What is this 18 month Support Thing?

[kenzibit]

If you all remember from the Windows Phone Summit, it was mentioned that all devices launced will have (receive updates) for a period of 18 months.

What does this mean brothers? Does it mean every WP device released will be neglected and won't be able to upgrade to another major OS update just like today's 1st and 2nd gen devices after 18 months.

What if we get quad core, NFC and all these hardcore hardware goodies? Will a phone with all the wonderful specs still be neglected? I really don't see how if the Kernels and cores are not changed.

Typical example: Will the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy III loose support for Android ONE DAY??? Even if the Android kernel and the cores still remain the same???

I'm really lost and need your opinions...any explanations?

 

[jimski]

It means that Microsoft is guaranteeing that a phone purchased on launch day will receive OS updates for at least 18 months. That sounds reasonable to me, as most (sorry Canada) carrier contracts are 2 years or less. And assuming there is an OS refresh every 6 months (which is also reasonable), you can expect to see about to 3 updates, before your contract expires. Of course, you can use a phone forever, like current WM users, but no guarantee of updates after 18 months, regardless of hardware limitations.

Sent from my Lumia 900 using Board Express Pro

 

[sentimentGX4]

I don't think Microsoft is guaranteeing the latest updates. It might just end up like WP7.8.

 

[johnmcd348]

They did basically the same thing with WM. Look how long it took them to shut down WM 6.5 support. It only ended a few weeks ago. That was at least 18 months after WP first came out.

 

[Winterfang]

The Galaxy 3 and the one X will lose support after a certain time. That's just how it is, that being said 18months is not enough. They should have at least 2 year worth of updates.

 

[kenzibit]

Come to think of this, then someone like me need not buy a flagship phone. When WP8 comes out, they'll be low end, mid range and high end phones, since I don't play a lot of games on my phone and just use my social, forum and productivity apps, I really don't need to buy a WP GS3 or One X like WP which will no be supported in 18 months time. Both high end and low end WP 8 devices will not be supported in 18 months time then I better buy a cheap WP8 device when it comes out. Or am I wrong?

Sent from my HTC HD7 using Board Express

 

[kenzibit]

And also are they giving us 18 months support based on the expirations of contracts? If so then they are not being fair to some of us who buy phones off contract. You really need to use your phone like forever if you buy one coz they are damn expensive.

Sent from my HTC HD7 using Board Express

 

[rockstarzzz]

Ofcourse MSFT has nothing to do with your career contracts!

For them 18 months start the day they put those phones on the shelves. Doesn't matter when you buy it. They have a business to run. So once their 18 months are done, they will move on to supporting better devices. If you buy a 2 year contract 17 months after the launch of the device, you will only be support for 1 month.

 

[mprice86]

The did say 18 months or longer, but it's a ballsy claim to make and it'll be interesting to see if they can deliver on it, though some of the support will have to come from the OEMs too.

Personally I'd rather have some kind of guarantee when buying a new handset that it will get supported for "X" amount of time, rather than playing the Android lottery and having to resort to XDA (shudder) when the fairly inevitable disappointing announcement is made.

Obviously it causes a problem for people who can't always (or ever) afford to get a brand new phone because potentially they will get less support. It could also have an unfortunate peek/trough effect on sales because unless devices are made available more regularly than they are now sales are going to drop off dramatically between each handset launch as informed consumers try and get the longest support period possible.

In the same vein, I'm also quite keen on their idea of advance previews of updates for people who want them, that's a nice little program (assuming it's free) to keep people who always have to have the next new thing happy.

 

[Winterfang]

To be honest is not that balsy. If they follow the Xbox regime is 1 huge update a year and minor updates through it.

18 months of support means just one big update =/. That's basically what's happening now.

 

[ejb222]

My opinion: its a phone. be wise with your money. Only you can determine if its financially apporpriate to purchase some highend or lowend phone knowing the shelf life. Just because support ends 18months after release doesn't mean that the phone is worthless thereafter. All of a sudden on July 1 2014 your phone just wont cut it? Like over night it became a POS? I don't think so. My L900 will be a viable phone for the next 2 years...but my view point that it is obselete is coming from coveting phones to come and not from the reality that my L900 is a great phone and wont lose an ounce of ability from here on out.

 

[DavidinCT]

My big question is... Is when the carrier releases it or the OEM ?????

Some Phones(a lot) are released overseas sometimes MONTHS before they hit the US. So does that mean because we buy on release day here in the US and it was available overseas for 6 months that we only get a year of updates and not the 18 months ?

How about CDMA versions ??? For example, the HTC Trophy was a WP7 release model. Verizon didnt get it for almost 10 months after release by the OEM. So does that mean we get less than 8 months of updates ?

I personally think it should be AT LEAST 24 months in the US, as most carrers have 2 year contracts with all phones.

I guess the real way to make sure you get a update is, wait a while after release, find out what phone DFT and other hackers are working on and BUY THAT PHONE. Then if you cant count on Microsoft to get WP9, you can almost ALWAYS count on DFT to release a rom

Edit: I also wonder how MS will handle updates along the way. For example, on Xbox, if a update is out, You can not connect to xbox live unless it's updated because of possable exploits of the system that could give someone an advantage.

I wonder if it will be... All updates for all units and the next major update, unless it's after 18 months after model release. That would make sense on Microsoft's angle of keeping devices/OS all on the same level (easier on a global support level)

 

[AngryNil]

The thing is, phones are kept in stores for at least six months. They usually get major discounts in my country at around this time, and as such I imagine the sales pick up. The 18 months of support is only great for launch day customers - it should be 24, so someone who is picking up a device half a year late will still get 18 months of support.

 

[ninjaap]

I've been saying it for years: the sooner you upgrade now the sooner you can get your next upgrade. You guys stress yourselves out too much. ATT & VZW are pretty good at giving early upgrade to their customers. I always get mine after 18 months, which is Aug 2013. I should be on 2nd Gen WP8 phones by mid year, while you guys who waited will still be on your 1st gen WP8. So ami worried about support for my Lumia 900? Not the least bit.

 

[jdevenberg]

It means every device released will be supported a MINIMUM of 18 months after it is released. This ensures that if you buy a phone, and 12 months after it is out, a major bug develops, you won't be left high and dry. Your phone will be fixed. The reasons they chose 18 months are most likely:
1. Hardware advances at a pace that 18 months is essentially when phones will be so far ahead of yours that your phone won't be capable of running software well that these phones handle no problem.
And
2. Most carriers don't make you wait a full 24 months to upgrade your phone. Most allow you to upgrade somewhere between 18 months (AT&T) and 22 months (Verizon). Carriers do this to minimize churn. If you can get a new phone 6 months before you can move to a different carrier without paying an ETF, it makes you more likely to upgrade and stay on your current carrier. Assuming most devices are purchased within 3-4 months of launch, no one will be without support and without an upgrade for too long. After that 3-4 month window phones start getting discounted, and people buying discounted phones are less likely to care about software updates (as they are less likely to be an enthusiast, who generally buy whatever is newest at that time).

 

[AngryNil]

The problem with this announcement is that Google announced something similar for Android, and look at what happened there - half year-long update delays. Perhaps that means they only need to provide 12 months of support, since the 12 month update gets rolled out in 18 months.

 

[jdevenberg]

Due to the wide array of hardware used on Android, the updates can take a while because each phone has to gave a rom custom written. With Windows Phone, since there are strict hardware standards, once a company writes one update, the rest of its updates are 85-90% written as well. This greatly speeds the update time.