Windows Phone 7.8 clarifications

[fogel35]

My projection is that other than getting the wp8 start screen and other animation updates, 7.8 will also get

- IE 10 (without flash though)
- Further battery improvements
- Xbox, zune enhancements
- Camera, picture edit enhancements

Pretty much it should get any kind of updates the wp7 phone hardware can handle (1gz processor with 512mb ram).

This idea that something more is coming for the OS itself has got to stop.

From the video itself and Terry Myerson:

?We care very deeply for our Windows Phone 7.5 customers. And because of this, I?m happy to share today that we are creating an update for Windows Phone 7.5 customers that brings to them what we believe is the marquee feature of Windows Phone 8: the new Start experience.?

Then they brought out some poor Nokia schlub to say hey we are bringing apps.

I don't know how they can be any clearer. They did not say "features" plural but "FEATURE" singular.

 

[travis_valkyrie]

What features I think will come with WP 7.8:

- Xbox Smartglass
- Xbox Music
- IE 10?
- Maybe a change on how multitasking/tombstoning behaves?
- Re-designed camera app
- New Start screen (duh)
- Maybe a few more WP8 aesthetics aside from the start screen.

 

[Winterfang]

It would be weird that core apps improvements don't come to 7.8. They better come to 8 because there's stuff needed to be improved like tagging people from the Me tile and fixing that mess of a keyboard.

 

[sdreamer]

Microsoft neither denied or admitted that there were anymore features than the Start screen so far. You can see this in the recording of the Windows Phone Summit ( 1:43:38 mark), and also if you look at their blog post regarding the summit,

The new Start screen is so useful and emblematic of what Windows Phone is about that we want everybody to enjoy it. So we?ll be delivering it to existing phones as a software update sometime after Window Phone 8 is released. Let me repeat: If you currently own a Windows Phone 7.5 handset, Microsoft is planning to release an update with the new Windows Phone 8 Start screen. We?re calling it ?Windows Phone 7.8.?

Some of you have been wondering, ?Will we also get Windows Phone 8 as an update?? The answer, unfortunately, is no. 

Windows Phone 8 is a generation shift in technology, which means that it will not run on existing hardware. BUT we care deeply about our existing customers and want to keep their phones fresh, so we?re providing the new Start screen in this new update.

The reason people are saying this is because of media outlets that were present reporting that the 7.8 update will only be the Start screen, such as Paul Thurott of WinSuperSite and also WPCentral (according to their podcast with Paul).

So in conclusion, we don't know anything for sure. Microsoft seems to be playing game again like when they said "WP7 apps will run on WP8," when asked if WP7 phones would get WP8. We'll have to wait until Microsoft says something a bit more concrete.

 

[lippidp]

This idea that something more is coming for the OS itself has got to stop.

From the video itself and Terry Myerson:

?We care very deeply for our Windows Phone 7.5 customers. And because of this, I?m happy to share today that we are creating an update for Windows Phone 7.5 customers that brings to them what we believe is the marquee feature of Windows Phone 8: the new Start experience.?

Then they brought out some poor Nokia schlub to say hey we are bringing apps.

I don't know how they can be any clearer. They did not say "features" plural but "FEATURE" singular.

That only means there is one marquee feature, not that they are only bringing one feature. Read it again. Of course, in the end who knows, but I don't see this statement to mean the same thing you do.

 

[12Danny123]

This idea that something more is coming for the OS itself has got to stop.

From the video itself and Terry Myerson:

“We care very deeply for our Windows Phone 7.5 customers. And because of this, I’m happy to share today that we are creating an update for Windows Phone 7.5 customers that brings to them what we believe is the marquee feature of Windows Phone 8: the new Start experience.”

Then they brought out some poor Nokia schlub to say hey we are bringing apps.

I don't know how they can be any clearer. They did not say "features" plural but "FEATURE" singular.

