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As we get close to MWC in Barcelona the rumours around Windows Mobile 7 continue.

There have been a number of leaks that Microsoft will be in a position to tells us more about Windows Phone 7 in February and it would now appear we have a number of rumoured features ahead of this presumed launch. In following T3 and Engadget the Windows Phone 7 will sport an interface that’s "very similar" to the Zune HD, along with a complete revamp of the start screen, and a UI (codenamed METRO) that’s described as "very clean," "soulful," and "alive." Perhaps just as notably, the OS supposedly won’t support multitasking, with applications instead simply pausing themselves when in the background (there will be support for push notifications, though). Also missing is Flash support (at least initially), as well as NETCF backwards compatibility for older applications, although there are apparently "high hopes" for porting NETCF to the new platform eventually.

On the upside, the OS is said to have full Xbox gaming integration (including gamertags, avatars and, yes, achievements), full Zune integration, full support for social networking, and a try before you buy system in the Marketplace. What we apparently won’t be seeing at MWC, however, is any Windows Phone 7 hardware, as the announcement is said to focus solely on the user interface. According to PPCGeeks, however, Microsoft is confident that the first hardware will be ready by September of this year.

To follow this there has been info on MobileTechWorld that suggests the browsing experience is currently "better / faster" than the iPhone 3G, and that Microsoft is "aiming towards" the 3GS. They also say that while there will be no Microsoft-made device, the company will have tighter control of the manufacturing process, which promises to simplify things for everyone involved and allow for over-the-air updates. There are also suggestions that the OS will be locked down, so less "shells" such as HTC’s Sense and the very popular SPB Shell, lets wait and see…

Extract from Engadget