8.1 preview to 8.1 official release

[ByeVanno]

so i have an unlocked Rogers lumia 920 running 8.1 when the official version of 8.1 comes out approved by Rogers, if Rogers happened to block a certain feature in 8.1 will my phone download the version with blocked features or because i have my phone unlocked for developers I'll just get all the full versions and firmware updates straight from Microsoft?

 

[anon(8141431)]

no... .. .

 

[ygtgngr]

If you flash the ROM published by Rogers, you'll face that problem. But you will not receive an update from your carrier because you already have that version. Also, if there will be some changes in the final release, you will get it first as a developer, so Rogers will publish any update after you have it.

 

[MrWhiteman]

I'm pretty sure you are stuck with Dev Previews from now on unless you flash a new ROM.

 

[Nokia1020]

If you opt out of the Dev preview, you will just receive manufacturer updates I would think.

I currently have the 8.1 update ready to install on my phone but I started reading into it and don't want to deal with the issues everyone seems to be facing, so I will opt out of the Dev preview and wait till I know the official software is released in my area, update it to the software it wants to install, and then update it again with the official software

 

[Blacklac]

Don't be scared. Everything has bugs. The difference here, multiple phones are all getting the same software. It's not just one device, so the feedback is magnified. On top of that, people come to forums to complain and troubleshoot. If you're not comfortable troubleshooting, maybe it is a good idea to hold off. Although, an official release from the carrier doesn't make it any "safer".

That said, I have 8.1 on two phones with no real issues.

 

[ByeVanno]

i already have 8.1 running on my main device with no real issues apart from the battery being drained rather quickly but i can live with that i was just wondering if you will go from 8.1 preview to 8.1 approved by rogers whenever it's released or is my phone going to always get updates before they get carrier approved which i would prefer because i got the phone unlocked from rogers sorry for not wording it correctly up there

 

[Blacklac]

If you stay enrolled in the Developer Preview, you will get both updates. Official from the carrier and Developer updates. If you disable the Dev Preview, you'll be back to carrier releases only.

If Rogers removes something, you can stay on the Dev Preview. You will always show an update though. You will also miss out on Cyan firmware if you bypass the carrier release.

 

[ByeVanno]

ahhh i see, i see thanks man

 

[a5cent]

ahhh i see, i see thanks man

Could you give an example of what you are thinking of?

In contrast to Android, carriers don't have access to the WP OS, so they can't really change anything. Therefore your question is somewhat of a hypothetical.

What carriers can do is ask OEM's to set the OS' configuration files in a certain way. There isn't a lot that can be changed solely through configuration files however. Adding support for DataSense has been the only exception.

 

[ByeVanno]

well let's use at&t for example i remember on my lumia 900, I couldn't use it as a hotspot because it said I needed to contact at&t I bought a random unlocked one becausei live in the Bahamas and it wasn't available here at the time I just assumed at&t locked that feature. I could be wrong and that might be another issue but i was just mostly wondering about which final version of 8.1 i would get since i had the DP version running.

 

[a5cent]

well let's use at&t for example i remember on my lumia 900, I couldn't use it as a hotspot because it said I needed to contact at&t I bought a random unlocked one becausei live in the Bahamas and it wasn't available here at the time I just assumed at&t locked that feature. I could be wrong and that might be another issue but i was just mostly wondering about which final version of 8.1 i would get since i had the DP version running.

Ah yes, the good old Lumia 900 hotspot issue. You are right. That was one of those things, although it too was just a configuration issue. If I remember correctly (I'm not in the U.S.), AT&T wanted their customers to upgrade to a specific plan (which was usually more expensive) if they wanted that feature activated.

Anyway, just know this:

You can think of the OS as being identical for all devices. Everywhere in the world. On all carriers. In that sense there is no difference for any of us. There simply is no "carrier version" of the OS. The version of WP that you get through the developer preview will ultimately be the same version that you will get through your carrier. If you already got the newest version through the developer preview, you won't get that again through your carrier. The developer preview is distributed earlier, but otherwise there is no difference. What does differ is the firmware.

The firmware is built by the OEMs, who usually assemble a custom firmware version for each of their customers (the carriers). The firmware also contains the OS configuration files.

If you have a Lumia device with AT&T 'flavoured' firmware, you will eventually get the updated AT&T 'flavoured' firmware too, whether you've opted into the developer preview program or not. After that happens, there is no difference between a developer-preview device and a normal device.

 

[L Beezy]

A5cent gave a very good explanation of it--as long as you are tied to Rogers firmware, they can remove any feature of the OS they desire and implement it once you update said firmware. Take AT&T for example: they used their firmware update to take away Data Sense from all their WP devices. The problem is that these firmware updates will probably come bundled with Lumia Cyan...

 

[a5cent]

as long as you are tied to Rogers firmware, they can remove any feature of the OS they desire

I'd prefer saying:

OEMs can remove a feature (on the carrier's behalf) only if MS decided to make said feature removable via configuration files.

Neither OEMs nor carriers can just willy-nilly remove any feature they desire. WP just doesn't offer that capability.

Likely even more important, OEMs and carriers can't add anything to the OS either, for the same reason. They have no direct access to it. All carriers can do is have OEMs include a list off apps (again a configuration file in the firmware) that should be installed from the store on initial setup. That is why there is no bloatware on any WP device (or at least nothing that can't be removed completely like any other app).