles
  • Access to the camera and Motion Sensor library so developers can build apps that incorporate device hardware and build augmented reality experiences

Developers have had the chance to test their new applications against new functionality like fast app resume, updated Live Tiles, Motion Sensor and background audio since late June. Microsoft made a beta copy of Windows Phone 7.5 available to developers to better prepare them for the Mango launch.

With an updated Marketplace and new phones on the horizon, the countdown begins to the full Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” launch for existing and new devices. Microsoft is expected to announce a number of new devices on September 1.

  • Sempron

    This is not new in the RC.
    “Application multitasking for background processing, audio and file transfer, and fast application switching” comes with the Mango update a few months before the RC!

    Cheers

    • Luna1260

      They are talking about developers tools RC not mango update for the phones

  • Anonymous

    cool, wonder if mango early adopters will start seeing app updates then? or if they will only open the gates at full RTM?

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jonathan-Marston/542557737 Jonathan Marston

      There are already a few Microsoft-made Mango apps available on the marketplace (Flowerz, for example), so I guess it’s possible

  • http://www.facebook.com/alok.chakrabarti Alok Chakrabarti

    Why is there a mismatch between WP 7.5 (Mango as a product) vs. 7.1 as the SDK?  Which one is it?  Not a big deal, but unnecessary confusion doesn’t help.  I hope someone at Microsoft will clarify about the version.

    • http://ahylianhuman.me Rod Davis

      The new devices are Windows Phone 7.5, but the actual OS is Windows Phone OS 7.1

    • Jacob

      Have you seen any official sources use 7.5? Isn’t it just a media thing.