Microsoft releases Windows Phone 7 demo for iPhone and Android users

If you've been curious about Microsoft's Windows Phone 7.5 Mango platform, you can now try it out directly on your iPhone or Android device without having to download or install anything. Microsoft launched an HTML5 website that simulates the Windows Phone 7.5 Mango interface, allowing you to take a test drive by simply navigating to the site via your mobile browser.

The demo is located at the webpage http://aka.ms/wpdemo and is completely self contained using pre-populated user information such as contact list, agenda, and photos instead of any data on your phone. Microsoft also provides two guidance icons in the form of blue dots to help you learn how to navigate through the interface, which is fairly intuitive and slick already.

This is a nice little move by Microsoft to engage potential users that may be hesitant to switch to a Windows Phone without having first tried out the interface, which is very different from what they might be used to with the iPhone or Android. Microsoft has really stepped up Windows Phone marketing this time around and with a good push from Nokia's Lumia 800 launch in Europe, recent metrics indicate that the platform may finally be picking up some steam.

[via 9to5 Mac]