Microsoft Confirms Windows Phone Tango For Developing Nations

For as much as we know about Windows Phone Mango, its supposed follow-up, Tango, is largely a mystery. One rumor from earlier this month said that Microsoft would be using the update to help bring Windows Phone to lower-tier hardware, in an effort to attract users in markets with more of an eye to budget-priced smartphone. Now we hear that Microsoft has essentially confirmed that aspect of Tango, commenting on the update at a Hong Kong seminar.

Working past the translation issues, the key points Microsoft hit on seem to be that Tango is definitely not going to be a major update like Mango, and instead will be a follow-up release under the umbrella of Mango-related updates. Apollo is still planned to be the next major release after Mango.

Microsoft confirmed that Tango is aimed at developing nations, singling out China and India. Its hardware partners will come out with cheaper devices running Tango that will let users in those countries check out Windows Phone affordably. Microsoft will also give those users a chance to access online components of the Windows Phone experience, bringing more Bing services to their countries.

We still don't know just what this new hardware would be like, or what changes would come with it necessitating a new OS release, but at least we know what page Microsoft is on.