From IGN

Microsoft unveiled Windows Phone 8 today – a new operating system that loosens Microsoft’s previous hardware restrictions, and adds a slate of pivotal new features, ranging from NFC, to MicroSD expansion support, and more.

Microsoft has previously limited Windows Phone to single-core processors – long after the rest of the world had gone dual-core (or even quad-core). While some consumers griped, this strategy ended up helping Microsoft produce competent phones at bargain prices – Like the Samsung Focus 2, which launched for just $49.

That’s all about to change, with Microsoft announcing that Windows Phone 8 will support dual-core processors (as well as quad and beyond – all the way up to 64 cores).

Ironically, it’s only been about two months since Nokia CEO and Microsoft's trojan horse Stephen Elop said, "The so-called dual-core, quad-core mobile phones can only waste batteries, but not be useful for consumers all the time."

I guess he had a change of heart.

That also means that  Windows Phone 7 phones won't be eligible for the Windows Phone 8 update, but they will receive an incremental update to Windows Phone 7.8.

Windows Phone 8 will also come with support for three resolutions:

By comparison, the  Apple iPhone 4Sboasts a 960x640 resolution, while the HTC One X is True 720p at 1280x720.

Among the aesthetic changes, Microsoft’s new home screen is the most obvious. Tile sizes now come in three sizes, and each user will be able to customize sizes as they see fit. Developers will also, for the first time, be able to custom design the larger tiles – undoubtedly leading to a less simplistic homescreen.

But aesthetics weren’t all that were overhauled – NFC (or Near Field Communication) will be supported in Windows Phone 8. NFC allows for users to pay for things with the swipe of their phone, and Microsoft has announced Mobile Wallet (think Apple Passport, or Google Wallet) to take care of things on the software side.

There’s a slew of other features that will help Windows Phone compete with Android and iOS, including Skype integration, and in-app purchases – which doubtless played a part in Microsoft announcing that Windows Phone would finally be getting a  Words with Friends app.

We won’t even pretend we're not excited about the Windows Phone 8 update. While a majority of the Windows Phone OS improvements have been seen on iOS and Android, we genuinely believe Microsoft has taken far-reaching and smart steps to improve their phone OS and make it a competitive option in today’s market.

But what about you, could your next phone be running Windows Phone 8?