Microsoft launches Windows Phone 8, reveals Kid’s Corner and Data Sense

Microsoft held a coming out party for Windows Phone 8 in San Francisco today, revealing the platform’s new features and trying to convince consumers that it can be a relevant and serious competitor to other smartphone platforms.
Microsoft was lucky enough to have its press event today in an area that was not being pummeled by a historic 1000-mile-wide storm (unlike Google).
Among the new enhancements is a more powerful Live Tiles feature. Users will now be able to see real-time activity on the phone’s lock screen. They are also more customizable. For example, it’s possible to set up a social live tile that shows your family’s or friend’s latest tweets and wall posts.
In addition, there will be a Live Tile feature called Data Sense that will let users see the amount of data that has been consumed by each app, allowing users who go over their data limits to see where they need to cut back. Verizon will be the first carrier to offer this feature.
Also announced was a new version of Skype, the first major overhaul of Microsoft’s mobile version of the app since its acquisition of the VoIP service became final. Microsoft is also giving away a free year of Pandora Internet radio service, which is also now optimized for Windows Phone 8. Microsoft’s SkyDrive service is also tightly integrated into the new OS. Users will also be able to sync their iTunes collections. Another new feature is Kid’s Corner — a guest account that let’s you pick which apps are available to that user (it can be used as a standard guest account for adults as well).
Obviously Microsoft has a long way to go before Windows Phone 8 will pose any sort of serious material risk to Android or iOS, but everyone needs to keep in mind that WP8 is not meant to be looked at in a vacuum.
Instead, it is one piece of a very concerted strategy to tie as many Microsoft products and services together as possible. So while it is an Android and iOS competitor, it is also a complementary device for the Xbox 360 and something that can tie into your PC experience, with tight integration with things like Microsoft’s instant messaging and email platforms.
It’s also a part of the Windows 8 strategy as Microsoft goes for a more unified look and feel for its various platforms.
That is becoming an industry-wide trend and not something unique to Microsoft. The push is for a user experience where no matter what device they’re using, they are all tied together. Microsoft has the capacity to do this better than Google or Apple, but the challenge is convincing users that there is sufficient value in this strategy.