You might have noticed PocketGamer.biz was party to a host of speculation regarding the impact iOS 5's AirPlay Mirroring could have on the console gaming market recently.

Speaking with Babaroga's David Bachowski, however, suggests it's not only Apple's platform that will make its mark on your television set in the years to come.

Building upon Xbox 360's firm foundations, Babaroga's VP of business development believes the pending link up between Windows Phone games and those on Microsoft's home console could have just as big an impact on the market in the future, if not bigger.

We asked David why he thinks Microsoft's move to merge its gaming platforms – along with the additional backing from Nokia – could make Windows Phone a major force in the years to come.

Pocket Gamer: Mango updates Windows Phone's Xbox Live hub and Marketplace. Do you think this will make any difference to a game's visibility?

David Bachowski: The Xbox Live network has been a huge success for Microsoft, and making the interface on the phone a social, fun experience is a positive step forward.

Several of the features that have been improved, such as the 'spotlight' section on the marketplace, do make it easier to see new games and highlight the best apps in the market.

Mango also adds multitasking to the platform. Was this a feature you'd been looking for?

This is a feature that we've been waiting for for a long time, both as a developer and as a user.

The ability to instantly resume your application where it left off has become the expectation, rather than the exception.

Have you re-coded any titles to take advantage of Mango?

The update process to Mango requires little or no change to code. The only re-coding we have done has been to take advantage of brand new features such as in-app purchasing and downloadable content.

Our new office in London has been particularly active on implementing these features, working tightly with the Microsoft team to bring out the best user experience possible.

What's your take on the platform's performance so far?

Downloads have not been up to the level of a similar position on Android Market or the App Store.

We're hoping the introduction of affordable low-cost devices paired with high-end models will give the market the boost it needs.

What do you make of Nokia's first two devices - the Lumia 800 in particular? Will it change Windows Phone's standing in the market?

It's great to see the first devices come out of Nokia, and we are excited about the huge marketing push both Microsoft and Nokia have rolled out for their launch.

We think that having diversity in devices – covering both low-cost models up to high end offerings – will deliver the kind of market penetration Windows Phone deserves.

We see tremendous potential in the Nokia-Microsoft relationship, and have been hiring programmers and artists to account for the flurry of activity it provides.

How do you think Mango compares to the likes of iOS 5 or Ice Cream Sandwich?

iOS 5 and Ice Cream Sandwich are both improvements on polished operating systems, but the first thing people notice about Mango is how fresh it looks and feels.

The Metro design and ease of use for social and personal functions really sets the bar for minimalistic design. Live, updating tiles are truly a great design innovation that will undoubtedly become the norm in the future.

Is there anything missing from Mango from a game development perspective?

What Microsoft is starting to do, and what we have been continuing to work on, is seamless connectivity between Xbox 360, PC, and Windows Phone.

The attitude that your game lies on the cloud, not on your device, is what will propel us into the next gaming generation.

It's already being done now, but we think Microsoft is making it easier for developers - and, indeed, users – to cash in on this experience.
Thanks to David for his time.

You can find out more about Babaroga on the firm's website.