Microsoft reveals full list of Tango device limitations

Microsoft’s Windows Phone Tango was quite a spoken about topic at MWC, last week. Now, we’ve got some more news and details about WP Tango and its limitations. As reported by the Verge, here’s a full detailed list of what’s changing (and what’s not changing) with Windows Phone Tango.

Let’s do the Tango?

• WP Marketplace app restrictions – This one is quite a downer. With Tango, whichever applications are processor intensive and have certain memory requirements will not work with devices that have 256 MB of RAM. 
• Podcast and videocast subscriptions – Those devices that have 256 MB of RAM won’t be able to manage subscriptions related to podcasts or watch video podcasts either. 
• Bing Local Scout – This feature won’t be accessible to devices with 256 MB of RAM. 
• Fast App switching – If your application uses over 90 MB, it will be killed immediately after deactivation. Fast app switching will be enabled for the other apps. 
• SkyDrive automatic photo upload – Automatic upload, again, will not be available for those with 256 MB of RAM, but manually, users will be able to upload their photos.
• HD video playback – Certain codecs won’t be supported and hence won’t be playable with devices that will have 256 MB of RAM. 
• Background agents – Background agents have been removed for devices with 256 MB of RAM.

That’s a whole load of stuff that Microsoft is eliminating or disabling with Windows Phone Tango, which clearly says one thing – Tango, isn’t really an ‘update’ per se. Additionally, Microsoft has even given developers to key aspects to consider – optimize start time and reduce memory usage. Besides these limitations, there are a couple of add-ons with Tango with better MMS integration, SIM management and a new location alert icon. It seems like MS is trying to make their upcoming smartphones of the extreme budget phone variety, otherwise these additions / limitations don’t really impress us. Because, for example, if the Lumia 710 is just a couple of grands more expensive than the 610, and has all these features, then we’re definitely going to ignore the 610. On the other hand, if the price gap is a good 5k – 6k, then Tango and 256 MB of RAM does make sense.