Microsoft Singapore officially launches Windows Phone 7.5 yesterday. Windows Phone 7.5 has more than 500 new features and enhancements.

Both HTC Radar (RRP: SGD$569) and Samsung Omnia W (RRP: SGD$498) will be the first Windows Phone 7.5 to be released in Singapore. The HTC Radar will be available next month (October 2011) while the Samsung Omnia W will be available sometime in Q4 2011.

The Mango release is available for free to all Windows Phone 7 customers. Microsoft will begin delivery of the update to existing Windows Phone 7 users from today and gradually ramp up delivery so that the update will be broadly available to most existing customers by the end of October 2011.

Based on the official site, Where’s my phone update?, both SingTel and StarHub are in the status of “Delivering update” which means:

Microsoft has started to send out the update. Important: To help ensure quality, software updates are typically sent out gradually and/or in batches, so it might take several weeks before you receive notice that an update is available for your phone.

Official Site: Windows Phone 7.5
Official Status Page: Where’s my phone update?
Press Release (Windows Phone 7.5): Microsoft Puts People First With The Launch Of The Latest Version Of Windows Phone In Singapore
Press Release (HTC Radar): HTC Unveils HTC Radar, HTC’s First Windows Phone 7 With Mango Update
Press Release (Samsung Omnia W): Samsung delivers a unique experience with Omnia W, a smartphone that puts people first

Some of you might already know, WhatsApp has been available on Windows MarketPlace For Mobile since last Saturday, but unfortunately, it is only available for Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango) users. Most of us, the “general public” are still on Windows Phone 7.0 and are eagerly waiting to upgrade to Windows Phone 7.5 which I think will be released this week if not the latest next week.

The official word came from WhatsApp’s blog post:

On Saturday September 25th, after months of hard work, our Windows Phone client went live in the Marketplace!

WhatsApp Messenger for Windows Phone is available to those running version 7.5 (Mango) release on their device. We are sorry if you don’t have Windows Phone 7.5 yet, but very soon all of the current Windows Phone 7.0 devices will get upgraded to 7.5 and you will be able to download and enjoy our app.

The release of WhatsApp For Windows Phone 7.5, brings the support for WhatsApp across 6 different platforms:

• iPhone (OS 3.1 or newer)
• Android (OS 2.1 or newer)
• BlackBerry (OS 4.5 or newer)
• Nokia Symbian S60 (3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 or newer)
• Nokia S40 (6th edition or newer)
• Windows Phone (OS 7.5 or newer)

WhatsApp Blog: Windows Phone = SIX

Yes, FINALLY Nokia is dumping Symbian for something better! Windows Phone!

Here is the full Microsoft’s press release:

LONDON – Feb. 11, 2011 – Nokia and Microsoft today announced plans to form a broad strategic partnership that would use their complementary strengths and expertise to create a new global mobile ecosystem.

Nokia and Microsoft intend to jointly create market-leading mobile products and services designed to offer consumers, operators and developers unrivalled choice and opportunity. As each company would focus on its core competencies, the partnership would create the opportunity for rapid time to market execution. Additionally, Nokia and Microsoft plan to work together to integrate key assets and create completely new service offerings, while extending established products and services to new markets.

Under the proposed partnership:

• Nokia would adopt Windows Phone as its principal smartphone strategy, innovating on top of the platform in areas such as imaging, where Nokia is a market leader.
• Nokia would help drive the future of Windows Phone. Nokia would contribute its expertise on hardware design, language support, and help bring Windows Phone to a larger range of price points, market segments and geographies.
• Nokia and Microsoft would closely collaborate on joint marketing initiatives and a shared development roadmap to align on the future evolution of mobile products.
• Bing would power Nokia’s search services across Nokia devices and services, giving customers access to Bing’s next generation search capabilities. Microsoft adCenter would provide search advertising services on Nokia’s line of devices and services.
• Nokia Maps would be a core part of Microsoft’s mapping services. For example, Maps would be integrated with Microsoft’s Bing search engine and adCenter advertising platform to form a unique local search and advertising experience
• Nokia’s extensive operator billing agreements would make it easier for consumers to purchase Nokia Windows Phone services in countries where credit-card use is low.
• Microsoft development tools would be used to create applications to run on Nokia Windows Phones, allowing developers to easily leverage the ecosystem’s global reach.
• Nokia’s content and application store would be integrated with Microsoft Marketplace for a more compelling consumer experience.

