The much anticipated MIX 11 conference starts in just 3 days and we're expecting big headlines in regards to Windows Phone 7 and the Microsoft ecosystem in general. So what are the rumor mills churning out and is there a good chance they might happen? Also, are there going to be any surprises that no one is expecting? We won't be able to know anything for sure until news comes straight from the horses mouth, but instead we can have some fun and make some predictions of our own! Jump past the break to see what will, won't and might happen at MIX this year!
What Will Happen
I wouldn't doubt the insider sources that Tom Warren from Winrumors has, especially about a rumor that makes a lot of logical sense. Also, we know at least half of the rumor is true as Microsoft was apparently going to show off Silverlight on the Xbox 360 back in December but pulled out at the last second. Beyond that, if you take a look at the list of Windows Phone-related developer sessions to be held at MIX this year, many of them say TBA and include Silverlight as a tag. I don't know about you, but the likelihood of this one coming true seems pretty darn high to me.
Chassis 2 Hardware Teased
This was originally rumored to happen at MWC back in February but somehow it never happened. Well what better way to introduce the new finalized chassis requirements than to do it a year later at the same conference they were originally introduced? Microsoft knows it needs to catch up and fast and the Chassis 2 phones promise to keep the experience the same but for a lower price, which means potentially better volume of sales. They've already waited a year since talking about it, so if they're gonna go through with it you can bet it'll be at MIX.
Another Update Before Mango with Release Timeframe
Considering the fiasco that was the Pre-NoDo and (still is) the NoDo update release, Microsoft will need to chop up that juicy Mango into smaller pieces so they can spread it out over time. WMPoweruser received that news from a reliable tipster who said that the big feature of this update would be IE9. If this does launch before Mango, Microsoft will also most likely announce a release timeframe for when to expect it.
This one has been confirmed by multiple personalities to be discussed at MIX so this one isn't a big surprise. However, we could be seeing a few new surprises that have yet to be disclosed. We've already covered the joint Silverlight marketplace, but there are other hints quietly making the rounds like new app sorting features which have been spotted in the wild. I'm also expecting to see the update bring along more APIs which Windows Phone developers desperately need in order to more fully integrate with the OS--the missing APIs is the reason VOIP apps like Skype have yet to appear on the platform.
Nokia CEO Stephen Elop Will Be There
Yep, I am fully expecting former Microsoft employee and current Nokia CEO Stephen Elop to make a cameo at their little MIX shindig. Microsoft loves talking about their partnership with Nokia at every given opportunity and they know full well the media will be paying attention to what's going to go down at MIX so you can expect at least a wave and a handshake here and there.
What Won't Happen
Microsoft is definitely going to talk about Mango, but don't count on it getting released--even as a developer build. Instead, if Microsoft is planning to do an update before Mango we could see the developer build release of that a few weeks after MIX. But I sincerely doubt we'll see Mango up and running in public before Summer.
Considering that Nokia is only hoping to get their first Windows Phone released before the end of 2011 suggests they might not even make it to the market this year at all. The possibility of Nokia unveiling their first Windows Phone-powered handset at MIX next week is basically nonexistent at this point. It's just too early. I'd still love to see some of those concept photos though!
Next Generation of WP7 Hardware
Microsoft will be emphasizing software at MIX, which is sort of the point of the conference anyway. Plus, Microsoft is most likely going to go dual core for their next generation handsets and Qualcomm's dual core Snapdragon chipsets won't be available for mass market production until Summer anyway (HTC's EVO 3D will be one of the first handsets to market with the processor). So for those holding out hope that we'll be seeing some next generation Windows Phones in the middle of April may want to snap out of that pipe dream.
What Might Happen
This was rumored early last year when we were all naive enough to believe copy/paste and multitasking would come in the same update in early 2011. Well that dream never came to fruition, but turn-by-turn navigation from Bing Maps could be one of the big surprises Microsoft has in store for Mango this year. It's already done it for Windows Mobile 6.5, so why not WP7? On the contrary, we've heard that Microsoft was planning to leverage Nokia's Ovi Maps database for that purpose and there simply may not be enough time to prepare Bing Navigation for a public showing at MIX.
HTC's Ignite and Prime Officially Announced
What's better than seeing Chassis 2 requirements announced? New hardware to go along with it! There's a chance we'll be saying hello to the rumored Ignite and Prime mid-range HTC Windows Phones for the first time in an official capacity. Adding some credibility to this rumor is the fact that HTC also just so happens to be throwing a shindig of its own on April 12th in London. But this is no guarantee, as HTC may instead be announcing their highly anticipated Pyramid phone running Android instead and end up ignoring WP7 altogether. But the timing is pretty coincidental and while I don't doubt they are launching the Pyramid at that event, I also wouldn't be surprised if they slipped in their mid-range pair for Microsoft before announcing the main attraction.
Hackers from the ChevronWP7 were so confident in Microsoft's plans for homebrew development after meeting with them, they pulled their jailbreaking tool only a few days after its release. That is certainly a positive impression but no one besides those present in that meeting would even know the timetable for that kind of development. So this is a bit of a wild card, as the chances of it happening and not happening are split pretty much down the middle. Then again, MIX is the ideal place to talk about it...
Zune Rebranded
There has been plenty of evidence to support the claim that Microsoft isn't as fond of the Zune brand as it used to be, especially in recent months when we've heard rumblings that Zune hardware was to be discontinued. However, there's no telling if Microsoft will discuss that topic at MIX since Zune is their own closed system which developers have zero access to and is considered as more of a 'service' than a product. That is, if Zune is even rebranded at all which no one even knows for sure at this time.
As outlandish as this prediction may sound, the potential of it happening is present. We know that manufacturers already have their hands on the Milestone 3 version of Windows 8 which has been steadily leaking new information everyday. Plus there were those rumors that Microsoft could be showing off Windows 8 tablets as early as Summer, so a sneak peek at the future flagship product wouldn't be too surprising to see in April. But it still feels too early for any kind of public Windows 8 showing and considering how ambitious the OS is supposed to be, Microsoft may be planning to wait until they have a more polished build to dazzle the crowds with.
Do you agree with my own predictions? Or do you have some of your own ideas for what Microsoft may be coming out with next week? Tell us about it below in the comments!
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