It's been a week now. WTH is the update for the 8X, Microsoft?!?

[brmiller1976]

Lol, how long do you have to wait in between or for an Apple update?

You get it the day of release, around the world.

If Microsoft was competitive with Apple on update user experience, every HTC 8X owner, worldwide, would have received the update on the 10th (when it was first available).

 

[iamtim]

If Microsoft was competitive with Apple on update user experience

They aren't. Yet. Hopefully one day they will be. So there's the situation.

 

[philxor]

I have an ATT 8X. I don't blame MS for not receiving an update yet, I blame ATT. And Verizon people should blame Verizon. Like it or not, the carrier independent updates are not here yet for WP.

 

[brmiller1976]

Sorry, the carrier thing is a cop-out. Microsoft has repeatedly stated that they have exclusive control over WP updates. If that is true, this is a high priority update for a serious problem that should go out.

They aren't. Yet. Hopefully one day they will be. So there's the situation.

So then, just to be clear, we should encourage iOS users who need timely updates not to jump ship to WP? After two YEARS of commercial availability?

That's lame.

 

[iamtim]

So then, just to be clear, we should encourage iOS users who need timely updates not to jump ship to WP? After two YEARS of commercial availability?

How could you possibly infer that from anything I've ever said here, much less what you quoted?

I don't advocate encouraging anyone to jump ship; I advocate people looking at all the options and making up their own minds. But that doesn't change the point of what I said: obviously, Microsoft is not as competitive with Apple on "update user experience". That's the situation, that's the reality. So... how are you going to deal with that?

Are you going to keep whinging about it on a non-Microsoft forum? Are you going to accept it and hope Microsoft becomes competitive with Apple on "update user experience"? Or are you going to jump ship to a platform which (evidently) better suits your expectations?

 

[Slai]

You get it the day of release, around the world.

Do Apple hand out updates often, generally?

Iamtim: its not about "whining", its about making a fuzz about an issue so much that MS has to recognize it. If enough people voice their concerns and outrage on a thing like this, its more likely to be noticed and taken as a serious thing. Just staying silent and hopeing MS gets competitive with update rollouts is hardly effective.

 

[Scorpio5x0]

So was Microsoft fibbing when they claimed that WP8 updates were carrier-independent?

Microsoft delivers first over-the-air update for Windows Phone 8 | ZDNet



If Windows Phone 8 updates are still dependent on carrier partner testing, approval and roll-outs, AT&T and Verizon customers are screwed. It took HTC users on AT&T six months to get Tango. Verizon skips major updates altogether -- the last couple of webOS updates for the Pre 2 and Pre Plus never reached end users.

I hope this is incorrect, because if it isn't, then this will make it very difficult for Windows Phone 8 to achieve any sort of competitive parity with iOS.

The updates come from Microsoft, but I guarantee that carriers have a say. Your quote even states that they are working with their carrier partners. Unlocked phones are the guinea pigs. Get them updated first and work out any issues that could arise. I have been using Windows phone since it was released on Verizon. They have not skipped any updates. And if I recall their were a couple hiccups with the updates with Windows Phone 7, but I am pretty sure neither Apple and definitely not Google could have manged updating every phone in the world.

 

[iamtim]

Iamtim: its not about "whining", its about making a fuzz about an issue so much that MS has to recognize it.

Of course.

But this here isn't Microsoft. And... he's talking about a week. A week when the OS hasn't even been out for two months. I'm all for making a fuzz when there's something to make a fuzz about, but right now? For this issue? It ain't fuzz worthy. Not yet.

 

[PhilR8]

A week is a long time in this market segment, especially when customers are expected to make a decision to keep or return their phones within a two-week window.

I'm with brmiller here - back when WP8 was first unveiled, Microsoft indicated that updates would be sent out by Microsoft independent of the carriers. The ZDNet article quotes above seems to refute that early claim. That's pretty disappointing but regardless of which side is dictating terms and holding up this update, Microsoft should not have made a promise it couldn't keep.

 

[brmiller1976]

And for cryin' out loud, Microsoft has had Windows Phone for two YEARS in the marketplace now. It should be doing the basics, like OS updates, easily. Apple manages it. Even Google manages it on most of its Nexus line.

At a certain point, the bush league antics have to stop and Windows Phone has to act like a grown-up, ready for prime time OS. Now is a good time to start, and the market isn't going to give Microsoft another three or six months to prove that "it's really, REALLY ready for sure 100% this time, trust us."

 

[GoodThings2Life]

Alright, so... first of all, at no point in time has Microsoft EVER suggested that Windows Phone updates of any kind would be in any way independent of carriers. They didn't promise faster. They didn't promise more frequent. What they DID promise was to have updates be made available to ALL devices for 18 months. They also promised that there would be a voluntary enthusiast program (that they haven't launched yet). You can't call it lying, because they never said when it was taking place. You CAN be upset that it hasn't happened yet, but at least be honest and admit that it's impatience and not a matter of lying.

