Windows Phone 8 to get support till July 2014: What this could mean
Microsoft has revealed that Windows Phone 8 will get support for another 16 months but the reveal has left us with more questions than answers.
Microsoft has revealed that the Windows Phone 8 OS will get support in the form of updates till July 2014, while that period will be extended till September 2014 for Windows Phone 7.8. The Verge spotted the newly defined support period for the latest version of Windows Phone on the Microsoft Support website. The July 2014 date will mean that updates for Windows Phone 8 will cease about 21 months after it was first officially released at the end of October 2012. Windows 7.8, on the other hand, was officially launched in January this year and will have an officially supported lifespan of 19 months.
Microsoft’s support plans have raised a few questions especially when it comes to phones that are currently on Windows Phone 8, apart from handsets in the future that will run the same OS. Also, does the short support cycle mean that we’ll see Windows Phone 9 sooner than expected?
Okay, so here are some questions that Microsoft should answer:
1. Does support include OS version upgrades?
Right, so we all know that Microsoft dun goofed up big by not allowing Windows Phone 7 handsets to upgrade to Windows Phone 8. There were valid reasons for that of course, Windows Phone 7 was built on the Windows Embedded CE 6.0 kernel while Windows Phone 8 is built on the Windows NT kernel. What Microsoft hasn’t made clear is if Windows Phone 8 devices will get an upgrade to Windows Phone 9 or whether they will go through the same upgrade cycle as Windows Phone 7 devices with a .5 version upgrade in the future.
If the support lifespan also includes version upgrades then Microsoft could be in for a whole lot of criticism especially considering that the July 2014 deadline is not really that far off. However, it’s much more likely that by ‘support’ Microsoft only means security updates and other minor updates.
2. Does the looming support deadline mean a big OS update is on the horizon?
The deadline probably means that by July 2014, Microsoft expects no or very few handsets to be running Windows Phone 8. While we don’t know if this points to Windows Phone 9 or Windows Phone 8.5, it’s a certainty that Microsoft doesn’t intend to strand thousands of Windows Phone users with devices limited to an outdated version. We’re willing to bet that the only thing the support deadline signifies is Microsoft’s confidence that all Windows Phone users will have moved on to the next version of the OS by the time the support deadline rolls around.
3. Does the willingness to define a support lifespan mean that Microsoft wants to get more control over Windows Phone OS?
By making the support lifespan for Windows Phone 8 public, Microsoft has made its road-map for the OS clear. This could also mean that Microsoft wants to get more control over its OS so that end users aren’t held hostage by handset makers unwilling to provide OS updates to older handsets. With its clear definition of the deadline, it certainly looks like Microsoft has made it almost mandatory for handset makers selling Windows Phone 8 devices to provide updates to the next version.
If the answer to this question is yes, then it’s a good sign for Windows Phone users and those who want to adopt the OS.
At the end of the day, the dearth of information surrounding the future of Windows Phone (with regard to updates and upgrades) means that the reveal of the July 2014 deadline could have both positive and negative connotations. Microsoft could have handled it better by releasing some more details about the support lifespan for Windows Phone 8.
In our opinion, there’s little cause for worry (and, in fact, a cause for rejoicing if Microsoft is indeed planning to tighten its reins on Windows Phone) but it would be great if Microsoft does reveal some more information on its plans for Windows Phone.
What do you think about the July 2014 support deadline for Windows Phone 8? Tell us in the comments section below or on Facebook.
Source: The Verge