How future-proof are 512MB RAM Lumias?

[stratoc]

Hi, in case this is a wrong forum to ask - sorry.

I'm deciding between 720 and 820. But the main question is not the hardware, but future-proof'ness (is that a word? ). I don't want to hear about a new update that will be available only to >=1GB RAM devices. I haven't found any information on that topic on the webs. Did I miss anything? Thanks!

 

[Technoloay]

All lumias will be updated in the future. Unless I'm missing something?

 

[Muessig]

A recent study said 99% of apps use less than 512MB of RAM. Only high-end games like Asphalt or Halo use more. This isn't a hard and fast rule, but it's generally right - you have basically no concerns on a 512MB device unless you plan to game a lot. As far as being updated, Microsoft has announced support for Windows Phone 8 up to 36 months after initial release. So you're fine there too!

 

[Arjun KR]

Number of 512MB devices in the market decides how future proof they are,at present 512MB devices taking the market by storm

 

[azaright]

So 512mb devices can get 8.1 update and all? Because even ios devices with 256 ram get all updates,so does some of android devices

 

[a5cent]

As far as OS updates are concerned, all 512 MB devices will be treated exactly the same as the 1GB devices. MS will stop delivering new OS features for all current divices at the same point in time. Theoretically, carriers could spoil MS' plan by not distributing an update that MS intended for your device to receive, but that isn't expected to happen.

In a nutshell, none of the current devices are any more future proof than any other.

 

[dorelse]

I would always buy the phone with the most RAM you can afford. No device is ever truly future proof, as stated, carriers could squash a perfectly good 8.1 upgrade down the line.

Having said that, did Microsoft guarantee full upgrades for 36 mos, or 'Support' for 36 mos. I've been down that road before, granted it was on Android, and why I'm a WP8 guy now, but Support simply means they'll release any security patches deemed severe enough to warrant a fix.

There are no true guarantees about upgrades. I owned a Moto Photon, which was promised an upgrade to ICS. That was later cancelled leaving us in a lurch.

Now, you might say, well, that was Android...but...hasn't this already been done with WP7 devices?

Buy the device you love now, and be optimistic about upgrades, but also know that upgrades are not a sure thing.

 

[a5cent]

As far as being updated, Microsoft has announced support for Windows Phone 8 up to 36 months after initial release. So you're fine there too!

This is one of the most misunderstood topics in the WP community.

MS' support lifecycle policy is almost meaningless in regard to updates. According to current policy, WP8 will be supported until at least 1.1.2016. This is of interest to corporations, particularly those wanting to integrate WP into their corporate IT environments, as that means MS will support them if they encounter any problems.

This is meaningless to consumers, as they are supported via carriers and online forums.

Most of us know that some WP7 devices haven't received an update since WP7.5. Right? Most of us know that WP7 received its last update long ago. Right? Well, how would we then explain that WP7 is also still within its support lifecycle (until 2014)? The explanation is simple. Being within the support lifecycle doesn't mean anything in terms of OS updates.

Support means what support has always meant... bugfixing, troubleshooting, training, consulting! Not guaranteed OS updates with new features.

 

[cyberden]

As already mentionned, beeing supported doesn't mean getting all the updates. It just means that microsoft will release security patches if necessary.

About the OP question, I don't think anyone can answer that as of now.

 

[foxbat121]

The current WP8 OS itself uses about 220MB of RAM alone (the downside of porting the NT kernel), up from around 60MB of WP7 OS. Drivers use about 50MB of RAM in WP8. That left about 240MB of total RAM for apps in a 512MB phone.

I'm hoping that WP8.1 will shrink the OS foot print further down if Microsoft is serious about keep the 512MB phone alive.

 

[hopmedic]

Define "future-proof"

Really, nothing is "future-proof".

 

[gsquared]

Should a L520 last 1.5 to 2 years. I would say yes. There really is no correct answer as nobody really knows.

 

[broar94]

Just 240mb of available ram for apps! Better investing in 1gb phone for future proof and lesser loading screens. Im already sick of seeing it on my l620..

 

[hopmedic]

Just 240mb of available ram for apps! Better investing in 1gb phone for future proof and lesser loading screens. Im already sick of seeing it on my l620..

The 240MB isn't anything to worry about from the perspective of apps:

For WP 7.x:

5.2.5 Memory consumption

For Windows Phone OS 7.0 and Windows Phone OS 7.1 An app must not exceed 90 MB of RAM usage, except on devices that have more than 256 MB of memory. You can use the DeviceExtendedProperties and DeviceStatus classes to query the amount of memory that your app is using, and to adjust behavior based upon the memory available on the device.

For WP8 it's a little more involved:
App memory limits for Windows Phone 8

 

[stratoc]

Some interesting answers here, thank you. In short - nobody knows for sure. I was hoping that I missed something, but now I see that I didn't. No official information on my question exists.

I had HTC HD7 and was very happy with it, but then MS pretty much killed WP7. Now for my next WP phone I don't want to get into similar situation. I want it to be fully supported (not only security updates) for atleast a year-year and a half. Things like that also have a lot of impact in the resell-value of a phone.

 

[ArthJar]

Because even ios devices with 256 ram get all updates,so does some of android devices

And where did you read this? It's totally not true.

 

[SanjitVignesh]

While the 512 MB devices may get updated the same as current 1 GB devices, we may not get all the features.
For example, iPhone 4 did not get Siri or Panorama feature.
Same way, we may lose on some features but we will probably have the latest version matching the 1 GB devices.
But all these are just speculations and so it is better to go for a 1 GB device to avoid any risk and if the price difference is not too much. I myself find that when I go for my next device in the future, it'll be a WP but a higher mid end model (like 820) and not a lower mid end (like 620 or 720).

 

[bilzkh]

If I were you I'd wait for an affordable 1GB RAM device, at least if you're looking to make full use of WP and are aware of the options.

 

[realwarder]

You can only answer the question from the 1G v 512MB perspective given your questions criteria.

By that count, 1GB (with faster CPU) will run everything released for a while - all games etc. So 820 is better.

Looking at hardware, I'd honestly consider the 720 over the 820 because it has a longer battery life, arguably better camera (FFC for sure), and with so many 512MB phones on the market, games will be made to run on a 512MB device eventually, if not on day 1.

 

[Arjun KR]

all these electronic goods becomes outdated too soon,as you know "today's Tech is tomorrow's Junk" I really don't expect MS to support all their devices forever but even if they provide OS updates for next 2 years,then its fantastic