Death of Windows Phone 8?

[a5cent]

The swap of Kernels is the only reason why the old 7 phones couldnt be upgraded as I understand it

Based on how many times that statement was repeated across the web, you certainly might think so, but it is complete BS anyway.

You can search around the web and find WP8 ROM's for the HTC HD2 (example). The HTC HD2 ships with the exact same SoC used in many Gen1 WP7 devices (HTC HD7, Dell Venue Pro, Omnia). This was accomplished not just be one, but many ROM hackers all over the world. If so many people were able to get WP8 running on what amounts to Gen1 WP7 hardware, then so can Microsoft. They just had other (good) reasons not to. A more academic explanation can be found here.

 

[WavingReds]

I hope we get a really awesome wake party!

 

[MrXiqbal]

Why is this a huge issue? Take iOS as an example, every year when they launh their ''new'' iOS they always keep out some key features or even major update for the older devices because phones cant handle the update. In this case, MS will be updating their OS and they & partners would defo want people to buy new phones with new features to earn money. Simple as that! Dont panic people, it is just business

...and even if they do release a HUGE updater later on, hackers will probably be able to make ROM for it to be installed on Lumia 920 for example!

 

[WavingReds]

Why is this a huge issue? Take iOS as an example, every year when they launh their ''new'' iOS they always keep out some key features or even major update for the older devices because phones cant handle the update. In this case, MS will be updating their OS and they & partners would defo want people to buy new phones with new features to earn money. Simple as that! Dont panic people, it is just business

...and even if they do release a HUGE updater later on, hackers will probably be able to make ROM for it to be installed on Lumia 920 for example!

people also forget about the blackberries devices and their OS updates, /whistles

 

[ChMar]

Why is this a huge issue? Take iOS as an example, every year when they launh their ''new'' iOS they always keep out some key features or even major update for the older devices because phones cant handle the update. In this case, MS will be updating their OS and they & partners would defo want people to buy new phones with new features to earn money. Simple as that! Dont panic people, it is just business

...and even if they do release a HUGE updater later on, hackers will probably be able to make ROM for it to be installed on Lumia 920 for example!

And people forget that apple controls their devices. Any major update made by MS (changing kernel) means all the OEMs and carriers must redo their drivers, update their apps, make tons of tests before releasing the update to the masses. It's too much of an effor for something people are not even able to notice. What feature from windows 8 are the owners of wp7 missing?

 

[Devamps]

O suporte ao Windows Phone 8 acabar? em 2014? Nada de novo nisso.. entenda mais!! ? Rodolpho Marques

 

[a5cent]

All current wp8 devices ARE able to upgrade to the newest OS version whatever it be Blue or WP9 according some MS guy a few weeks ago, that isn't the question at this point.

That MS guy is likely Greg Sullivan. I quoted him in the post six above yours (#33). He never actually said the things you think he did. Your take on this issue is a popular one, but it is just one of those things that gets repeated on blogs and forums all over the place, despite being completely wrong.

What people really want to hear is something along the lines of: "WP8 devices will be upgradable to the next major version of WP." How hard can it be to say just that?

It is very clear why they can not come out and say all current devices will be upgradable. The reason is they can not guarantee that it will be. <snipped> The question now is if the carriers will allow it. MS can not say IT WILL since they are not sure if the carrier will push it out.

Then why not just mention that caveat explicitly instead of all the ridiculous vagueness? In fact, Microsoft already uses a "protection clause" for the scenario you mentioned. It isn't rocket science to extend my own sentence accordingly:

"WP8 devices will be upgradable to the next major version of WP. However, distribution of the upgrade may be controlled by the mobile operator or the phone manufacturer..."

You think Microsoft has a clear reason for being so vague, while I think that reason is at best a poor excuse. Microsoft isn't being vague because they can't be precise, but because they don't want to be.

What Microsoft Windows Phone Support End Dates Mean | Pocketnow

I think that was one of the better explanations as to what is going on. But notice the part about updating to WP9? Just as with every other tech site, it's all "ifs", "coulds" and "woulds". Why? Because Microsoft's product lifecycle doesn't actually say anything specific about upgrades, particularly not about major version upgrades. Every single tech blogger is vague on this issue. That certainly isn't a coincidence, right?

Note also, that Microsoft has silently stopped incrementing their version numbers. Portico (GDR1) wasn't WP8.1... it is still WP8. According to Marry J Foley, GDR3, which is expected around Q4 2013, will also carry the exact same public version number... just WP8. Why has Microsoft changed the version numbering scheme for WP8? What happened? For one thing, by not updating the version number, the clock keeps running on that 18 month support cycle... you tell me why Microsoft may want to do that.

Why is this a huge issue?

WP8 will get many updates over the next year. That is great. I don't think anybody need fret over that or postpone buying a WP8 device due to update concerns. That isn't an issue.

What I do want is better communication from Microsoft. I want them to communicate clearly what they are planning to do and why. Currently, they aren't doing either.

 

[a5cent]

O suporte ao Windows Phone 8 acabar? em 2014? Nada de novo nisso.. entenda mais!! ? Rodolpho Marques

Okay, that is an even better explanation! Basically, same thing I'm saying... the lifecycle support period says nothing about specific updates a device may or may not get.

 

[Devamps]

Yeah

Okay, that is an even better explanation! Basically, same thing I'm saying... the lifecycle support period says nothing about specific updates a device may or may not get.

