8.1 Availability: When and How?

[Nathan Sokalski]

I previously used the Nokia Lumia 920 with AT&T. Then I won a Nokia Lumia Icon in a sweepstakes, so I went to AT&T to see if I could get my account switched to my new Nokia Lumia Icon (because I knew the Icon was a Verizon phone). They said yes, so I let them do it. When I said "But I still haven't gotten the 8.1 update on it yet because I only had WiFi until now", and they said "I would hold off on that because of all the bugs I've heard about". But I said "It hasn't given me any problems on my Nokia Lumia 920 yet", so they said OK. So now I can't get it on either one until I switch back to my Nokia Lumia 920! I think that Windows Phones should get updates the same way Windows does. Nobody has the same configuration for their computers, laptops, and tablets, but we still get our updates from the same place, right? Why can't we do the same for our phones? This is just all the fighting between service providers, but they get their money from our data plans, so why don't they just get along with the software and let Microsoft give it to us instead of being forced to have it go them for every single model, getting us excited and impatient about the updates, and forcing us to not get them at all on phones not using a plan? Before we know it, updates for some models will be so late that developers won't even know what version it's best to write their apps for! Is there any way to get an update for a phone that is not connected to a data plan or service provider?

 

[Aresjr21]

Yes you can but it is a bit of a complicated affair for phones that were not originally unlocked.

 

[Tepid]

Correct,, it's the carriers, not MS that is holding back the updates, or blocking them.
Accept for the Bitlocker issues with Dev Preview which are pretty much resolved.

While there may be some bugs,, most of those I believe are user cause (running every app they install in the background)
or Hardware malfunction that needs the device replaced.

I have 2 Icons, and we don't ahve any of the overheating or battery drain issues.

Would not surprise me either if those complaints are coming from Android and iPhone lackeys.

To get WP8.1.1....

Register here for free
Windows App Studio - Microsoft

Download this app...
Preview for Developers | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)

Follow instructions...
However, you will not get Cyan Firmware without a Carrier plan.
Don't talk to MS about it,, it's the Carriers.

 

[Nathan Sokalski]

How? I am the kind of person that is usually willing to do things that are more complicated than most people.

 

[Nathan Sokalski]

I am a developer and have a developer account, but I want to have the same thing that my users will have. There are some differences between the Developer Preview and the actual release.

 

[Tepid]

I am a developer and have a developer account, but I want to have the same thing that my users will have. There are some differences between the Developer Preview and the actual release.

Be specific.

 

[arbyjr]

... I think that Windows Phones should get updates the same way Windows does. Nobody has the same configuration for their computers, laptops, and tablets, but we still get our updates from the same place, right? Why can't we do the same for our phones? This is just all the fighting between service providers, but they get their money from our data plans, so why don't they just get along with the software and let Microsoft give it to us instead of being forced to have it go them for every single model, getting us excited and impatient about the updates, and forcing us to not get them at all on phones not using a plan? Before we know it, updates for some models will be so late that developers won't even know what version it's best to write their apps for! Is there any way to get an update for a phone that is not connected to a data plan or service provider?

Stuff like this causes some users to end up with system problems, BSoD (blue screen of death) system crashes or just very poor performance from their computers.
Look at Windows Vista for this example. Vista is not really that bad. MS listed the minimum system requirements a lot lower then it really should have been. But this is normal and just about all versions of Windows runs better when your not running your computer at the minimum. On top of that there was also problems with hardware, and ad-on'. To fix the hardware and ad-on' problems they needed drives and firmware updates to keep everything connected and communicating happily. A lot of the customers did not install the updates that were available or they did not know how to force the drivers that were because Windows was telling them that it was the wrong driver. Also the companies in charge of these updates were slow to distribute the needed updates. Like say a printer, your older printer would need a firmware update and/or new drivers to allow it to work properly. Most printer companies seen this as a good opportunity to force customers to get rid of that old "incompatible" printer for a new Vista compatible printer.
That forced opportunity feels the same as what Windows phone users (or potential users) are going through right now. VZW's Windows phones should not have any problems, and there should be no reason that they are still in the testing phase. Other than VZW wants to force customer and "push" them towards phones that comes pre-installed with 8.1. "You want Cortana, the only option is the HTC one M8 for Windows".

I'm sorry for all that typing. I was feeling a little under the weather and had a lot of word vomit to get out...

 

[Aresjr21]

The only difference is firmware updates but that is specific to Lumia devices. To the best of my knowledge manufacturers like Samsung and HTC does not have firmware updates that coincide with OS updates, they have mainly pushed the update. Now I may be wrong but that is what I understand from what I have read here and the things WP users have said about manufacturers not named Nokia.