So what does this mean to us?

Well, it means OEMs and carriers are STILL in the process flow of release. Odds are this means carriers can still stall and delay release. I imagine this is why the enthusiast program will exist as a way of letting people bypass those factors... at our own risk.

In my opinion, I think a bigger release of Portico will come before Christmas. I think there's strong incentive to push it out. But it's also obvious that with random reboots and battery issues that there's also a strong desire to "get it right" since clearly WP8 was definitely rushed (my earlier belief to the contrary was wrong).

I'm definitely anxious to get this update. While I don't have any battery issues, I have had random reboots a few times, and I desperately want the constant Wi-Fi connection. I do want it now, and I'd download and manually push the cab right this minute if I could, but I'm also OK with waiting, because well, I don't have a choice. I'm only going to be angry if AT&T stalls the update while everyone else gets it.

PS-- F*** Apple. They own the devices AND the software. F*** Google too. They're a mess of hodge-podge updates. I don't care what they do or don't do with their updates, and you can't really compare the methods fairly. Microsoft's approach is conceptually right... work with carriers and OEMs. In practice, it needs work, because I don't want them to hold the process hostage, but I don't want them doing their own thing either. With Windows Updates, you get a bad hotfix... you uninstall and move on. With a bad firmware, you brick the device.

 

[brmiller1976]

Actually, Microsoft stated that updates on WP8 would be carrier independent.

But the rest of the details honestly don't matter. There are two choices: great user experience, or lousy user experience.

In a great user experience, updates go out to everyone in a timely manner. When bugs that cause problems occur, an update is released worldwide and users can go to their phones and download it.

In a crappy user experience, updates are unreliable. You're stuck with a bug on your phone for weeks or months, while others get an update sooner. You have no idea when or even if you'll get the update. You suffer from a well known bug with no timeline for a fix and grow increasingly frustrated.

And come upgrade time, you may consider a platform with a good user experience.

For this update, Microsoft has embraced crappy user experience. And key competitors are doing a much better job -- something Microsoft cannot afford as an underdog.

WP should be providing a consistently best in class experience, not a crappy update experience riddled with excuses.

 

[stmav]

Having a bad day br? Did google tell you to cease and desist your assault on them? So you're taking out your frustrations on updates.

 

[brmiller1976]

No, I am pointing out that crap user experience is crap user experience.

And far too many people are willing to apologize for crap user experience. The responses in this thread remind me of the early Apple users' defense of Apple Maps.

"It will get better. Apple has their reasons for doing this. If you don't like it, just buy an Android."

Microsoft says it wants to compete in mobile. Well, then, it should make sure that its user experience is competitive.

 

[jdhooghe]

brmiller is right, especially with the average person. IF these things don't work out of the box then the average consumer is not going to stand for it. They're going to see the iphone or something else that is working properly. They are not like us. They don't see potential, they only want results now. The average consumer DOES NOT HAVE patience.

 

[foxbat121]

Microsoft never said the updates are carrier independent. You need check your facts before posting.
Sent from my RM-820_nam_canada_246 using Board Express

 

[ryan.kruger]

Sounds like BR is your average customer.

I'm fine. I know the battery is going to be fixed in Portico (this is my only concern w/WP8 at the moment). I appreciate Microsoft giving the update to select groups for testing, and then deploying a finished product. Shows great initiative to have things done correctly.

I was in beta testing for iOS and I'll tell you that stuff was naaaaasty. This is why I've switched eco-systems...

In the end, you can rant/rave in here, and people will answer because we're all bored at work without anything better to do - but you'll get the update just as soon as I do, bud

 

[alligatorterror]

Could people PLEASE stop apologizing for this poor performance?

It's painful.

It's like people saying "your e-mail will get there eventually, be patient, you don't need more than e-mail refresh every two hours."

I want an experience that is competitive with iOS. When iOS releases an update, it goes out immediately to everyone.

An update process that isn't instantaneous isn't competitive with iOS. Period.

You complain about this and praise apple with the iOS. Why don't you get an iPhone then no more crying about updates. Enjoy your maps also.

 

[alligatorterror]

...will you be one of them?

I hope so, maybe he will get a regular dumb phone with a t9 keypad. Then everything will work!

 

[alligatorterror]

And for cryin' out loud, Microsoft has had Windows Phone for two YEARS in the marketplace now. It should be doing the basics, like OS updates, easily. Apple manages it. Even Google manages it on most of its Nexus line.

At a certain point, the bush league antics have to stop and Windows Phone has to act like a grown-up, ready for prime time OS. Now is a good time to start, and the market isn't going to give Microsoft another three or six months to prove that "it's really, REALLY ready for sure 100% this time, trust us."

what about copy and paste.. How long did you have to wait for apple to release that option? Even though windows phone users had it before them.