Will we be able to upgrade from Windows phone 8.1 to Windows phone 9

[jojoe42]

iOS updates tend to chug on older phones, so a phone that ran iOS 4 really fast is laggy on iOS 7.

That's because the only reason why iOS runs so well is because Apple make a ridiculous amount of optimisations to the software so it can reallllllyyy smooth on hardware that isn't exactly technically powerful (the 5S has a triple-core CPU apparently). Once they start prioritising for the newer hardware, they won't have as much time to optimise for older hardware, thus the new software runs slower on old hardware. WP on the other hand.....I don't know how they do it. Black magic. My mate's Lumia 800 still runs smooth as butter on WP7.8

 

[Inocencio Sanchez]

Blah blah blah blah..

 

[JamesDax]

Yes

 

[Stef8600]

To be or not to be, that is the question....
and the question is asked for ages and will still be asked in the very far future.

The problem with WP7 not being upgraded to WP8 had mostly to do with hardware components.
I don't think this will be the case for current WP8(.1). At the end, it is up to MS to decide.

 

[Josip Zeljko]

I don't think anyone here is being realistic. Microsoft promised major updates for phones no older than 18 months.
The first batch of windows phone 8.0 devices (HTC 8x, 8s, Nokia 520, 620, 720, 820 etc.) probably won't recieve the update. It's not just about the hardware requirements (because obviously WP9 will support 512MB devices), you also have to look at it from a business standpoint. Also look at the history of ALL mobile updates so far. There comes a point where you need to stop focusing on older devices and direct your energy toward new (and not so old) releases.

All 8.0 (first batch) phones recieved a lot of small updates and one major update and that's probably where it will stop. Maybe older phones will get 8.2 or something like that but I find that improbable. Most likely they will recieve a max of 2 more GDR releases and that's it.

 

[DavidinCT]

Microsoft has quoted 18 months of support for devices from their release date(this is when the phone was released, NOT when you got it). This was publicly said and even things on WPC about it when WP8 was announced.

*IF* Microsoft stands behind their statements, Every NEWER device will get WP9 if it comes within the next year (announcing and releasing is 2 different things). This as long as there is not a major need for hardware change and I would bet some features will not be available on upgraded devices, as normal.

With this being said, at least the quad core phones(1520/ICON/930/HTC one, etc) would fit in this 18 month time frame *IF* WP9 is released in 2015 or early 2016. So pretty much the odds are phones from this year should get it, first models of single core or dual core might be questionable at this point.

As a PR issue, sure, phones release in 18 months will get it and older ones might not, I don't think it would be a PR mess, as most people in the US are tied to the 2 year contract/new phone thing. If you have owned a Android device, you know buying some models your support does not even go for a year.

The biggest question at this point, as most things are rumor, when will be it be released, then we could find out when a phone was released and figure it out from that from there.

I see no reason why MS would do a kernel change but, if that is changed, then all bets are off...

 

[M L]

There's really no reason to believe we could. It's seems more and more like the Lumia 920 will not -or at least has not been updated yet to 8.1, because they think we'll just give up on an older phone and buy the new models. Sure they may be able to upgrade us all to WP9, but why would they want to?

 

[colinkiama]

There's really no reason to believe we could. It's seems more and more like the Lumia 920 will not -or at least has not been updated yet to 8.1, because they think we'll just give up on an older phone and buy the new models. Sure they may be able to upgrade us all to WP9, but why would they want to?

consumer loyalty. Do you know how loyal apple users are?

 

[patrickg25]

I don't think the WP 7 to WP 8 crisis will happen again as it was a kernel change, and I think MS did that change so that we can have future-proof and sustainable mobile devices. There's a big chance that WP 8 low-end devices will get the WP 9, but it's also possible that it'll be restricted in features. For example, the glance feature (depends on the screen type) or the lock screen (works better on 1 GB RAMs) some improvements I guess will be on the store and the stock apps/features will probably be limited so as to keep the system fast and efficient. There's a big chance that ex.Lumia 520s will get the WP 9, but it's also possible that newer innovations or features will be grayed out of its system and I have the intuition that many won't like that

 

[M L]

consumer loyalty. Do you know how loyal apple users are?

Not really sure what your point is. Yeah Apple releases a new phone every year and many people trade up. Maybe the loyalty you refer to has something to do with Apple doesn't have different model phones and OS's for each carrier, upgrading apps and OS for some and leaving others behind.
I've got the Lumia 920, still can't get 8.1/cyan, cortana...

 

[smoledman]

If a person wants to believe that current Lumia will not update to WP9, go ahead. There is no need to indulge conspiracy theorists.

 

[M L]

If a person wants to believe that current Lumia will not update to WP9, go ahead. There is no need to indulge conspiracy theorists.

Not a conspiracy theorist, just a loyal but pissed off WP owner who believes (knows) that my Lumia 920 still has not received the 8.1/cyan update most others started getting months ago! -with no sign it's coming anytime soon.

 

[Aviskri]

Not a conspiracy theorist, just a loyal but pissed off WP owner who believes (knows) that my Lumia 920 still has not received the 8.1/cyan update most others started getting months ago! -with no sign it's coming anytime soon.

That's the carriers fault, not Microsoft, the same happens with android phones, just that WP has so low market share that carriers don't bother to publish updates fast

 

[M L]

That's the carriers fault, not Microsoft, the same happens with android phones, just that WP has so low market share that carriers don't bother to publish updates fast

So won't it be up to the carriers to push out any WP 9 upgrade to any particular model phone? Why should we expect that to be any different? Of course they're going to want us to buy the new model so they won't want anyone with an old model WP8 to have the update for 6 months or more after the new ones come out, then it becomes why upgrade at all. And since MS has given away the carrier exclusives it seems they (carriers) are in control.
-again not a conspiracy theory, just a real observation from what's happened so far.

 

[KarmaEcrivain94]

but preview for devs will still exist, so you will be able to upgrade.

 

[herbertsnow]

Not a conspiracy theorist, just a loyal but pissed off WP owner who believes (knows) that my Lumia 920 still has not received the 8.1/cyan update most others started getting months ago! -with no sign it's coming anytime soon.

920 was an inside job

 

[colinkiama]

If you close your eyes and wish for it really bad!

 

[Studio384]

"Months ago"? You mean, as in, since this month? Because the update isn't rolling out that long.

 

[abhinavsaprey]

I think they must update Lumia 630, because it's a new phone.
Now, if we consider threshold will need Quad code processor, then 920, 1020, 1320 ... will left behind, which is unlikely.
And if we consider that threshold will need 1GB RAM, then 630 will left behind, which is unlikely again. If they wanted to abandon 512MB phones, they would release 630 with 1GB RAM for sure.
So, I think all Lumias will be upgradable to Threshold.

Nice thinking....

 

[apssays]

Microsoft had said it with the announcement of windows phone 8 that " ALL THE WINDOWS PHONE RUNNING WINDOWS PHONE 8 WOULD BE UPGRADED TO THE MAJOR VERSION UPGRADE". Stating this meant they will upgrade it to the #WindowsPhone9 . There may come a problem with other OEM like HTC 8x had but Lumia range is surely going to get it ...