Windows Phone 7 Upgrades To Windows Phone 8
With conflicting rumors about Microsoft's upgrade plans for existing Windows Phone 7 devices to the upcoming Windows Phone 8, comes uncertainty for customers who already purchased a Windows Phone 7, like the Nokia Lumia 900, and customers who are thinking about buying one.
First Microsoft Evangelist Nuno Silva who stated that current Windows Phone devices would receive an upgrade to Windows Phone 8, and then unnamed sources close to the Redmond company that claimed the opposite. The opposite being that no Windows Phone 7 devices would receive upgrades.
Microsoft nor its hardware partners commented officially on the rumors, which puts customers in a predicament. Microsoft did however comment on app compatibility, stating that all Windows Phone 7 apps would be running on Windows Phone 8 devices as well. While that does not mean that Windows Phone 7 devices won't get an update, Mary-Jo Foley thinks that it is an indication that the devices won't receive the update.
Customers who just bought a Windows Phone 7 device may either end up with a device that they can't upgrade to the soon to be released Windows Phone 8, or with a device that they can upgrade to the new version. The uncertainty could make some customers return their phones to either wait until Windows Phone 8 devices are released later this year, or to skip on Windows Phone completely and get an Android or iOS mobile instead.
Then again, reviews for recent Windows Phone 7 handsets like the Nokia Lumia 900 have been overly positive, and future upgrade compatibility is just one of the many factors that should play a role in mobile phone purchases.
Plus, there may be other options to get around this if updates from Windows Phone 7 to 8 are indeed not possible, as phone replacements could be an option as well. While certainly more expensive, it could turn the worst case situation around for Microsoft.
What's your take on this? I personally would probably stick with my old phone for the time being and wait until Windows Phone 8 gets released to be sure to grab the latest version of the mobile operating system.
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If Microsoft dares to not upgrade the present Nokia Lumias for example, it will surely sound a death-knell for MS’s mobile dreams.
Not only will they definitely lose the important American market but even in developing economies, people are not so naive to not see what is going on.
If their Tango OS does not run “smoothly” even on 512MB RAM & 1.4GHz processors, the OS is just not worth it.
Actually in this respect, the Symbian OS still surpasses all others. I am beginning to wonder if Nokia should have retained Symbian for lower end devices!
I agree. It could seriously impact the trust that consumers have in the phone line.
Err… there’s a typo – I meant ‘Apollo’ instead of ‘Tango’.
Perhaps Europe is not the right place for windows phone market. Or perhaps, European consumers using mobile phones for daily activities, not for the lifestyle…perhaps, and perhaps.
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I have been using PDA phones years before there where iPhones. And I can tell you that Microsoft leaks a lot of rumors about upgrading the OS. BUT THEY NEVER DO. That’s why when Android came out, I dumped by Windows phones and never looked back.
The very fact that Microsoft won’t provide an definite answer demonstrates why Windows phones are a risky proposition.
Seriously, Im sure Windows phone will be ‘jailbroken’ ‘rooted’ or whatever and taht windows8 will somewhat find its way on those mobiles running windows 7
i have a windows 7 phone and if i can’t get windows 8 on it i will switch platforms. having said that the biggest gripe with windows 7 phones is the lack of apps.
I was told LG will be coming up with a update next month but it won’t be 8 I think our phones will be a coaster soon. I was hoping it wasn’t going to happen and should of went Mac but live and learn. IPhones always updates and for cheap. This is still a good phone but if compared to apple I find that LG or windows need to smarten the heck up before it is too late.