Question about Win 10 for phone

[cowboy6201]

Is Microsoft gonna do like Apple does now and has always done, to start releasing updates directly to the phone without going through the carrier like they do now ?
We shouldn't have to put up with the carriers taking they're sweet time releasing a update to a phone, when MSFT releases an update it should go directly to the phone like iOs does when Apple releases the update.

 

[hotphil]

They do already.... No need to wait for carriers. Just buy your own handset. But it's still not as good as Apple - have to wait for MS to stagger release across models/territories

 

[Laura Knotek]

If you want updates directly from Microsoft, you'll need to buy an unbranded device. Carrier branded devices are still at the mercy of carriers whether or not the official updates will be released. (This is for official updates, not Preview for Developers, Technical Preview, Windows Insider, etc).

If you are in the US and buy an unbranded, unlocked international device, you might not be able to use LTE on US carriers, since the international LTE bands are different from those used by the US carriers.

 

[Pete]

In the Windows Phone 8.x world, carriers still play a part in when you get official updates, even if you have an unbranded (Country Variant) device.

The update rollout ordering was a little (ok, a lot) confusing but one of the priorities was toward whatever handset/carrier/region was most popular at the time. So even if you had a Country Variant device, you still had to wait your turn.

We don't know at this point how updates will be handled with Windows 10, but assume that there will be little-and-often updates direct from Microsoft now that more features are app based rather than baked into the OS (as mail and office are in WP8.x).

The strategy for firmware updates are at this point unknown (as far as I know).

 

[Pete]

You might want to read this...

Project Milkyway: Microsoft's plan to deliver faster updates to Windows 10 for Phones

At the WinHEC conference today, Microsoft has detailed its plan to "delight users" by releasing faster updates to Windows 10 for Phones. Windows Phone users usually complain of the slow roll-out of over-the-air updates for their devices, a recent example being the Lumia Denim update. Microsoft aims to resolve this issue by providing updates "within 4-6 weeks of release."

 

[hotphil]

That's a nice sentiment. But the name Microsoft, terms such as "aims", and general fluffiness around timescales are synonymous. Certainly not to be relied upon.