Hey Mate. I don't get why ur so sad for ur 900 it's a good device and swithing to ios and android it's saddening. it just makes me CRY that people are leaving Wp . you should wait for a wp8 device because buying an high end Android will become slower in the next year or so and no one likes slow phones and an phone is just too expensive would you rather ge an android or a iphone and waste your money each month to pay or would you get a decent phone with Wp8 installed like a Wp8 One S for example. Cheer up Stay here

 

[the hess]

There was a petition developed to help anyone who is concerned with certain updates coming to wp7.8 get their voiced heard.
Bring new features of WP8 that can be supported by WP7.5 hardware to WP7.8!

 

[fogel35]

Hey Mate. I don't get why ur so sad for ur 900 it's a good device and swithing to ios and android it's saddening. it just makes me CRY that people are leaving Wp . you should wait for a wp8 device because buying an high end Android will become slower in the next year or so and no one likes slow phones and an phone is just too expensive would you rather ge an android or a iphone and waste your money each month to pay or would you get a decent phone with Wp8 installed like a Wp8 One S for example. Cheer up Stay here

Not sad just disappointed. I haven't decided where I may end up next considering I still have two upgrades available, one now, and one in October. For some reason they did not sign me up for a 2 year on the one line. Just not sold that Microsoft is capable of not leaving behind their users in Mobile. The track record is being proven out just this time they are not starting completely from scratch when it comes to apps. Who knows, some company will have to step up to my demands.

The only thing keeping me from Apple is that tiny little screen. The only thing keeping me from Android is all the work I have to do to customize and potentially root/flash the thing. What is keeping me from Microsoft is their inability to not orphan their mobile products a few years down the road.

 

[HeyCori]

With little surprise, the WP8 Summit discussion has been dominated by Microsoft’s decision to give current customers an upgrade to 7.8 and not the full Windows Phone 8 experience. And while this thread will probably devolve into the same debate, I would like to remind everyone that the WP8 Summit was not about consumers. Joe Belfiore announced at the beginning of his presentation that the summit was for hardware partners and developers. We can only assume that there are many more consumer based announcements on the horizon.

Microsoft introduced the new home screen for 7.8 users but were mum on any additional changes. Presumably because the summit wasn’t for consumers. Many people seem to believe this means that current users will only get a new start screen. But keep in mind that Terry Myerson, head of Windows Phone, said, and I quote, “And this is not all that Windows Phone 7.5 customers will get.” (video) I believe that means more consumer focused features will be announced for 7.8 and everything we hear until this is pure speculation.

Because of the outrage over 7.8, several great features that will enhance Windows Phone have gone unnoticed. A couple that caught my eye during Joe Belfiore’s presentation was that having a shared core between Win8 and WP8 makes it easier for hardware OEMs to create a wide range of devices using the same drivers. That means that an OEM can create one driver for the PC and use it on a Win8 tablet or phone. This potentially allows for more PC manufactures to create Windows Phones based on the hardware they create for other form factors. Companies like HP or Dell should have an easier time breaking into the phone market as they should be able to significantly reduce the cost associated with releasing multiple devices… not that I’m looking forward to another HP melt down in the mobile space, lol.

Joe also announced that WP8 will ship with dual core support “and more.” He didn’t go into detail about what that specifically entails but I think it’s safe to assume that WP8 will take full advantage of the hardware inside, unlike Android which shipped with poor support for the hardware inside of it. But, like Android, there’s going to be MicroSD support! While that doesn’t do much for me, it should make millions of future users very happy. Joe also mentioned that SD cards could be used to transfer information between phones.

Something else I didn’t catch the first time around was that Joe was demoing the new start screen using existing 7.5 applications. He later went on the describe that current 7.5 apps will continue to look good on HD screens without any modifications required from the developer. I can only assume that will benefit 7.8 users since developers will have an easier time porting from 7.8 to 8.

Also, I recommend watching the Havok demo if you haven’t already. I believe game development is where you’ll see the biggest discrepancy between 7.8 and 8 users, though probably not at first. It’s going to take a while for Win8/WP8 to reach a significant portion of the market before game devs decide to focus only on WP8 game development. Current developers definitely won’t need dual core and DirectX 11 for their 1MB app, but game developers will (eventually).

