Downloader: Windows Phone 7 inching closer with newly leaked release candidate

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Windows Phone 7 inching closer with newly leaked release candidate

Word got out yesterday that there's a newly leaked, near-final version of Windows Phone 7 floating around, and Paul Thurrott was kind enough to snap a couple dozen screenshots and post them on his blog.

The newly leaked version (RC1 escrow) helps to further cement what we can expect from the new mobile OS, since it's hardly changed at all since the demo/promo screens that have been available for weeks. The biggest difference here is the lack of flashy personalization, so we can see how it would more or less look fresh out of the box.

Yes, this new release candidate looks just like the demos, which is a good thing for fans of the would-be operating system. A lot can happen in several weeks, and if this version had leaked with a look startlingly different from the demos then we'd all be left scratching our heads and wondering what the final product is going to be. At least this way we know that the look of Windows Phone 7 is pretty much set in stone, and that it's in final development stages and bug-sorting.

Of course, there are plenty of WinMo fans out there who hate the new look, and while I don't blame them, I also don't quite understand what's to like about current WinMo smartphones, either.

For an overview of all the WP7 basics to date, you can hop over to Engadget's guide and bring yourself up to speed. You can also check out some of the older screenshots of the demo, and see how they compare to some of the newer stuff.

Since Windows Phone 7 isn't slated to release until the end of the year, there's still plenty of time for Windows Mobile fans to mull over the thought of finally being able to upgrade their smartphones while remaining in the Redmond family. What do you think? Will you be buying a new Windows Phone come winter?