I am excited about Windows Phone 7.5. Finally, it looks like Microsoft has found a recipe that works. The phone has a unique user interface, which boldly is introduced into the future desktop Windows 8 too. App developers are showing more and more interest. Nokia is onboard and from what I can tell from those behind the scenes, the soon-to-be-released Windows Phones by Nokia look like a million dollars.

But Microsoft has to get its act together on the single most important aspect of the Windows Phone marketing: the name of the product.

Microsoft officials and partners have to agree on what to call it, and then be consistent. Depending on who you listen to, the product name is: “Windows Phone 7.5”, “Mango”, “WP”, “Windows Phone” or even “Windows Phone 7.1” (if you’re talking to a developer). That’s five different names, and I might have missed one. I am fully aware of the background for each different name option, but there’s no reason to be inconsistent moving forward.

Just take a look at this most recent Engadget article about Windows Phones. How many different names for the product is mentioned? Appropriately, the subject matter of the article is Microsoft setting aside $44 million for Windows Phone marketing…

A recent study showed that 45% of customers in a phone store don’t even know that there are Windows Phones. Microsoft can’t afford confusing the customer and the market anymore. It’s time to call out the name. Windows Phone. And if it’s important in the context to provide a version number: Windows Phone 7.5. No more “Mango” and no more “WP” and no more…
Get it right now, please, Microsoft.