While I’m disappointed that my 900 won’t be able to handle the graphics like those seen in the demo, I also realize that Windows Phone doesn’t exist in the bubble. The iPhone 5 is coming this fall and so is the monthly refresh of Android devices. Microsoft must release equivalent hardware to compete with the super devices coming later this year. The shared core, hardware acceleration, native code, DirectX 11, and advanced CPU/GPU means that Microsoft is ready to compete at both a hardware and GUI level.

There was also a splattering of enterprise tools that should help Windows Phone become a legitimate force. A shared core means that IT can use their existing tools to deploy devices with secure boot, bitlocker encryption, and business controlled app distribution. All things that should really bit a dent in RIM’s stranglehold on the business sector.

Overall I’m really looking forward to the future of Windows Phone and if you haven’t seen the summit yet then you should definitely check it out.

 

[suvastallions]

Does anyone know when the 7.8 updates will be available.

 

[suvastallions]

With little surprise, the WP8 Summit discussion has been dominated by Microsoft’s decision to give current customers an upgrade to 7.8 and not the full Windows Phone 8 experience. And while this thread will probably devolve into the same debate, I would like to remind everyone that the WP8 Summit was not about consumers. Joe Belfiore announced at the beginning of his presentation that the summit was for hardware partners and developers. We can only assume that there are many more consumer based announcements on the horizon.

Microsoft introduced the new home screen for 7.8 users but were mum on any additional changes. Presumably because the summit wasn’t for consumers. Many people seem to believe this means that current users will only get a new start screen. But keep in mind that Terry Myerson, head of Windows Phone, said, and I quote, “And this is not all that Windows Phone 7.5 customers will get.” (video) I believe that means more consumer focused features will be announced for 7.8 and everything we hear until this is pure speculation.

Because of the outrage over 7.8, several great features that will enhance Windows Phone have gone unnoticed. A couple that caught my eye during Joe Belfiore’s presentation was that having a shared core between Win8 and WP8 makes it easier for hardware OEMs to create a wide range of devices using the same drivers. That means that an OEM can create one driver for the PC and use it on a Win8 tablet or phone. This potentially allows for more PC manufactures to create Windows Phones based on the hardware they create for other form factors. Companies like HP or Dell should have an easier time breaking into the phone market as they should be able to significantly reduce the cost associated with releasing multiple devices… not that I’m looking forward to another HP melt down in the mobile space, lol.

Joe also announced that WP8 will ship with dual core support “and more.” He didn’t go into detail about what that specifically entails but I think it’s safe to assume that WP8 will take full advantage of the hardware inside, unlike Android which shipped with poor support for the hardware inside of it. But, like Android, there’s going to be MicroSD support! While that doesn’t do much for me, it should make millions of future users very happy. Joe also mentioned that SD cards could be used to transfer information between phones.

Something else I didn’t catch the first time around was that Joe was demoing the new start screen using existing 7.5 applications. He later went on the describe that current 7.5 apps will continue to look good on HD screens without any modifications required from the developer. I can only assume that will benefit 7.8 users since developers will have an easier time porting from 7.8 to 8.

Also, I recommend watching the Havok demo if you haven’t already. I believe game development is where you’ll see the biggest discrepancy between 7.8 and 8 users, though probably not at first. It’s going to take a while for Win8/WP8 to reach a significant portion of the market before game devs decide to focus only on WP8 game development. Current developers definitely won’t need dual core and DirectX 11 for their 1MB app, but game developers will (eventually).

While I’m disappointed that my 900 won’t be able to handle the graphics like those seen in the demo, I also realize that Windows Phone doesn’t exist in the bubble. The iPhone 5 is coming this fall and so is the monthly refresh of Android devices. Microsoft must release equivalent hardware to compete with the super devices coming later this year. The shared core, hardware acceleration, native code, DirectX 11, and advanced CPU/GPU means that Microsoft is ready to compete at both a hardware and GUI level.

There was also a splattering of enterprise tools that should help Windows Phone become a legitimate force. A shared core means that IT can use their existing tools to deploy devices with secure boot, bitlocker encryption, and business controlled app distribution. All things that should really bit a dent in RIM’s stranglehold on the business sector.

Overall I’m really looking forward to the future of Windows Phone and if you haven’t seen the summit yet then you should definitely check it out.

