So I found this article and...

[Luisraul924]

It doesn't matter if Mango is called Windows Phone 7.5 | MobileTechWorld

This leads me to ask the question, once the most powerful wave of windows phone "7"s come out they would likely not have a problem running windows phone "8" so I'm wondering if they would allow updating to WP8 (assuming that by the time wp"7" is "mature" I don't think there would be anymore "addable" physical requirements apart from quicker processors, but nothing the "final" wp"7" wave of devices couldn't handle... So what do you all think?

 

[dtboos]

I fully expect to be able to update software as it comes like iPhone, with certain things being absent if the hardware on older phones do not support them (like gyroscope, front facing cam ect). They are going to be calling the platform "Windows Phone" without the number anyways, so to me its a single platform and you buy new hardware when you want, or when it eventually becomes too old to run things.

At SOME point, hardware will have trouble with the newer builds (just like PC's, and any other tech), but thats a few years away before the first gen hardware starts to have issues with the base OS itself.

 

[Averry]

The new chassis specs include processors that are only a slightly moderate bump in performance. To be more specific, it's just the 2nd gen 1 Ghz Snapdragon...and the 800 Mhz Qualcomm chip that the HTC G2 uses.

Our phones should handle these just fine. Not to mention, there's been constant reference to Nokia and Microsoft discussing the "global market." Which includes the millions of lower end phones that Nokia sells to "developing" nations. Phones that barely could be counted as smart phones.

I can think of two instances where this can happen. Microsoft puts out a "lower end" spec.....or keeps the OS optimized to run on 1Ghz processors as the chips get cheaper and filter into the lower end.

I'm also worried about how they'll handle more resolutions. I'm excited about the Qhd screens that Motorola and HTC are including in their dual core Android phones this year, it's a higher pixel density than the WVGA screens we're all using (though not as high as the iPhone 4). However, how Microsoft can translate higher res screens to the Dev kits without compromising the ease of developing, or look of the Apps we're used to could be a problem. After all, Apple basically doubled the resolution to keep it simple.

I think everyone expects Apple to include a dual core processor in the iPhone 5...along with that awesome GPU in the iPad. I hope Microsoft can support/require a comparable GPU to keep graphics competitive with the iPhone.

Apparently, the iPad 2 destroys the Tegra 2 tablets in graphical performance.

 

[Duvi]

even if m$ doesn't officially let those devices get wp8 (or whatever it will be called), i'm hoping the development community can make roms that are based off of it like the g1 getting android 2.2.

 

[Luisraul924]

even if m$ doesn't officially let those devices get wp8 (or whatever it will be called), i'm hoping the development community can make roms that are based off of it like the g1 getting android 2.2.

What's cool about Windows Phone is that, that article is totally right, Microsoft very rarely if ever refers to it as Windows Phone "7". In fact apart from packaging (which actually varies by carrier from what I've seen) the only place that mentions anything about "7" is in the settings menu where the OS version is displayed, and quite frankly I don't see how much a problem it would cause if that were to go from 7.5.xxxx.x to 8.0.xxxx.x hopefully they will be updateable.

 

[starblade876]

I agree. It seemed silly to me that people were already talking about WP8 only a few months after WP7's release, but that's because I was thinking about it like a desktop OS version. People don't want a new desktop OS every year, especially when it costs as much money as it does. It's different with phone OSes though, so it's not that big of a problem. I'd still hope they wouldn't go to the next version number (and charge for it) too soon after they started.

 

[Luisraul924]

I agree. It seemed silly to me that people were already talking about WP8 only a few months after WP7's release, but that's because I was thinking about it like a desktop OS version. People don't want a new desktop OS every year, especially when it costs as much money as it does. It's different with phone OSes though, so it's not that big of a problem. I'd still hope they wouldn't go to the next version number (and charge for it) too soon after they started.

Well, my guess splits in two ways, and they are complete opposite directions... One is; they jumped half a version number in approximately one year, if this next year proves the same the technically we'd be at WP"8" by winter 2012, which is only two years after the initial release. Then the other idea; with the amount of features that they're adding to Mango, I can easily see how they are jumping half a version number, but with that being said, I don't see how much else they can add to make the jump to WP"8" with one more update. Three or four maybe...