“Today, developers, operators and consumers want compelling mobile products, which include not only the device, but the software, services, applications and customer support that make a great experience,” Stephen Elop, Nokia President and CEO, said at a joint news conference in London. “Nokia and Microsoft will combine our strengths to deliver an ecosystem with unrivalled global reach and scale. It’s now a three-horse race.”

“I am excited about this partnership with Nokia,” said Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. “Ecosystems thrive when fueled by speed, innovation and scale.The partnership announced today provides incredible scale, vast expertise in hardware and software innovation and a proven ability to execute.”

Here is a snippet of Nokia’s press release:

Nokia plans to form a strategic partnership with Microsoft to build a global mobile ecosystem based on highly complementary assets. The Nokia-Microsoft ecosystem targets to deliver differentiated and innovative products and have unrivalled scale, product breadth, geographical reach, and brand identity. With Windows Phone as its primary smartphone platform, Nokia would help drive the future of the platform by leveraging its expertise on hardware optimization, software customization, language support and scale. Nokia and Microsoft would also combine services assets to drive innovation. Nokia Maps, for example, would be at the heart of key Microsoft assets like Bing and AdCenter, and Nokia’s application and content store would be integrated into Microsoft Marketplace. Under the proposed partnership, Microsoft would provide developer tools, making it easier for application developers to leverage Nokia’s global scale.

…

As of April 1, Nokia will have a new company structure, which features two distinct business units: Smart Devices and Mobile Phones. They will focus on Nokia’s key business areas: high-end smartphones and mass-market mobile phones. Each unit will have profit-and-loss responsibility and end-to-end accountability for the full consumer experience, including product development, product management and product marketing.

Smart Devices will be responsible for building Nokia’s leadership in smartphones and will be led by Jo Harlow. The following sub-units now in Mobile Solutions will move under Smart Devices:
- Symbian Smartphones
- MeeGo Computers
- Strategic Business Operations

To support the planned new partnership with Microsoft, Smart Devices will be responsible for creating a winning Windows Phone portfolio.

…

Press Release (Nokia): Nokia outlines new strategy, introduces new leadership, operational structure
Press Release (Microsoft): Nokia and Microsoft Announce Plans for a Broad Strategic Partnership to Build a New Global Mobile Ecosystem

Got myself the HTC 7 Mozart as my own Christmas present from Mobile Square. They are selling it for SGD$670 without contact. I traded in my Nokia N82 for SGD$140 and my mom’s iPhone 3G (16GB) for SGD$270. Ended up paying only just SGD$260 for the phone.

Box Front

Box Back – Specifications

Box Contents

HTC 7 Mozart – Front View

HTC 7 Mozart – Back View

Windows Phone 7 OS

Now I have phones from all major mobile OSes (iOS, Android, Symbian^3 & Windows Phone 7) except Blackberry!

After receiving Microsoft press release for launching Windows Phone 7 to Singapore, 5 minutes later, I got a SingTel press release entitled “SingTel brings Windows Phone 7 to Singapore”

The press release is pretty long, so I am not going to paste it here. I will summarize the press release into point form:

• Windows Phone 7 will be available from 21st October 2010 onwards
• SingTel apps like AMPed and MobileTV will be integrated into Microsoft Marketplace
• The phone will come preloaded with SingTel’s Xplorer and TrafficeLIVE app
• SingTel will offer Windows Phone 7 with 3 handset models:
  1. Samsung Omnia 7
  2. HTC HD 7 (Exclusive to SingTel)
  3. LG Optimus 7
• SingTel will introduce three enhanced Windows Phone 3G Flexi price plans:
  1. Windows Phone 3G Flexi Lite Plan
  2. Windows Phone 3G Flexi Plan
  3. Windows Phone 3G Flexi Plus Plan

SingTel Windows Phone Price Plans

PS: The prices for the Windows Phone 7 handsets is not stated in the press release and I can’t seem to load the official site for SingTel’s Windows Phone 7.

Official Site: SingTel’s Windows Phone 7