A promotional video, starring Microsoft senior vice-president and Windows Phone product manager Joe Belfiore, has been leaked to the chaps at Pocketnow.com leaving them no choice but to tell us what the company supposedly has in store for Windows Phone 8.

The promotional video - supposedly aimed at Nokia employees to gee them up into an "awesome" frenzy for the next iteration of Windows Phone - has actually given us a fantastic insight, if true, into a host of new features we can expect in the next version of Windows Phone, the Windows Phone 8.

The new operating system update, to be dubbed Apollo, will supposedly see several hardware spec changes to the Microsoft mobile operating system.

Those changes include support for multicore processors (think Qualcomm S4), four new screen resolutions presumably for the bigger screen phones like the HTC Titan and Titan II, and the ability to expand a Windows Phone's memory via removable microSD.

Other specs will include NFC support for contactless payment, with Belfiore reported to be "placing specific emphasis on 8's push into contactless payments".

The "wallet experience," as Pocketnow says he calls it, will have the "capability to be carrier-branded and controlled, either by a secure element on the SIM card or utilising 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 video also supposedly details that Windows Phone 8 will include many of the same coding features as Windows 8 with developers being able to use most of their code when porting an app from desktop to phone.

If that's the case that is likely to be a big draw for programmers who are already developing apps and features for Windows 8. Either way, it is going to help Microsoft convince developers that developing for its platforms is going to be considerably easier than it is currently.

That move to a more symbiotic relationship will also stretch towards a more dedicated companion application to align with what is already available via the Mac Windows Phone connector software, or for older Windows Mobile users; the return of ActiveSync.

"The Xbox Companion app, currently found on Windows Phones, will see a partner client on Windows 8. Skydrive support promises seamless sharing of data between devices; Belfiore gives the example of instantly having one's music collection available on a newly purchased Windows Phone, without the need for a PC sync," reports the site.  

Also improved, in the heavily detailed report by Pocketnow, is a reworking of the camera and photo elements of the operating system:

"Also mentioned is support for app-to-app communication, as well as a revamped Skype client that hooks directly into the OS, letting Skype calls behave almost identically to regular, non-VoIP telephony. The camera will now be based around so-called lens apps: Microsoft provides a basic camera interface that can either be skinned by OEMs or overlaid with viewfinders from third-parties. Belfiore gives the example of a lens app that combines burst mode with smile detection to capture a perfect portrait shot," says Pocketnow.com. 

Other elements include Windows Phone 8 actively attempting to give Wi-Fi connections precedence, going so far as to connect to carrier-owned WLANs automatically when in range.

Talking to other journalists in the industry, Pocket-lint has no reason to believe the video isn't legit. Sadly, Pocketnow hasn't posted the video for us to hear it from the horse's mouth.

Microsoft is expected to make an announcement on its future Windows Phone plans at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the end of February. Pocket-lint will be in attendance at the show, to bring all the latest news, including any announcements from Microsoft, as it happens.