Microsoft’s mobile platform, Windows Phone, hasn’t exactly been a success. The company was able to trigger the interest of many with Windows Phone 8, but handsets running the latest release haven’t garnered significant sales. Now, Microsoft has apparently decided to abandon support for Windows Phone 8 by July, 2014.
This is rather intriguing because other mobile vendors have been supporting their earlier releases, even years later. Microsoft unveiled Windows 8 not a long while ago. So the fact that the company will unplug official support for the version in July 2014 means that it has a fairly small product cycle.
As for Windows Phone 7.8, Microsoft’s Support page suggests that the support for it will be available until September 2014. Official support usually means dishing out of software updates, security patches and other releases. Once Microsoft decides to abandon official support, it would mean that Windows Phone 7.8 and Windows Phone 8 users will no longer receive such updates.
Moreover, it is not sure when Windows Phone users will get these updates, since it would depend upon the mobile operator or the phone manufacturer. According to the company, “Distribution of the updates may be controlled by the mobile operator or the phone manufacturer from which you purchased your phone. Update availability will also vary by country, region, and hardware capabilities.”
These may sound as bad news for Windows Phone users. But the silver lining is that all Windows Phone 8 smartphones will be eligible for the upcoming Windows Phone 8.5 or Windows Phone 9 upgrade. The new upgrade will bring into year and a half of official support from Microsoft.
Source: Microsoft
Courtesy: WM Power user
[ttjad keyword=”nokia-smartphone”]
As if M$ really needed to think up more reasons for people not to want to buy WindPhone8.
They sure got some retarded people at that company…