Windows Phone 7 ‘preview’ winning generally good reviews

Microsoft expands release, ships thousands of prototype handsets

By John Cox, Network World
July 19, 2010 11:18 AM ET

Microsoft announced a broader release of the latest build of its Windows Phone 7 mobile operating system, and it’s getting good reviews from developers. The company also says it started shipping thousands of prototype handsets to software developers around the world.

The new release is what Microsoft calls a “technical preview,” meaning it’s stable enough for use by a larger developer community and reviewers. The developing OS needs to achieve “release candidate” status before being released to manufacturing, possibly in late summer or early fall. The first production smartphones with the new OS are expected to be unveiled in October. Microsoft, through a spokeswoman, declined to be more specific about the next WP7 milestones.