Microsoft’s hardware horizons have significantly broadened, with Windows Phone 8 now supporting multi-core processors and a range of screen resolutions up to 720p HD. There’s also now NFC support for the new Wallet Hub, which will pull together digital payment systems, coupons, loyalty cards and more.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes Windows Phone 8 is now based on the same core as Windows 8, which means far more software parity between the desktop/tablet and mobile platforms. Microsoft says that will make releasing apps for all form-factors far more straightforward, and it should do wonders for pulling together the ecosystem as a whole too.

It’s not all good news, however. Microsoft also sheepishly confirmed that existing Windows Phones would not be getting a WP8 upgrade: instead, they’d get a halfway house measure in the shape of Windows Phone 7.8, with the new Start screen and some other UI improvements, but not the rest of the technology.

If you can’t quite bring yourself to watch two whole hours of Windows Phone enthusiasm, you can get up to speed with our rather more brief WP8 wrap-up. Then head over and check out what makes Metro so special in our eyes-on with a Lumia 900 upgraded to Windows Phone 7.8.

Windows Phone Summit 2012 keynote:

Snapdragon S4 Plus encompasses the same dual-core Krait-based chips that can currently be found in phones like the Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X, so Windows Phone 8 shouldn’t be wanting for raw performance or power efficiency. Qualcomm also said that additional chips may make a future appearance, but for now Microsoft is keeping things simple.

The Windows Phone Summit brought a whole host of new features to Windows Phone 8, such as 720p resolution support, a new user interface with resizable live tiles, a shared Windows core, NFC support for mobile payments, and Nokia Maps integration. You can find the full round-up here, as well as the timeline from yesterday’s event below.

The two column layout of the existing Metro has been replaced with up to four columns, with the Live Tiles now resizable as well as movable. You can have a 1×1 block – still with live, dynamically updating information – or stretch them out to fit the full width of the screen and down the page, if you want to show more messages or updates in one go.

It’s reminiscent of the resizable widgets on Android, but with the same clean UI that we still love from Windows Phone. It’ll really come into its own with higher-resolution devices however – Microsoft announced 720p HD support in Windows Phone 8 today – when the extra pixels will make smaller tiles more useful and larger tiles even more data-rich.

As for the matter of existing Windows Phone users not getting the full WP8 upgrade but instead a UI refresh in the shape of Windows Phone 7.8, a Microsoft spokesperson told us that they don’t believe the general consumer will be particularly concerned about it. For the mass market, we were told, the new UI will address most of the questions about Windows Phone, and Microsoft isn’t predicting much in the way of blow-back.

It’s still early days, and we’d need to really live with Windows Phone 8 before we know quite how much of an improvement it is over the current platform, but Microsoft has certainly managed to get developers talking today. Basing the OS on the same core as Windows 8 will make cross-platform development far more straightforward, and that could give the Windows Phone Marketplace the jolt it needs to compete more directly with Android and iOS. Expect it to show up on handsets from Nokia, Huawei, HTC and Samsung this fall.

This version of the application (available today) brings on a much more smooth experience for the full Voice Over IP users of the Windows Phone universe. Included in this upgrade you’ll find the display of all contacts that have one phone number on one list, the ability to edit phone numbers using your dial-pad before making calls, and a set of bug fixes as well.

One bug fixed here has been a major one for some calendar-using citizens, it being a fix for an issue in which a Skype call would end if a calendar notification appeared or if another Skype call came in during the first. Skype’s VoIP service will be much more deeply integrated with Windows Phone 8 than it ever has been before, with VoIP options appearing right alongside your regular everyday cellular calls right from the start.

Stick around and check out all of our Windows Phone 8 updates from today in the timeline below and straight through to the future via our Windows Phone Summit portal as well!

This latest piece of news should come as a relief to those wondering if future handsets will be left out in the cold just like the Nokia Lumia 800 and 900. It’s disappointing that Microsoft has chosen to ignore current handsets, but if you buy into the platform starting from Windows Phone 8 you should be covered for at least 18 months. The over-the-air feature is a welcome addition too: now users don’t have to interact with the Zune software to get updates.

On top of all of that, Microsoft says that “registered enthusiasts” will be able to sign up to receive early Windows Phone updates before they go live on a wide scale. Whatever lies beyond Apollo, Microsoft will offer up early versions to customers who really want to test them out. A nice touch, and something that Android could use.

Nokia devices with Windows Phone 8 will have a lovely DLNA app for wireless connections called Play To (editors note: much like the enhancements we’ve seen Samsung running this week with the Galaxy S III). Nokia’s next-generation devices will have Camera Extras, these abilities such as Self-Timer, Action Shot, Panorama, and Smart Group Shot. The Smart Group Shot feature specifically will be powered by Scalado technology – using five photos to allow you to choose the best features from each one!

