Mango rumors surface ahead of Microsoft event today

If you are a Microsoft Windows Phone 7 fan, today is a big day for you. We mentioned a few weeks ago that today was a special VIP event with Microsoft calling geeks together to make some announcements about Windows Phone. We will be at the event so hit us up later after it starts to see just what was unveiled. There have been some rumors that new hardware may be unveiled today with the possibility of nine new smartphones and the naming of new hardware partners.

Other rumors are now surfacing ahead of the event too from WPcentral. A rumor from last night via a tweet from a source aptly called MS_Nerd tipped that three new hardware partners would be announced for Windows Phone. The same tipster reports that the Mango devices with have front facing cameras and that Zune Pass will be slowly merged with Xbox Live Gold to add more third party content to the mix. We only have a few more hours to see if any of these tips are accurate.

Winrumors is reporting another rumor that has details of Silverlight API improvements for Windows Phone 7.1 being talked up at the event. Windows Phone 7.1 is apparently what the early beta of Mango is being called right now. We already know Mango will be Windows Phone 7.5 officially when it launches.