Excellent, puts to rest some of the confusion in this and other forums on WP.

 

[Nataku4ca]

Could some clever devious hacker person exploit the NFC wallet feature of your phone though? Somehow have a device on themselves, bump into you "accidentally" and "download" your cash?

there are already stuff like that for master card/visa that have swipe and go, but i don't think we need to worry about NFC though

technically speaking the credit cards are always on, but NFC you have to activate it before it gives out any sort of signal, so unless u open the app and have a particular paying solution open, u can't scan it for those information

 

[oldpueblo]

My opinion is that at the very least in addition to 7.8 (possibly included with it) will be ecosystem changes/additions. Smartglass is coming, Zune brand is going away, etc. I don't think MS would want WP7 devices to be stuck in the old ecosystem, they might even break if not brought up to parity. So my hope is that we get the start screen and then whatever software modifications necessary for Zune to become Xbox music, we get the ability to cloud sync backups or something, etc. I can think of no reason why that wouldn't be possible for WP7 since that's 100% software. Even if just a reduced version of the new ecosystem. I can't believe MS wants the Zune brand to live on in WP7 devices.

 

[cckgz4]

The more detailed list will be out later. Folks clamoring about a "new start screen" are just repeating information that's been fed to them versus researching it

 

[theefman]

No mention of any other features here:

Windows Phone 7.8 | Windows Phone 7

 

[cckgz4]

If they didn't announce anything at the dev summit, why would they make a post on their blog? More details, as stated, will come closer to release. Not trying to be snappy but did anyone actually watch and listen to that video?

 

[DavidinCT]

If they didn't announce anything at the dev summit, why would they make a post on their blog? More details, as stated, will come closer to release. Not trying to be snappy but did anyone actually watch and listen to that video?

Yep, I watched the video and twice. Only thing I got out of it for 7.8 is the only upgrade is the homepage with the new resizable tiles and a bunch of new apps. They might release some feaures as APPS but, I would not expect the whole thing or a 8.0 part. They have clearly said it in a few places already and that is from Microsoft, not a wanabee blogger.

You will get a interface update and nothing else...Unless something is released later, as of right now, anything else is a 100% ruomor.

If we are only getting the interface update, I hope to get it soon, like a few months before a release of Wp8, so we can get a preview in advance before as we are current WP7 users...

 

[twint7787]

In a recent interview Microsoft's Greg Sullivan has stated that they are bringing the 'look and feel' of WP8 to ALL current WP devices. I sure hope there is more but like all the rumors surrounding the upgrade path, that has since blown up in Microsofts face, I think people should expect nothing more than the start screen. It will be interesting to see how people react to getting the WP7.8 update AFTER WP8 comes out, and then only getting the start screen. That is mainly directed at people who own L900, Titan/Titan II and is optimistic they are getting anything more than the start screen.

 

[Mystictrust]

I sure hope there is more but like all the rumors surrounding the upgrade path, that has since blown up in Microsofts face, I think people should expect nothing more than the start screen. It will be interesting to see how people react to getting the WP7.8 update AFTER WP8 comes out, and then only getting the start screen. That is mainly directed at people who own L900, Titan/Titan II and is optimistic they are getting anything more than the start screen.

Agreed. Expect nothing more. I think when people get too caught up in hype, rumors, and speculation (i.e. "7.8 is everything non-hardware"), they are setting themselves up for disappointment, and helping to create a PR nightmare that might never have happened. Yes, yes, people are blowing up about not getting the full WP8 experience anyway, but that could be even worse if a large chunk of people believe there is more than there might be just over the horizon. Am I hopeful? Yes, of course. But I don't expect more than the start screen.

I'm also of that "dying breed" of tech consumers that always want the latest and greatest yet don't expect anything beyond the stock phone experience at purchase - anything more is a plus (and greatly appreciated!). If I want the next best thing and can't get it, I'll buy it or save up for it. Expectations have certainly changed over the last several years.

The only time I "expect" an update is for some glitch/bug/slowdown that saps the life out of my device or is different from the expected/advertised experience. But that's probably just me.

 

[oldpueblo]

People forget that that used to be the norm. We're getting spoiled.