Windows Phone 8 on Nokia devices will of course be working with Nokia Maps, Nokia Transport, and Nokia Drive, as we got to see a few weeks ago at CTIA 2012 in an early iteration:

Have a peek at our timeline below of all the Windows Phone 8 action we’ve reported on today, and stay tuned as the Windows Phone Summit continues!

This update comes from the Windows Phone Summit revealing Windows 8 to the world in waves. Speaking up on how “getting software on devices has been a challenge”, Microsoft also revealed that no current hardware out on the market right now would be getting Windows 8 software. Updates for devices that are released with Windows Phone 8 on them in the future will be getting early software updates just so long as their owners are “registered enthusiasts”. This program will be detailed in full soon!

Meanwhile have a peek at our Windows Phone 8 timeline below to stay up to date on everything we’ve seen this week at the Summit, and let us know how deeply you’ll be falling in love with the operating system as its released later this year.

There was a minor glitch which goes to show how far speech recognition still has to go: instead of playing Game of Thrones, the speech engine tried searching for St. Louis, Missouri. The second time around, however, Audible did begin playing Game of Thrones. Users can simply speak commands as well, such as “pause” or “next chapter”, with the speech system actively listening and recognizing commands.

A video demoed the system being used for navigation as well. Once a Windows Phone 8 user had stepped into a car with a navigation app running, the Speech engine notified them of an accident and asked if they wanted to change the route. A conversation then followed with prompts and questions and the user responding naturally.

Microsoft is hoping that the ability to use the speech recognition engine within apps will sway developers towards the platform. The company even took a little dig at Siri, not surprising considering the popularity of the voice assistant.

Instead, Windows Phone 8 will require new hardware. If you bought a Lumia 900 recently, for instance, the flagship Nokia Windows Phone on the market today, in just a few months time it will be outclassed by new devices and, most gallingly, be instantly left behind in terms of the new functionality.

Windows Phone 7.8 does have some advantages, at least in the short-term. Microsoft’s decision not to offer Windows Phone 8 for existing devices is presumably based on hardware limitations for the current specification guidelines: the new Windows core is likely too demanding. If the company had pushed ahead anyway then it might have led to a seriously sub-par user experience overall, something that presumably won’t be the case with v7.8.

It’s what comes afterwards that’s questionable. Microsoft, unsurprisingly, hasn’t talked about what 7.x releases are expected after v7.8, but it certainly seems likely that the company will push ahead to only working on 8.x iterations. Less than a year into your Lumia 900 agreement, you’re most probably left with a device that’s unlikely to see another point-upgrade in its lifetime.

Windows Phone 8 looks like a solid and interesting platform, particularly in terms of the tightening ecosystem between it, Windows 8 and Xbox LIVE. That’s great for new users, certainly, but those who have already taken the leap and jumped on board with Windows Phone 7/7.5 are in an altogether more frustrating position. Leaving anyone behind when you’re playing catch-up in the smartphone segment is not something to be proud of.

User Interface

For the most part, Windows Phone will look the same as it has throughout Windows Phone 7. The big change is the Start Screen‘s new inclusion of your ability to choose between three different tile sizes: small, medium, and large. The smallest tiles are going to be great for app icons as well as simple number-based notification types of tiles (like an email inbox). The largest tiles will be great for applications such as your calendar which can have quite a bit of information for each day.

The large tiles will also be able to be customized, this being an ability that developers have had in the past but now that anyone will be able to work with. Color customizations are included here as well as in each of the other tiles, with new colors coming in as well.

Shared Windows Core

Windows Phone 8 will be sharing several elements with Windows 8 for the desktop environment, including device drivers, kernel, media foundation, and a file system. This will allow developers to create applications that work for one system and quickly modify it to work on the other. Windows Phone 8 will be prepared for multi-core processors and many desktop-level abilities, this bringing the whole Windows world closer together than it ever has been before.

Hardware Upgrades

The Windows Phone 8 experience will be pushed to more devices than ever before, including devices working with three different screen resolutions – including WVGA, WXGA, and 720p. This OS will be able to support multi-core processors and device drivers, this here meaning anything from single-core to dual-core, quad-core, and beyond. Windows Phone 8 will be able to support SD cards, NFC for mobile payments in a host of new ways, and of course you’ll see a much more indistinguishable set of differences between Windows Phone 8 for mobile and Windows 8 for desktop computers, tablets, and everything in-between.

