Microsoft tells the story for Windows Phone 8, with a little help from Jessica Alba

Microsoft tells the story for Windows Phone 8, with a little help from Jessica Alba.

Some of the Windows Phone 8 that will be on sale

That's what happened. Microsoft has revealed a new version of its mobile phone software in a bid to take on Apple and Android.

The firm hopes that by making its software more similar to the new Windows 8 software it launched last week, it can attract more users.

At an event in San Francisco last night, Jessica Alba joined Microsoft bosses on stage for the unveiling, where the firm pledged to bring more apps to the platform.

Jessica Alba talking about how the new feature in WP helps her as a mom and a business owner

The company had spent the last 2 years differentiating itself from Apple and Android...in fact, there were so many positive reviews on the live tiles concept that focus on People during the launching of the Windows Phone 7. It was not a success when it comes to sales, partly due to the hardware that is not as strong as the available phones in the market back then. There were also lack of popular third party applications, which are still an issue for the company at the moment. 

Microsoft said it will also catch up in offering third-party apps. 

There are 120,000 applications available for Windows Phone, but some apps that are popular on other systems are notably missing from Windows Phone because it can be hard to get developers interested in writing programs for a small number of smartphones. 

Apple and Google, by comparison, say their app stores both have 700,000 apps for phones.

However, the firm claimed it is patching some of those holes soon: Microsoft vice president Joe Belfiore said Internet radio service Pandora is coming to Windows Phone 8, along with games such as 'Where's My Water?' 

Soon, he said, 46 of the 50 most popular smartphone apps will be available. 

The company is also releasing an app for Skype, the Internet calling service it owns. 

The Skype app available for Windows Phone 7 was an unfinished, or 'beta' version, the firm claimed.

The new Skype app will run in the background, listening for incoming calls without placing any drain on the battery, Belfiore said.

Actress Jessica Alba lent star power to the event, endorsing Kid's Corner as a 'busy mom.' 

Jessica Alba switch to Windows Phone from iPhone 2 months ago...

Owners will also be able link apps to their lock screen, giving them at-a-glance information such as sports scores. 

Windows 8 for computers has borrowed its look from Windows Phone 7, presenting applications not as icons but as 'Live Tiles,' which can be animated with data from the application. For instance, the 'Pictures' tile shows a slideshow. The live tiles and the distinctive user interface remain Microsoft's biggest selling points for Windows Phone. In terms of third-party applications and the features of the phones, it's mostly playing catch-up to the iPhone and Android.

Of course, the launching of Windows Phone 8 is one of Microsoft's biggest bet given the emphasis on it even expand to the desktop version, the Windows 8. This will also be the year that Microsoft launch their very own tablet, Surface...with the amount of money spent on advertisement and marketing, it is difficult to see why Microsoft couldn't hurl themselves back into the mobile game.