Microsoft to Unveil Windows Phone 10 Preview Next Month

Redmond also plans to show what’s new for mobile users

Microsoft will hold a dedicated Windows 10 event for consumers next month, but it appears that more goodies are prepared for those who will attend or watch the conference online.

In addition to new features for PCs, Microsoft is also expected to present the new Windows Phone 10 during the event, with an early preview build very likely to be demoed by Joe Belfiore.

The Windows 10 mobile SKU is developed to work not only on mobile phones, but also on Intel and ARM tablets, Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet writes, so this would be the first public appearance of the new platform supposed to replace Windows RT and bring phones and tablets closer together.

Obviously, this new version of Windows 10 won’t come with a desktop and will only be focused on the Modern UI. Apps available in the store will be the only ones running on these devices, so desktop software will remain a PC-exclusive feature.

No downloadable version in January

While Windows Phone 10 Preview will make it to the show, there’s one thing that needs to be clear for all users who hope to get their hands on the new version next month. That’s not going to happen, unfortunately, so the only thing you’ll see in January is a demo of the features that could be part of the upcoming mobile operating system.

The reason is as simple as it could be: Microsoft is still working on the first preview build of Windows Phone 10 and we’re hearing that it’s not yet ready and won’t be until the January 21 event.

But Microsoft still wants to show consumers that a new Windows Phone version is in development, so some of these features will be highlighted at this conference.

In other words, even if everyone hopes to get a downloadable version of Windows Phone 10 Preview, this is very unlikely to be released next month. At this point, only a few testers from within the company and a limited number of employees in the Operating Systems Group received the early tidbits.

Microsoft obviously needs more time to test this build internally and only then ship it to devices enrolled in the Preview for Developers program. That’s likely to happen in spring 2015 and possibly in April, when Microsoft will also host its BUILD 2015 developer conference in San Francisco.

As for the final version, Windows Phone 10 is likely to ship to devices in early fall 2015 together with the desktop version of Windows 10.