Bad move, Microsoft.

[rabit1]

Eric Hautala's blog "New maintenance release for Windows Phone" has been under fire..

Users satisfaction getting hit hard even after Microsoft says nothing has changed. We're not buying it.
What's your take?

http://windowsteamblog.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/01/06/new-maintenance-release-for-windows-phone.aspx

 

[jdevenberg]

I think people are making a mountain of a mole hill. When they say not everyone will get these firmware and maintenance updates (which is what is talked about in this post), that is nothing to freak about. If they push an update to enhance LTE reception obviously non-LTE phones won't get the update. Obviously carriers without LTE networks won't push the update. If there is an update to make switching cameras from rear to front quicker/smoother/more reliable, obviously devices without front cams won't require that update. All they are saying is that if your phone doesn't need an update, you won't get it.

 

[Reflexx]

MS probably needs to work on their PR.

If they're going to make a significant change in what they're communicating to customers, then they should do a better job of explaining the details of "why" to customers. I think they have had some trouble understanding how testy people are with communication from big companies. It's not because people like to freak out. But it's because people have been burned so much in the past that there is no real trust there. So MS should assume ahead of time that if there's a bad way some news could be taken, then that's the way it will be taken. And nip it in the bud by over explaining instead of trying to play damage control.

 

[Mr_pither]

Past history of Windows Phone Updates:

- Microsoft does not shine light on how carriers handle an update = NODO.

- Microsoft does shine the light on how carriers handle an update = MANGO.

Hmm, lets try that NODO thing again. Maybe this time it will be ok.

Confident not am I...

 

[rabit1]

I think people are making a mountain of a mole hill. When they say not everyone will get these firmware and maintenance updates (which is what is talked about in this post), that is nothing to freak about. If they push an update to enhance LTE reception obviously non-LTE phones won't get the update. Obviously carriers without LTE networks won't push the update. If there is an update to make switching cameras from rear to front quicker/smoother/more reliable, obviously devices without front cams won't require that update. All they are saying is that if your phone doesn't need an update, you won't get it.

You maybe right daivenberg, but then again, you probably didn't go thru **** with all the nodo update fiasco. If you did, then you'll understand why people acting the way they are.

For some of us, improvement and fixes (such as keyboard missing) are so important, that making it available only to certain users (and up to carriers request) is just so unbelievable.
Does microsoft think we (current customers) are important at all ??? Many of our carriers certainly dont' think so. Why give us update and make old phones better if they prefer you to buy new phone instead? (Money talks here).

So what would the logic be behind the decision that not all customers should get keyboard missing fix?

For anyone in microsoft who made such a stupid decision, they really should get fired, because I think they're probably working for google or apple.

 

[jdevenberg]

You maybe right daivenberg, but then again, you probably didn't go thru **** with all the nodo update fiasco. If you did, then you'll understand why people acting the way they are.

For some of us, improvement and fixes (such as keyboard missing) are so important, that making it available only to certain users (and up to carriers request) is just so unbelievable.
Does microsoft think we (current customers) are important at all ??? Many of our carriers certainly dont' think so. Why give us update and make old phones better if they prefer you to buy new phone instead? (Money talks here).

So what would the logic be behind the decision that not all customers should get keyboard missing fix?

For anyone in microsoft who made such a stupid decision, they really should get fired, because I think they're probably working for google or apple.

I was around Pre-Nodo, but I had an HD7 on T-Mobile and it was one of the first devices that got NoDo. I agree that the keyboard is a big issue and that it should be pushed to everyone. I still think that for the most part this decision won't be the end of the world that people are predicting.

 

[toyotast165]

sorry but no keyboard is not a 'maintenance update'

 

[Luisraul924]

sorry but no keyboard is not a 'maintenance update'

Well much to our misfortune this OS belongs to Microsoft and they consider it a "maintenance update" so it's a maintenance update. It really sucks but that's just how it is, we still have a better update schedule than most Android owners do so we should be pretty thankful for that if people still don't like it then GTFO and get yourself a device with old school desktops and static icons there are two GREAT choices out there the ecosystem where you're alone in the wild west and the other where you're a jew in Nazi socialist Germany take your pick and you can't go wrong because apparently those two seem to be very popular these days.

