Microsoft is expected to show off Windows Phone 8 at a developer event next week, however, a few screenshots of the mobile operating system have leaked out a little early.
Acquired by Nokia Innovations, the screenshots show a new camera user interface for Windows Phone with a slider on the left side of the frame for zooming and a button for toggling between the front and rear-facing cameras.
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The screenshots also show Windows Phone 8's Skype integration. Skype calls can be answered with or without video, and Skype is integrated into the People Hub, so you can dial a contact using Skype just as you might send a text message or place a traditional phone call.
A DataSmart feature also makes an appearance in the leaked photos. The feature is expected to help you monitor data usage on the phone, giving up-to-the-minute stats on how much data you've used and how many more days you have left in your billing cycle. A live tile on the home screen can also let you see at a glance where you stand as far as data usage is concerned and give you quick access to the DataSmart screen to see the bigger picture.
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A final screenshot acquired by Nokia Innovations shows Nokia Drive 3.0 which is headed to Windows Phone. The maps application shows shows traffic information as well as provides re-routing information if you miss your turn.
Microsoft is holding a Windows Phone Summit next Wednesday in San Francisco. At the event it has promised, “A sneak peek at the future of Windows Phone,” a peek that will likely include some if not all of these features.
Windows Phone 8 is expected to add support for multi-core processors and four screen resolutions, two hardware limitations that are currently crippling Windows Phone's ability to complete with the iPhone and Android devices. NFC (Near Field Communication) is also expected to come to the next generation of the OS, allowing Windows Phone's to be used for things like contactless payments, where you might tap your phone on a register to pay rather than pull out a card.
What do you hope we see in Windows Phone 8? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
This story originally published on Mashable here.
