Windows Phone 8 Philippines Apollo Key Features and Improvements

One of the distinguishing features of Windows Phone 8 'Apollo' is its new 'flexible' Start screen.

According to Microsoft, they've just made the face of Windows Phone 8 even more personal by adding a new palette of theme colors as well as three sizes of Live Tiles - small, medium and large - which can be manipulated by the user.

"We know Live Tiles are one of the things current owners really love about their Windows Phones, and we wanted to make them even more flexible and unique," shared Joe Belfiore, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President for Windows Phone.

But really, looking at Apollo's new Start screen with all of those differently-sized tiles merely reminds me of Windows 8 --


Heck, they look almost the same.

And that's no coincidence. As earlier explained on TechPinas, Microsoft intends to create a unified computing experience across various devices, from laptops to smartphones, desktops to tablets. And as part of this grand plan, Windows Phone 8 and its bigger sibling, Windows 8, will share common networking, media, web browser technology, security, and a common file system. This should translate into better performance, more features, and new opportunities for application developers and hardware manufacturers.

On top of user interface and design enhancements, here are other key features and improvements that you will get with Windows Phone 8 according to Joe Belfiore:

Multi-core processor support: I have two WP handsets currently - HTC HD7 and Nokia Lumia 710 and I must say that they run buttery smooth even with just a single-core processor. I think it's nice though that Microsoft made WP8 multi-core ready so it can accommodate whatever hardware makers dream up.

Better, more powerful apps and games: Now that WP looks and works all the more like Windows for PC and supports multi-core CPUs, users can be assured of a new wave of more amazing apps and games to hit their smartphones.

Bigger, higher-resolution screens: WP8 supports two new screen resolutions: 1280 x 768 and 1280 x 720, which opens the door to new handsets with high-definition 720p displays. This means better visual experience for future WP users.

Expandable storage: Windows Phone 8, unlike its predecessor WP 7.5, supports removable MicroSD cards -- so you can store more photos, music, videos, and other content and easily transfer then to your PC!

Internet Explorer 10: IE10, which is coming to WP8 as well as to Windows 8 tablets and PCs, is faster and more secure and even comes with advanced anti-phishing features like SmartScreen Filter to block malware-laden websites.

Better maps and navigation: Windows Phone 8 builds upon Nokia's mapping data as part of the platform. Microsoft's landmark alliance with the Finnish giant made way for more detailed maps and turn-by-turn navigation in many countries plus the ability to store maps offline on your phone so you can access them even without a data connection.

NFC wireless sharing: Windows Phone 8 makes sharing photos, contact info, and documents - among others - easier by supporting NFC. NFC allows users to transfer content from one NFC-equipped device to another with just one tap!

Wallet: WP8's new digital Wallet does two things. First, it can keep debit and credit cards, boarding passes, coupons, and other important info right at your fingertips. And second, when paired with a secure SIM from your network provider (not sure how soon this feature will be available in Pinas though), you can pay for things with a single tap of your phone at compatible checkout counters.

So which of these new features do you like most? Are you likely to get a WP smartphone soon?