Windows Phone Apollo details leaked

The next big update to the Windows Phone operating system has been laid bare, with Apollo set to boast built-in Skype and NFC tech. PocketNow says it has seen a "Windows Phone 8" video meant for the eyes of Nokia executives, which gives full details of the update expected towards the end of the year, after the minor Tango bump.The site says a new version of the Microsoft-owned Skype client will be baked into the operating system and will allow "Skype calls behave almost identically to regular, non-VoIP telephony." Windows 8 in mind The report says that the new mobile OS has also been built largely with the new Windows 8 software in mind, harnessing Microsoft's vision of one operating system across the range of Windows-running tech.The software is built using many of the same components, according to Pocket-Now, enabling developers to use most of the same code to port applications to the mobile ecosystem.There's also be native code support, which will make it easier for developers of iOS and Android apps to create existing apps for the Windows Phone Marketplace. NFC tech on board.In terms of hardware requirements, Windows Phone 8, currently codenamed Apollo, will also embrace Near Field Communications tech for the first time."The Wallet experience," says PocketNow, "will have to capability to be carrier-branded and controlled, either by a secure element on the SIM card or utilizing hardware in the phone itself. In addition, tap-to-share capabilities will reportedly work across multiple platforms, allowing desktops, laptops, tablets, and phones to all share content."The Apollo generation of Windows Phones will also allow for multicore processors, while there'll also be removable MicroSD storage for the first time.The software will also feature more efficient data management services, according to the site. Identical to Windows 8 PocketNow, which has snagged a pretty huge scoop with this video that it hasn't published, says that the new Windows Phone version promises to bring the OS much closer to the Windows 8 OS.The report closes by saying: "Overall, we're looking at a lot of changes and additions here, all of which seem designed to either bring Windows Phone in line with other platforms, feature-wise, or make it more closely identical to the desktop version of Windows. It's probably safe to say that the jump from Mango/Tango to Apollo will be nearly as significant as the transition from Windows Mobile to Windows Phone, and this preview certainly gives us a lot to look forward to."The report follows TechRadar's chat with key Windows Phone partner Nokia, which promised Apollo will see the operating system reach its potential and finally come into its own.