In a statement delivered to PocketGamer.biz, a Microsoft spokesperson said its move to break with Windows Phone 7 is designed to make developers' lives easier, not harder.
Share and share alike
"The move of Windows Phone to sharing a core with Windows 8 means that, for today, there are many scenarios in which developers can develop application experience, in a manner designed to maximise code reuse and minimise duplication of effort in delivery to both Windows and Windows Phone," said Microsoft's spokesperson.
"Windows 8 and Windows Phone both utilise the same familiar Metro UX platform, and with Windows Phone 8, are now built on the same shared core set of technologies, which means that developers will be able to leverage much of their work writing applications and games for one to deliver experiences for the other."
The side effect of all this, however, is the inability for Windows Phone 7 owners to make the leap to the new platform.
Instead and, indeed, as much publicised by Nokia they will be offered the "Windows Phone 8 experience" through an update that superficially mimics the new platform's home screen.
Feature focus
"We only gave a sneak peek at what Windows Phone 8 enables," said the spokesperson of new features set to ship with Apollo.
"In addition to a shared core with Windows 8, many of the new Windows Phone 8 devices will include multicore chips, NFC and more screen resolutions that light up a brand new Start Screen, better IE-based browsing, even more capable apps, enterprise device management and device encryption, and a long list of new features that we'll be sharing in the weeks and months to come."
Of existing Windows Phone owners, Microsoft said partnerships with the likes of Zynga to deliver new content to the old OS as well as Nokia's vow to support its Lumia handsets should mean consumers won't find the split all too painful.
Window of opportunity
It is developers and not consumers, however, that Windows Phone 8 appears to be targeting first.
"For developers, we're especially pleased to announce support native application and game development in the release of Windows Phone 8, as now developers can build DirectX games with C++, as well as component libraries for XAML applications," concluded the spokesperson.
"We have only scratched the surface on many of the benefits that accrue as a result of Windows Phone being moved to the same core as Windows 8."
