Microsoft's roadmap for Windows Phone was given a possible outline in a rumor Saturday. Tango, the first minor update, was pegged by Digitimes contacts as going live in March or April if Microsoft clinged to its roadmap. The rumored second Tango update would arrive in mid-year.
The largest update, Apollo or possibly Windows Phone 8, was slated for its expected late 2012 release. However, a "large volume" of devices based on it would ship in the initial half of 2013.
Early supporters of Windows Phone 8 weren't definite and appeared to be more speculation than definite fact. Dell and HP were floated as possible candidates for a comeback with Acer making a sequel. HTC, LG, and Samsung were put in some doubt after having been burned by low sales, although it's doubtful they will drop Windows Phone given the likely discounts on Android device royalties they get for making a token amount of Windows Phones.
The two Tango updates are believed to be adding support for true native apps, more languages, lower memory requirements, and support for lower resolutions to cater to a primarily Asian demand for cheaper models. WP8/Apollo would fundamentally change the architecture to bring in similarities to Windows 8 without sacrificing app compatibility. It would get some Skype integration and support for considerably more modern hardware, such as multi-core chips, microSD storage, and HD displays.