 

[jimski]

Well much to our misfortune this OS belongs to Microsoft and they consider it a "maintenance update" so it's a maintenance update. It really sucks but that's just how it is, we still have a better update schedule than most Android owners do so we should be pretty thankful for that if people still don't like it then GTFO and get yourself a device with old school desktops and static icons there are two GREAT choices out there the ecosystem where you're alone in the wild west and the other where you're a jew in Nazi socialist Germany take your pick and you can't go wrong because apparently those two seem to be very popular these days.

I have no problem with the timing if Microsoft's maintenance update to fix the disappearing keyboard, among other thing. I do have a problem with not knowing if AT&T will ever get around to requesting or for my phone. The Microsoft/Carrier agreement should state: all major (change in OS number, like 7.5) updates, and bug fix/maintenance updates will be pushed to all devices, period. Feature updates are at the Carriers discretion. Features and bug fixes should be two different updates as they address two different issues.

Sent from my HTC Surround using Board Express

 

[lumic]

Microsoft should stop trying to be secretive, but I can't help but think about how Lees got kicked out for being too aggressive with partners. Is his replacement too 'soft?

 

[aubreyq]

Paul Thurott tweeted his theory (which I like) in which he believes this change was a result of Microsoft taking a hit on behalf of the carriers so the carriers don't look bad. In other words, here you have Microsoft putting the carriers on the spot with a webpage listing the updates that you should be getting, and customers may not understand where there phone falls in the rollout schedule. It's not like ALL phones get updated in one day. That said, I'm not happy with how Microsoft communicated this change. As long as the updates come in a timely fashion I suppose I don't need the "Where's my update" page, but if carriers really start dragging their a** then I'd be concerned.

 

[thed]

Paul Thurott tweeted his theory (which I like) in which he believes this change was a result of Microsoft taking a hit on behalf of the carriers so the carriers don't look bad. In other words, here you have Microsoft putting the carriers on the spot with a webpage listing the updates that you should be getting, and customers may not understand where there phone falls in the rollout schedule. It's not like ALL phones get updated in one day. That said, I'm not happy with how Microsoft communicated this change. As long as the updates come in a timely fashion I suppose I don't need the "Where's my update" page, but if carriers really start dragging their a** then I'd be concerned.

I agree with this. The carriers probably got sick of people asking and complaining about updates. So rather than trying to make their customers happy, they asked MS to be less transparent about update schedules. Considering the standard behavior of the carriers this makes perfect sense.

On a side note, it's kind of sad that MS did such a great job getting Mango out but when it comes to a simple bug fix they screw the pooch like this.

 

[rabit1]

exactly the point. In this case microsoft should be able to push this update without carriers request at all.
this is an OS update not a firmware update. Missing keyboard is a WP7 OS bug, not a hardware bug.
What do carriers have to do with it?

As of now, that blog post by Eric has 222 negative comments without a single
response from him or MS. Amazing.

 

[N8ter]

Well much to our misfortune this OS belongs to Microsoft and they consider it a "maintenance update" so it's a maintenance update. It really sucks but that's just how it is, we still have a better update schedule than most Android owners do so we should be pretty thankful for that if people still don't like it then GTFO and get yourself a device with old school desktops and static icons there are two GREAT choices out there the ecosystem where you're alone in the wild west and the other where you're a jew in Nazi socialist Germany take your pick and you can't go wrong because apparently those two seem to be very popular these days.

The broken keyboard is not a maintenance issue. It's should be a critical bug fix issue. It seriously hampers phone use.

However if they like prospective users boggling at the broken keyboard in carrier stores when phone shopping, more power to them.

 

[hb2p]

I called AT&T this morning to see about the update status. I have an HTC Titan on rev. 7720. They told me it was not up to them but to HTC and gave me HTC's phone number. So I called HTC's customer service.

She had no clue where any update was and left me with the impression that she didn't care either.

Not a real happy customer, who feels like he is put first. I hope MS gets this fixed!