 

[Tepid]

Stuff like this causes some users to end up with system problems, BSoD (blue screen of death) system crashes or just very poor performance from their computers.
Look at Windows Vista for this example. Vista is not really that bad. MS listed the minimum system requirements a lot lower then it really should have been. But this is normal and just about all versions of Windows runs better when your not running your computer at the minimum. On top of that there was also problems with hardware, and ad-on'. To fix the hardware and ad-on' problems they needed drives and firmware updates to keep everything connected and communicating happily. A lot of the customers did not install the updates that were available or they did not know how to force the drivers that were because Windows was telling them that it was the wrong driver. Also the companies in charge of these updates were slow to distribute the needed updates. Like say a printer, your older printer would need a firmware update and/or new drivers to allow it to work properly. Most printer companies seen this as a good opportunity to force customers to get rid of that old "incompatible" printer for a new Vista compatible printer.
That forced opportunity feels the same as what Windows phone users (or potential users) are going through right now. VZW's Windows phones should not have any problems, and there should be no reason that they are still in the testing phase. Other than VZW wants to force customer and "push" them towards phones that comes pre-installed with 8.1. "You want Cortana, the only option is the HTC one M8 for Windows".

I'm sorry for all that typing. I was feeling a little under the weather and had a lot of word vomit to get out...

Well all be, someone who actually knows the history of Vista, and got it right.
Shame that more people refuse to recognize this accurate account of the history.

 

[Tepid]

The only difference is firmware updates but that is specific to Lumia devices. To the best of my knowledge manufacturers like Samsung and HTC does not have firmware updates that coincide with OS updates, they have mainly pushed the update. Now I may be wrong but that is what I understand from what I have read here and the things WP users have said about manufacturers not named Nokia.

Correct. But, even the non-Lumia's are not going to get WP8.1 till Verizon releases it, and they are not doing that.

Check this response from VZWSupport
https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/837129

 

[Nathan Sokalski]

Be specific.

What do you mean by specific? My users will be using the one they receive from their carriers that is specific to their phone, so I want to use the one that is specific to my phone. I realize that I may not have the exact same phone as all of my users, and that different carriers sometimes add a few extra apps for their services, but the stuff that can actually be thought of as part of Windows Phone is the same. Sometimes the Developer Preview has bits and pieces slightly different for the Windows Phone parts. That is why I would rather not use the Developer Preview, because it would not be exactly the same as my users.

 

[radmanvr]

MaeFu? Is that a Patriot clone I see? What Mech Mod are you using? Sorry off topic

 

[MikeSo]

What do you mean by specific? My users will be using the one they receive from their carriers that is specific to their phone, so I want to use the one that is specific to my phone. I realize that I may not have the exact same phone as all of my users, and that different carriers sometimes add a few extra apps for their services, but the stuff that can actually be thought of as part of Windows Phone is the same. Sometimes the Developer Preview has bits and pieces slightly different for the Windows Phone parts. That is why I would rather not use the Developer Preview, because it would not be exactly the same as my users.

The version number on official 8.1 Update is the same as Preview. There are no relevant differences for the non-Preview users.

 

[awilliams1701]

There are features in Cyan not present in 8.1. There are specific drivers in Cyan not present in 8.1. This is why a phone works better on cyan than on DP.

The version number on official 8.1 Update is the same as Preview. There are no relevant differences for the non-Preview users.

 

[MikeSo]

There are features in Cyan not present in 8.1. There are specific drivers in Cyan not present in 8.1. This is why a phone works better on cyan than on DP.

I know that.

Read his question. He wants the same as "his users", and currently not a single Icon user has Cyan. His other option is to only use the stock 8.0 and lose out on developing for ANY 8.1 features on the Icon. Just informing him that the Preview and the official 8.1 Update (for example on the HTC One M8 for Windows) are the same.

 

[raqball]

Went ahead and did the 8.1 thing and have an easy question.

Do I need to keep the 'Preview for developers' app installed to get future updates or can I delete it?

 

[anon(7901790)]

Yes, you need to keep Preview for Developers installed to receive any future updates directly from MSFT.

Welcome to the world of WP8.1.

 

[raqball]

Thanks.. I went back to stock last night. Had issues on 8.1 with waking the device up to unlock it.

Screen turns off due to inactivity --> Press power button to wake screen so I can swipe to unlock --> Wait 3 full seconds after pushing the power button for screen to wake.

Its a full 3 second delay. I tried a factory reset and no dice so I gave up and went back to stock.

 

[MikeSo]

I had forgotten about the unlock delay! I've gotten so used to it that it wasn't an issue for me anymore, but yes, that is something I hope Cyan will fix.

 

[raqball]

Yeah, it's a bothersome bug for me so I went back. Liked Cortana and the new pull down notifications in 8.1 though. I also downloaded Tweetium and it has an 8.1 bug that causes delay when opening the app.

I'll just stay stock until official Cyan is released.