Nokia Maps

You’ll find that Nokia’s push for mapping has struck a big chord with Microsoft this time around, with Nokia Maps sweeping across the Windows Phone 8 experience. You’ll be working with Nokia’s NAVTEQ data for mapping and offline maps will be key. Have a peek at our hands-on with Nokia’s mapping apps here, courtesy of Nokia at CTIA 2012:

Wallet and NFC

As you may have guessed, the NFC craze is about to be fully realized by Microsoft with Windows Phone 8. Working with not just the Windows Phone Wallet app, but with photo and media transfers as well. When one platform takes hold, the rest do too! Your cash transfers inside the device will now include in-app purchases as well, and a big jump forward with a new Chase Windows Phone 8 app was revealed at the event right alongside the NFC news galore.

Business Upgrades

You’ll find that the business end of the Microsoft stick is strong in this release, with Windows Phone 8 bringing on a host of enterprise abilities in an attempt to grab at the ever-shrinking BlackBerry segment out there in the wild wild business universe west. Have a peek at the Windows Phone 8 business features and let us know if you’re planning on going WP8 for your enterprise in the near future. Internet Explorer 10 will be included on Windows Phone 8 as well for those business owners who seek familiarity.

Gaming and App Development

As it always has been with Windows Phone 7 and forward, Microsoft is once again pushing for heavy developer involvement with Windows Phone 8. This push includes DirectX and native code development for super-easy porting and new creation. Games coming on quick!

Check the Windows Phone 8 portal as well as our Windows Phone Summit portal for more news as it pops up all day long!

The Windows Phone 8 device was used to browse through the restaurant menu in the demo, with photo previews and more. Each member of the family could place their order, too, and the new Wallet Hub pulled up relevant coupons – in this particular case, from Groupon – for the meal.

Those coupons were redeemed by tapping the Windows Phone handset against a Windows 8 tablet held by the server, with NFC used to complete the deal. The phone automatically notified the user that they’d get a receipt in their inbox.

Microsoft has always talked up the presence of Xbox LIVE and Office on Windows Phone, but actually interoperability between the company’s desktop, gaming and mobile platforms has been patchy at best. With Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8, that looks to be changing, specifically boosted with the shared code support.

The company gave a quick demo on stage, and it works as you would expect. When you try to make an in-app purchase, the Wallet is automatically launched so you can select which credit or debit card to use to fund the purchase. After you confirm and the transaction takes place, you’re taken back to the app and your purchase is complete.

It’s a small feature in the grand scheme of things, but Microsoft believes it will help developers enormously and accelerate sales in the Marketplace. Make sure to check out all the other information from the Windows Phone Summit in our timeline below.

The Wallet Hub uses Microsoft’s new NFC support added to Windows Phone 8, pulling together secure payments, loyalty cards and coupons into a single location on the phone.

The Wallet will also feature a PIN, which can be used to protect any purchases made using the phone. That covers both NFC transactions and Marketplace purchases, and means that even if the Windows Phone itself isn’t secured with a lockscreen PIN, people picking it up won’t be able to spend the users’ money.

Chase’s app – which will drop later in 2012 – supports showing the current balance of things like debit cards, checking accounts and credit cards. It also lists Chase Quickpay requests.

However, Microsoft hasn’t detailed just exactly what will be included in Windows Phone 7.8. Instead, the company says that it will include “core customer experiences” from the full OS, with UI improvements among other things.

That seems to imply that the more advanced features simply won’t be brought to the older phones, though to a casual glance they might look the same. Windows Phone 8′s new shared core with Windows 8 is likely to be the root of the problem, too demanding for the 1.0 to 1.4GHz single-core processors of Windows Phone 7.5 devices.

No release date for Windows Phone 7.8 has been confirmed, though it’s likely to be released to existin users alongside the full WP8 launch this fall. More details on the new platform in the timeline links below.

There’s also NFC support, again a new native feature of Windows Phone 8, which Microsoft will use with its new Wallet Hub. Hardware acceleration for HMTL5 Canvas is also included, and Belfiore’s demo showed just how slickly Internet Explorer 10 could run on the new dual-core device.

Exact hardware details of the Nokia prototype are in short supply. It’s not clear which company supplied the processor – though Qualcomm, as the key chipset partner so far, seems a likely assumption – nor what speed it’s running at.

Unfortunately, as Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore was keen to make clear, the Nokia prototype isn’t expected to turn up as a production device. However, while that exact model isn’t going to reach store shelves, we would be very surprised if Nokia didn’t use similar components for commercial models when they arrive this fall.

This change will bring in a whole heck of a lot more space on the Windows Phone 8 Start Screen as four tiles can fit where one was in the past, and the whole experience has been made just a bit quicker too, it seems. Multiple tiles at once on your Start Screen running images and information to you in real-time and a grid of them available to you at all times, all of that now with tiny tiles now as well! Sound like a great experience?

