Al new specifications have surfaced today that may represent Microsoft's expectations for its "Pink" Zune phone platform. Known as Windows Mobile 7 Chassis 1, the design obtained by Microsoft observer Mary Jo Foley appears to set a baseline level of hardware that would outperform iPhones. A system would use either an NVIDIA Tegra, Qualcomm 8000-series, or Texas Instruments 3430 processor at its heart, at least 256MB of memory, and an 800x480 or larger screen.

Notably, many of the necessary details would also match features that have been rare in Windows Mobile devices but which have been core to the iPhone. Chassis 1 would require multi-touch input, an accelerometer, an electronic compass and a light sensor. It would also have a 3-megapixel or better camera, some form of assisted GPS and Wi-Fi.

The resulting device would be capable of advanced media playback in keeping with the Zune concept and would sit at the high end of the smartphone category, likely serving as a flagship. Whether this represents a specific device to be made by one company, such as the rumored iPhone rival for Verizon or a general design for many phones to use isn't evident. Microsoft has maintained that it has no plans to manufacture hardware itself but has acknowledged it's working with hardware companies more closely than it has in the past.

The information in question is also considered "a few months old" and may have changed, though any phone built on Chassis 1 won't ship until 2010, when Windows Mobile 7 should be ready to ship. Similar to Windows 7 on the desktop, Microsoft is believed to be in a rushed schedule for Windows Mobile 7 and may have devices in stores by April 2010 rather than the historic September timeframe.