There was a point where Microsoft, recently detailed, how it would not be detailing as closely, the state of Windows Phone updates. The post on the Windows Phone Blog, was an announcement of the latest maintenance release for Windows Phone 7,
There are also a few changes on the way for the blog and website. As we continue our growth, we won’t be individually detailing country, model, and carrier details on the Where’s My Phone Update? site any longer. And instead of my weekly blog posts, the official Windows Phone website will be the primary place for news and information about our updates, just as Microsoft Answers is there for your support questions.
It also announced the death of the Where’s My Phone Update page, that was maintained while the information was in high demand by users. We know that’s all changed, and the news has blown over, but was it a distraction. Hiding in plain sight so to speak.
Historically, unlocked devices have received updates as soon as they were available. No matter what region, or carrier sim, or no sim and connected to the Zune desktop client. When I got the update for the HTC HD7, which was only a week ago, I expected it to hit my other HD7, and Mozart at the same time, and it didn’t, in fact the Mozart only updated just now. Now in retrospect my Mozart was Chevron unlocked, and updated, then flashed to a generic European rom to unbrand, but it’s developer unlocked, and receives updates normally. It got me wondering if the updates we get pushed to our phones now will be prioritised by, currently on market, still on market and end of line, or some other formula as equally astounding.
With second generation handsets hitting the market and Microsoft past the point of monitoring those by carrier, or no carrier, what determines who get’s the update when? Unlocked: A newer region for uptake of the OS [face it ne users complain the most if they are not getting updates]. Users who nave the most current device, Users that have a hot selling device. If you have an unlocked device, your wait is less complicated as the OEM is the main barrier. Locked to a carrier: the same options as above, plus carrier approval/testing time.
There has to be some strategy to not monitoring the update process closely, the database of devices, and new ones coming online everyday, made MS pull back from monitoring it, and by not monitoring it gives a much wider window for them to deliver. There has to be a way that it’s determined though, and if it’s newer to older, active to inactive[sim or no sim], device popularity[active sim enabled phones, used for a longer period of time].
It’s none of the above though, Microsoft have changed their strategy, because they have done with wasting resources on desperate selling, and placating early adopters of the OS. Updates now will roll out as Microsoft see fit, the OS is established and they have proven their point. Carriers aside, even though they are more amenable to the OS now, as a recent comment from vodafone showed me,
Hi Peter, thanks for your positive feedback! We still have a carrier certification and testing process for all software updates. In this circumstance we were able to work closely with the platform vendor and manufacturer to ensure that there were minimal delays in getting the update out to you. Fortunately, the hard work paid off and we’re all reaping the benefits!
The recent change from MS, means they will get updates out in a timely manner, that may span a period of time, but there will be less hiccoughs on the way. While it may not be a real conspiracy it may be the unexpected result of recent changes Microsoft made in it’s update process. It might take a little longer, but it will get done right.
Post written by Peter Murphy on
January 26, 2012
in
#WP7.5,HTC Mozart,Mango
Confirmed today in an article in the Australian Financial Review, Nokia Australia managing director Chris Carr stated that the device would come to Telstra, Optus and Vodafone in March. No mention of any exclusivity, with one network getting it first, but details like that may become evident when the actual Telco’s announce how they will be handling the phones. The Lumia 710 is set follow some time afterwards but no firm dates were set for the lower specced device. Nokia is going for all out world domination for this phone, and in something like a domino cascade, has launched the Lumia 800 in spectacular ways across Europe.
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