Windows Phone 8 launches on 20 June

SOFTWARE HOUSE Microsoft is likely to announce its next major mobile software update, Windows Phone 8 Apollo, in just two weeks on 20 June.

That's according to an invitation that summons press to see a "sneak peak at the future of Windows Phone" in San Francisco on the afformentioned date. Of course, Microsoft is remaining tight-lipped with regards to what the event has in store, but we're putting our money on Windows Phone 8.

It's still unclear what we can expect from Windows Phone 8, with Microsoft taking tips from Apple with its secretive approach towards its next mobile operating system. However, speculation suggests Apollo will bring support for multi-core processors to the struggling platform, a move that could finally see Windows Phone handsets competing against Android smartphones from HTC and Samsung.

Windows Phone 8 is also likely to feature support for removable microSD cards and higher screen resolutions, integrated NFC and a reworked camera interface. With Windows 8 dominating the Computex conference in Taiwan, we're also likely to see Microsoft promote its vision of deep integration between mobile phones and PCs.

Given Microsoft's tight relationship with Nokia, the event could also see the launch of an Apollo-powered Lumia handset - especially considering that Nokia's existing Windows Phone handsets are unlikely to support Microsoft's upcoming mobile operating system.

Microsoft was unavailable for comment at the time of writing. µ