What do they mean by WP8 & WP7.8 are largely the same??

[kenzibit]

I know I've missed a lot since work didn't permit me to witness the online show or live blog of the WP8 announcement but I'm hearing a lot of people saying both 8 and 7.8 are largely the same and I wonder what the mean by that. Are both truly the same (excited) or in some aspects :-(? Please enlighten me.

 

[socialcarpet]

Who's saying that?

I'm sure there are much more similarities than there are differences as far as the UI goes, but under the hood is a different story.

The important thing I think, is that WP8 devices will be able to run all the old WP7 apps and I'd bet we will still see some new apps in the pipeline which will work on both too.

That said, the only thing I'm counting on in 7.8 is the resizable Live Tiles, as far as I know, nothing else has been confirmed.

I'm not as concerned now that I have a phone with a cracked screen though, because I'm probably not going to wait to get a WP8 phone now. Most likely will be ordering a 920.

 

[1jaxstate1]

The writer on the main page said it.
Windows Phone 7.8 probably coming late | wpcentral | Windows Phone News, Forums, and Reviews

 

[scield]

I'm just hoping we find out someone more news on 7.8 soon. Hopefully after all the Wp8 frenzy dies down they'll say something solid.

 

[a5cent]

I'm hearing a lot of people saying both 8 and 7.8 are largely the same and I wonder what the mean by that. Are both truly the same (excited) or in some aspects :-(? Please enlighten me.

Different people have different ways of judging mobile operating systems.

From my perspective, WP8 and WP7.8 are two completely different operating systems. From a technical point of view almost nothing remained unchanged and the possibilities these changes have put into reach are potentially huge.

On the other hand, to many users, particularly those which perceive the OS almost exclusively through the UI and the apps that come with it (calendar, IE, people hub, etc.), WP8 won't seem that much different. At least not initially. WP8 has a lot of small improvements throughout, but little that is immediately obvious or that really stands out. The data source app, kids corner, e-wallet and the backup app are likely the four notable exceptions, but if none of those four things interest you, the remaining differences are more subtle. Add to this that the WP7.8 and WP8 start screens look identical (with support for resizeable live tiles), and it's easy to understand why superficial evaluations lead to the statements you picked up on.

I think Brian Klug from Anandtech also stated it rather well:

"Superficially Windows Phone 8 is very similar to Windows Phone 7.5 and 7 that came before it, but what?s different under the hood is dramatic. The move away from the Windows CE kernel and onto the same NT kernel as Windows 8 and RT run will have far reaching implications for the platform that won?t be immediately visible to users, but is nonetheless the core of what?s new in Windows Phone 8 (henceforth WP8)."

 

[rockstarzzz]

What I'm still wondering is - how about those small UI changes through out the OS and small features. I really hope a blog post real soon from WP team!

 

[kenzibit]

The important thing I think, is that WP8 devices will be able to run all the old WP7 apps and I'd bet we will still see some new apps in the pipeline which will work on both too.

Developing for WP7/7.8 after WP8 release will be like going back the stone age....you sure any developer will be willing to do things the hard way once the easy way (WP8) becomes available?

 

[wamsille]

For a while you are going to have OS overlap between 7.5, 7.8 and 8.0 devices. I'm sure that developers will be able to build apps for 8.0 that are backwards compatible to 7.5/7.8 just as easily or at least no more difficult than taking an app designed for 7.5 and making it compatible with 7.8 and 8.0. Much like the Android OS, the metrics will come into play as adoption of WP8 takes off and the user base of WP 7.x starts to fall. New devs to Windows Phone won't have this issue, of course, because they will focus development on 8.0. I'm sure Nokia will continue to offer 7.8 apps for a while or at least minor tweaks to the base apps they provide for the Lumia line. After we hit the year mark in April 2013 or maybe just a month or so before it I can see notice from Nokia and MS that support for 7.8 will be limited to patches and security fixes.