Stay tuned as we learn more about this adjustment to the world of Windows Phone, it being prepped for the next generation of mobile. Windows Phone 8 is growing up in the background here for developers – stay tuned as we find how that affects you the user soon as well!

Windows Phone 8 will include support for BitLocker encryption. In addition, there will be a secure boot mode, LOB app deployment, and the typical Office apps one would expect. On top of all of that, there will be easy device management for administrators, so they can use the same tools they use on the desktop to manage Windows Phone 8 devices thanks to the shared core.

Apps will also be able to be set up for end users without administrators going through the Marketplace. All in all, it looks like Microsoft is serious about entering the business and enterprise market on top of achieving growth in the consumer market.

We’ve already seen Nokia Maps work its magic on Nokia’s own Lumia range, but Windows Phone 8 will see all handsets getting the same advantages. Mapping data can be downloaded to the phone – including to the microSD card, if installed – so that travelers can shut of data, avoid roaming fees, but still navigate.

Turn-by-turn navigation, meanwhile, will support public transportation data as well as regular roads and pedestrian routes. That, again, has been demonstrated on Lumia devices, though it’s unclear if the Points-of-Interest Nokia provides will also be carried over to other manufacturers’ handsets.

Developers, meanwhile, will be able to take advantage of the maps API so that they can integrate navigation and location-based services into their handset. More on Windows Phone 8 in the timeline below.

This boost will take Windows Phone 8 Apollo to the next level, or so Microsoft hopes. They also let the audience know that Internet Explorer 10 would be bringing users to a new level of quick browsing of the web and that games developed for Windows 8 will also be able to be used on Windows Phone – a giant leap for the whole platform, of course.

This native game development will be based on DirectX and it will be made a whole lot easier for users developing for iOS and Android to port their games over to Windows Phone as well. Developers should be jumping for joy when they find how easy it is to move to Windows Phone 8 in the future – and Microsoft is being extremely clear about that.

Stay tuned as we continue to cover this Microsoft Windows Phone Summit event and check the timeline below for more Windows Phone 8 news than you can handle! Also keep in mind that this is a platform summit, not a set of announcements for end users – more on that soon!

There’ll also be 15:9 aspect WXGA 1280 x 768 resolution, for a total of three display sizes. Apps coded for Windows Phone 7 already in the Windows Phone Marketplace will run automatically on the larger resolution displays, scaled up to suit.

Meanwhile, there’s now microSD card support for removable storage, addressing one serious complaint about earlier phones with minimal onboard capacity. Not every Windows Phone 8 handset will have a microSD slot, but

Microsoft has also added NFC capability to Windows Phone 8, for what the company says will be “the most complete wallet experience” in the new Wallet Hub. It will support third-party services via an API – such as coupons, balances on other services, etc – and a secure payment system as long as you have a Secure Payment SIM.

“We’ve seen Google, with their wallet, put the secure element in the device” Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore said today. “The side-effect is that some mobile operators have removed those elements because they want their customers to be able to move their payment system from one phone to the next.”

Microsoft will partner with Orange among other carriers for mobile wallet systems in Europe. In the US, Microsoft has been working with Isis – the combined effort of AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile and others – and will have a solution “over the course of the next year” though not at launch.

Internet Explorer 10 is said to have JavaScript rendering that is four times as fast as the current IE. Not only that, but there will be twice as many HTML5 features in Internet Explorer 10. The anti-phishing feature, dubbed SmartScreen, takes data collected from hundreds of millions of Windows PCs and applies that to the mobile browser, blocking malicious websites in real time. A demo that highlighted the feature showed a red pop-up appearing when the browser detects a potentially malicious website, warning users that the “website has been reported as unsafe.”

Microsoft is so confident of Internet Explorer 10’s performance that they shared a slide comparing the SunSpider benchmark score against phones such as the Galaxy S III, HTC One S, and iPhone 4S running the iOS 6 beta. As you can see, Internet Explorer 10 looks to have beaten out dual-core and quad-core powerhouses from competitors, but Microsoft failed to mention what kind of hardware the test was performed on. Showing off the hardware accelerated HTML5 on-stage, a “fountain of apps” demo showed how smooth and fluid the browser was even when presented with complicated animations and graphics.

The two platforms will share the kernel, networking, file system, multimedia, and graphics support. The shared core will support multi-core processors, and in fact the Windows Phone 8 core has already proved itself on 64-core servers at the heart of regular Windows machines.

For developers, apps they have already created – or have in progress – for Windows 8 PCs will be readily ported across to Windows Phone 8 devices. There’s also shared security infrastructure, which should come as a relief to enterprise users, and drivers will work on both platforms.

We’ll have more on Windows Phone 8 as the morning goes on.