 

[Dave Blake]

The site is called Windows Phone Central for a reason. I say Mango WP8 who cares just bring on the update. I for one am glad to see all that can and will happen with Windows Phone for once I cant wait to see what the future holds.

Dave

 

[Kibosh]

I agree with the article.

An ex-college of mine had an iPhone. He was able to update it to newer releases but at the last release, he went back one step, because he felt his phone became to slow.

I think MS will allow us to update our phones also to newer releases. After time, they will become to slow and we have to buy new hardware or return to a previous state. I just hope MS implements an option that allows us to go back when we feel the phone can't handle it anymore.

One thing is for sure, if MS does not allow us to update to newer releases, I will have a hard time buying another one. Still, +/- 500€ for a phone is a lot of money.

But how about the OEM's? When MS updates it, don't the OEM's need to do stuff also? Are they willing?

 

[Rich Edmonds]

I would be extremely surprised if we are not able to upgrade to 8. As for the naming, wont we always use the OS version, just like iPhones (iPhone 3, 4, 5, OVER 9000!)?

 

[canesfan625]

even if m$ doesn't officially let those devices get wp8 (or whatever it will be called), i'm hoping the development community can make roms that are based off of it like the g1 getting android 2.2.

I don't. This kinda thing is part of the huge fragmentation of Android

 

[Duvi]

I don't. This kinda thing is part of the huge fragmentation of Android

that is not true. it's the skins (moto blur & sense) of the official OS are.

it's the the fact that a device is released and it doesn't have the latest official OS out.

the HTC arrive gets released and it has NoDo. that's an example of MS not following in the footsteps of Google.

a rom isn't effecting fragmentation as it's optional, but when a device is released with an older OS, that's not optional.

 

[Luisraul924]

Yeah Android is the new dumbphone because of the OS's whore properties where ot can run on anything and everything plus the ability to skin it how you want it. make it the true dumbphone evolution. Problem with that is, using the smartphone model with the next Gen dumphone won't work out. The end result is fragmentation. Windows Phone is a true smartphone OS so using the smartphone model will work and alas most phones have been updated already...

 

[1jaxstate1]

Android isn't a dumb phone. Actually its the most powerful smartphone available today. Why u always ****ting on Android.

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[Luisraul924]

Android isn't a dumb phone. Actually its the most powerful smartphone available today. Why u always ****ting on Android.

Sent from my Samsung Focus using Board Express

Because I can. Because no matter how "powerful" the device is, it never FEELS that powerful. In my eyes all I'm getting is something that drains the battery faster the more "powerful" it gets. Gaming would be a strong point I guess, but I'm not a big mobile gamer I like the real deal (can't wait for Mass Effect 3!). I have a book (exaggeratedly speaking) on how badly and why Android sucks so much. Trying not to stray from the subject too much, I like how Microsoft has handled their update situation, and how Windows Phone running on older "less powerful" hardware still FEELS better than Android to me.

 

[1jaxstate1]

Well. Its only been out less than a year. And WP7 is already fragmented. The feel of wp7 is better, the functionality isn't with a mile.

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[jdunn]

Well. Its only been out less than a year. And WP7 is already fragmented. The feel of wp7 is better, the functionality isn't with a mile.

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How is Android more functional than WP7? The only thing I can think of is Multitasking, which is coming oin the next release. As long as Microsoft keeps as many phones as possible updated to the newest software version, my vote is on Windows Phone as the better OS.

 

[1jaxstate1]

Video calling, Skype, mobile hotspot, push, IM, 3G toggle, sending video,...

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[starblade876]

Well. Its only been out less than a year. And WP7 is already fragmented.

Fragmentation doesn't occur when some phone models (within an adequate release date) don't have the update *YET*, it happens when some phone models don't get the update *EVER.* (And the jailbroken phones don't count.)

 

[1jaxstate1]

All apps not available on all phones is a form of fragmentation.

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