 

[nessinhaw]

i'm pretty sure all WP8 devices will be upgradable to WP9...everyone seems to forget the reason WP7 phones couldn't get WP8 is a hardware issue, since now WP basically uses the same kernel as Windows PC...and just look at Android, how many devices run JB? many OEMs got their 2011-2012 phones stuck on Gingerbread-ICS cause they claim hardware prevents such phones from getting JB (at least that's the excuse Sony used for their devices, which was pretty lame cause Xperia J has a weaker hardware spec than Xperia Mini and Xperia Arc S and still got the JB update) and i dont see anyone making drama about it! basically if you want a JB phone which runs COMPLETETY smooth, no lag, no bugs, you have to buy a new one! high-end! so why everyone points their fingers at MS?

oh and another thing...the upgrades to ICS/JB are pretty slow! many devices are still on the list!
and last time i checked, GB still owns the biggest portion of Android world!

 

[stephen_az]

According to this article, the windows 8 phone support ends already in july 2014:
Windows Phone 8 support to end in 2014 ? The Register

If they proceed to 8.5, 9.0 etc. Do you think us Lumia 920 users will be left out?

What are your thoughts about this?

It is a rather unique perspective to view someone confirming support for a platform as being a harbinger of its death. You do understand that Android users outside of the Nexus line are never guaranteed a single update or even bug fix by Google? If the manufacturer does not step up, you have what you have - ask HTC Android users how that has worked out for them. You can also check the numbers for those still stuck on 2.3. I will take a promise of support over the hope someone will knock out a ROM or a company will be responsible about bugs.

 

[Laura Knotek]

O suporte ao Windows Phone 8 acabar? em 2014? Nada de novo nisso.. entenda mais!! ? Rodolpho Marques

Here is the same article in English, rather than Portuguese. http://winsupersite.com/windows-phone/windows-phone-support-lifecycle-18-months

 

[jhguth]

My Zune 30 is still working the same as it did in 2005, so I wouldn't worry about the end of support.

For Microsoft, it just means that there won't be any development resources committed to creating new features. The way it works now will continue to work for a long time

How many developers do you have making apps for your Zune 30? EOL may not be a big deal to you, but it is to developers. Especially considering how much investment is needed to develop for WP8.

 

[a5cent]

How many developers do you have making apps for your Zune 30? EOL may not be a big deal to you, but it is to developers. Especially considering how much investment is needed to develop for WP8.

Sales potential is much more important than becoming EOL'ed. If you want sales, at this point, devs are still better off writing apps for WP7 which also run on WP8. That is exactly what most do. Write exclusively for WP8 and you end up halving your sales potential, in an already very small market. Things may be similar when WP8 reaches EOL.

 

[Connie Litrenta]

2014 you say? Not a big deal for me anyway so long as I continue to get some updates (and even if I don't). Truth be told, I'm lucky if I haven't moved on to another bigger and better phone by then. I'm afraid to say i'm a bit of a fanatic with technology and don't tend to stay with one phone more than a year anyway. I would however, be more than fine to keep this one so long as they continue to push out updates/improvements.

 

[MFmonster]

Support for that concrete version is up to 2014, but all the phones who run WP8 will be upgradeable to the new version e.g. 8.5, 9 or whatever, and those versions will have 18 months of support on their own, so read before you declare something that would mean suicide for Microsoft. How do you read such articles and believe that a company of that size will go ahead with such an impossibly stupid decision ?

This.. Thank you. I suggest people do more research before passing on inaccurate statements....

 

[prettyconfusd]

I've found the circus surrounding this announcement hilarious!

Right next to the Windows Phone 8.0 support date is a date for WP 7.8. Not 7.0, 7.1, or 7.5, the latest version. So, when WP 8.5 comes out and all current devices are upgraded, that resets the clock another 18 months and considering they moved WP to the NT core partly due to easy of updatability and have already said all WP8 devices will get the next major update (Blue) I don't see what the fuss is about.

I think WP updates are more likely to go down the iOS route from now on and the move from CE to NT was a one-time sacrifice for the greater good.

The average phone contract is 24 months, anyone who buys their phones outright shouldn't be expecting support for longer than those 24 months anyway and those who get their phones off contract via pay-as-you-go or similar probably don't care all that much if they aren't updated to the latest version of the OS. I have received no outrage from my parents nor from some of my friends over their WP7s not getting WP8 nor have they been grilling me on when the 7.8 update will arrive. 90% of people just don't care and those of us that do aren't likely to go out and buy a Lumia 920 after June when there'll be a new flagship appearing in November.

As for the "death" of Windows Phone... Well, I think WP and WindowsRT will probably be integrated more and at that point I think the need for just 'Windows Phone' dimishes and we just have 'Windows' which runs on Phones on upwards with no backwards compatibility for the desktop and 'Windows Pro' which is what we call proper Windows at the moment.

Microsoft would be silly to keep RT and WP separate by the time Windows 9 rolls around.

 

[wescoerg]

As long as you update your phone software, you'll be fine and your phone will still be supported. For instance, Microsoft is ending support for Windows 7 with no service packs installed soon, but Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 will still be supported.

 

[rockstarzzz]

A normal contract length unless you are a Canadian is 24 months. If your device was updated say in 18th month making it fresh, new, secure (whatever you are looking for in an update), can you not live 6 months with that?

 

[Simon Tupper]

WP and windows are far from dead. But Microsoft needs something to make people talk and drive interest in the platform.