The closer we get to the January 21 event in Redmond, the more details were come across regarding Microsoft’s plans for Windows 10 and the other platforms.

While the company is expected to use the event to discuss the consumer experience in Windows 10, people close to the matter suggested that information on the next version of Windows Phone was also likely to be provided.

This weekend, Microsoft also released a Phone Insider app that allows Windows Phone users to register for an early testing program that would allow them to try out software not yet publicly available, and this is probably the clearest sign that Windows Phone 10 preview is coming.

But as far as the release date is concerned, very little is known, especially because Microsoft is also planning to introduce a brand new version of Windows 10 Technical Preview for desktop computers.

“Shortly after January 21”

Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley, who has a good track on breaking news regarding Redmond’s products, said in a short tweet that a public preview of Windows Phone 10 is expected “some time shortly after January 21 event,” so by the end of this month, we should all have access to the latest testing tidbits of Windows 10 for smartphones.

The preview build is very likely to ship to devices that installed the Phone Insider app, so those who are already running the Preview for Developers build will need to register for this new program too.

As far as features are concerned, nothing is certain so far, but many sources close to Microsoft’s plans indicated that interactive live tiles are very likely to debut in Windows Phone 10 in order to make the Start screen altogether easier to use and more productive.

Of course, the January release might actually bring us a very early and buggy feature lineup, so there’s no doubt that many of the options we’ll get in this first version are very likely to change before the fall of 2015 when the final product could get the go-ahead.

@MarcinBlocian yep. Public preview expected some time shortly after Jan. 21 event — Mary Jo Foley (@maryjofoley) January 11, 2015