Microsoft recently released Windows Phone 7.1 Mango to manufacturers, which means that the first smartphones running the updated operating system should start hitting the streets in the next few months. But phone makers aren’t the only ones getting a new version of Windows Phone 7 this week. Microsoft has also released a new beta for developers.
The Windows Phone 7.1 Beta 2 refresh isn’t exactly the same as the RTM (release to manufacturing) build. But it’s pretty close and it does give developers the tools they need to update apps or write new apps that will work with Windows Phone 7.1 once it’s available to the public.
The new beta has built-in support for taking screenshots on your device, and features locked APIs, which means that any apps designed to work on the beta release won’t rely on features that will function differently in the final release.