I'm just ticked there isn't a trade in program - here, we'll give you $100 for your Lumia 900 and you can purchase the 920 on the two-year contracted price or one that is slightly higher like $200. I'm sure someone in my town will buy a Lumia 920 thinking it will do their taxes and then want to sell it; I'll talk them down a few hundred bucks and get it for around $200 second hand. Won't be new nor in the color I want for sure, but this is what we'll be limited to.

 

[kenzibit]

For a while you are going to have OS overlap between 7.5, 7.8 and 8.0 devices. I'm sure that developers will be able to build apps for 8.0 that are backwards compatible to 7.5/7.8 just as easily or at least no more difficult than taking an app designed for 7.5 and making it compatible with 7.8 and 8.0. Much like the Android OS, the metrics will come into play as adoption of WP8 takes off and the user base of WP 7.x starts to fall. New devs to Windows Phone won't have this issue, of course, because they will focus development on 8.0. I'm sure Nokia will continue to offer 7.8 apps for a while or at least minor tweaks to the base apps they provide for the Lumia line. After we hit the year mark in April 2013 or maybe just a month or so before it I can see notice from Nokia and MS that support for 7.8 will be limited to patches and security fixes.



I'm just ticked there isn't a trade in program - here, we'll give you $100 for your Lumia 900 and you can purchase the 920 on the two-year contracted price or one that is slightly higher like $200. I'm sure someone in my town will buy a Lumia 920 thinking it will do their taxes and then want to sell it; I'll talk them down a few hundred bucks and get it for around $200 second hand. Won't be new nor in the color I want for sure, but this is what we'll be limited to.

Sounds reasonable

 

[rockstarzzz]

There seems to be one for EE in UK. You swap you 3G handset and get 70% off the remaining contract length or something.

 

[wamsille]

There seems to be one for EE in UK. You swap you 3G handset and get 70% off the remaining contract length or something.

That would be great over here but I highly doubt AT&T would go for it. The trade-in would be done at a retail location or more than likely a mail-in offer. That leaves someone footing the bill upfront and waiting for someone to (1) receive the phone and verify the condition, (2) relay that information back to AT&T and (3) have the carrier credit you the difference on the ETF to sign a new two-year.

Now, if this was Apple and it was the iPhone 5S being lauched 6 months after the iPhone 5 came out there would be a concession like this. However, Apple would easily take care of the fulfillment. Nokia, AT&T and Microsoft have a mutual interests however if Windows Phone dies it won't be the end for Microsoft or AT&T. Nokia can be purchased by another company, likely Microsoft, who can then continue with the intellectual property and integrate it into its own products for Windows and Xbox.

If WP8 is a success, it doesn't mean AT&T will continue to give it shelf space. It has to dominate at this point, which Windows 8 centric devices can manage to do. They need more than just an unidentified spot on an AT&T commerical and actual primetime appearances on network television and use by high profile people. Reveal to people that Windows, on a phone, is better than say Google's version of Linux.

I'm rambling here but have a commerical with three guys on a subway....

One has an iPad
One has Surface
One has a Nexus 7

Guy on the iPad is flicking pictures around and organizing his music collection. Updates Facebook about a reunion party the three of them are going to, going on about how to get there before stopping short of using Apple Maps.

Guy on the Nexus 7 sends a quick message via Gmail using the front facing camera on his device, then says that he's pulling up the directions on his Nexus now. He gets the results fairly quickly but is troubled to learn the presenter lost his slideshow and is struggling to find the photos....

Guy on the Surface goes "no problem". He opens up Skydrive and begins importing the pictures that were used in the presentation and starts putting together a slideshow in PowerPoint. He comments that he'll send it over to presenter's Lumia....

Cue the 920 user who then fires up the presentation....

"looks great. thanks."

Then the surface user fires up Angry Birds. The other two guys stare at him.

"Wait, you did that with Windows?"

It's time for people to be reintroduced to what can be done with Windows but is often regulated to other operating systems because it looks neater.

 

[cckgz4]

This is what I've been saying in the beginning and like I said, apps will be cross compatible and all this crying about being phased out was ridiculous


Sent from something AMAZING using my pinkie

 

[1jaxstate1]

What to you mean apps will be cross compatible?