Microsoft Says Sorry, No Upgrades To Windows Phone 7

[Nurhisham Hussein]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.theunwired.net/?item=outlook-microsoft-says-no-to-windows-phone-7-upgrades-for-windows-mobile-6-smartphones&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+theunwired+(the::unwired+-+where+mobility+meets+wireless)' target='_blank'>http://www.theunwired.net/?item=out...meets+wireless)</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"While in a recent Twitter Q&amp;A, Microsoft UK's Director of the UK Mobile Business Group Alex Reeve hinted that 'ODMs are free to offer Windows Phone 7 Series upgrades for Windows Mobile 6 smartphones', Natasha Kwan, General Manager for Microsoft's Mobile Communications Business in the Asia-Pacific region, told APC that the HD2 - the hottest candidate for such an upgrade - 'doesn't qualify because it doesn't have the three buttons'."</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>With its uber-specs, the HD2 was the likeliest candidate&nbsp;among the current crop of WM6.5 smartphones&nbsp;to&nbsp;get an upgrade to WP7. But Microsoft appears to be taking their lockdown of the user experience in WP7 very, very&nbsp;seriously - and the HD2 doesn't qualify. That's going to disappoint a lot of HD2 buyers (in Asia and Europe) and prospective buyers (in N. America). I'd bet the possibility of an upgrade was a factor in the buying decision (I was certainly thinking that way), and with this development sales of the HD2, as well as&nbsp;its resale value,&nbsp;might take a hit with WP7 just&nbsp;7 months away.</p>

[Fritzly]

Not only the HD2; all WM based phones will see a significant drop in sales until the new OS is released.
I wonder how happy HTC and Co. are....

[griph]

Not only the HD2; all WM based phones will see a significant drop in sales until the new OS is released.
I wonder how happy HTC and Co. are....
I was hoping that MS would have learnt from Apple iPhone how to do ROM upgrades when new versions of the OS is released - OK no one expects changes to hardware from updates but one would expect to be able to use compatible parts of the new OS! I went from a iPhone 2.0 to 3.1.3 before I went for a GS (and please dont get started on the 'Oh Yes but Iphone was only releasing catch up upgrades' - the point is still the same - we got upgrades)

I agree - for those who know the WP7 is coming there may be a drop - but most people are blissfully ignorant about it because it isn't widely reported. So HTC etc may only see a very small drop in sales because of this.

[HalM]

But I think in the long run this is the right move for MS. They needed to draw a line in the sand someplace and they decided to say “This is a new OS, here are the hardware spec’s, live with them.” A clean break with older hardware to eliminate “backward compatibility” is a good thing. Candidly, this is something I have long advocated they do for their desktop OS.

Will this keep me from buying a HD2? It depends on how long until it is available and how much it costs. If it is July and costs over $500, then I will pass. Sooner and cheaper, then I will probably feed my lust for a new phone.

[DaveSadler]

AAAARRRRGGGHHH!

I've got the worst case of upgrade paralysis. I'm still using an HTC Mogul, because as I went to upgrade to the Diamond, Diamond2 stories were coming out - then my Sprint lock-in expired and stories of the HTC HD2 surfaced. I was set to jump to T-Mo. I even gave them my email so they could spam me alongside HD2 release info. And now? Even if the HD2 comes out tomorrow, purchasing it on subsidy would preclude upgrading with a WM7 subsidy for at least 18 months.

Don't get me wrong, I couldn't be happier that MS is locking in specs (finally!). In my phone, I will gladly sacrifice ingenuity for stability. It's been a long time since I've had a phone I can count on in a pinch. I always seem to have to do a reset at the most inopportune times. I think that's the real strength of Apple's model.

[Russ Smith]

I bought the HD2 because it has the best WM6.5 experience I could find. I don't regret the purchase for an instant. In truth, I was thinking that it probably would get a WP7 makeover, but, if it did, I know now that I'd have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I'd want to try it because some of the features look quite captivating. On the other, I'd hate to lose HTC's GUI, the SoftMaker Suite, BirdieSync with ThunderBird and SunBird, and a number of other programs that definitely don't match the WP7 GUI. I'd be tempted to stick with WM6.5.

I think MS has gotten a lot right in WP7 and I completely understand the lock-down from their perspective. It does put me in the wait-and-see category because I won't make the jump until WP7 offers at least the core of what I enjoy now. Until then, the HD2 with WM6.5 will be more than good enough.

[wspears868]

I am sorry, but Microsoft just doesn't get it. If I spend several hundreds of dollars for an unlocked phone and the phone has the specs to meet the upgrade requirement, then I want to upgrade. My primary use of my phone is as a PDA which is why I wanted a smart phone. I am tired of this BS. The next phone I get will most likely be an Android-type.
(BTW, I have used MS PDA's since the HP LV95).

[j2inet]

I was hoping that MS would have learnt from Apple iPhone how to do ROM upgrades when new versions of the OS is released -

I think that they have. One of the things I believed they learned is that moving forward they need a more standard hardware design to facilitate easy reliable upgrades. We've not yet seen that the HD2 matches the hardware requirements for WP7S. From what has been said WP7S doesn't try to be compatible with a wide range of hardware profiles like WM6.x was.

[ucfgrad93]

Can't say that I'm terribly surprised by this. Microsoft, OEMs, carriers have a terrible record at suppling upgrades to Windows Mobile. That said, from what I've seen, I prefer WM 6.5 to Windows Phone 7. BoyGeniusReport is stating that the HD2 will be $199 after rebates with TMobile. Not a bad price in my opinion, even without the possibility of upgrading.

[Jason Dunn]

I am tired of this BS. The next phone I get will most likely be an Android-type. (BTW, I have used MS PDA's since the HP LV95).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there now the same sort of upgrade woes over on Android? Certain Android phones not getting the upgrade even though the hardware can run it? This isn't a Windows Mobile-only problem.

[Sven Johannsen]

Upgrading is nice and all, but is it critical? Any of you out there still running XP on anything? You mean it didn't stop doing what you bought it for when Vista, and then Windows 7, came out. Same with your phone/pda/media player/camera/GPS. Not to say I'm not one to pick up the latest and greatest, just because it is, but I don't think MS or Dell or Apple owe it to me. I bought what I bought with no guarantee, and no expectation, of getting the next big thing gratis. I have an addiction and addictions can be costly. I and my family have come to grips with that.

If you have the same affliction as I, just suck it up, save up, and buy the new bright and shiny. If you can get hold of your inner demon, wait till your current contract expires, or don't exercise your option now if it is available, just wait.

I am just a bit tired of hearing why didn't Compaq, or HP, HTC or MS not provide me PPC2003, PPC2003SE, WM5, WM6, WM6.1, 6.3, 6.5, TouchFlo, SenseUI, WP7, etc. Get over it. They are businesses, not charities. And before we launch into the good will lost or gained argument, the corporate engineers, marketeers, accountants, and managers fight that battle every day. Your whining is not a significant input to that process. It's just wasted bandwidth here. If you want any hope of changing things write to HTC and tell them you'll pay $50 for the upgrade, or write AT&T or T-Mobile and tell them you'll sign on for another 2 years for it. That's where they live.

[wspears868]

Actually, I do use Windows XP. I saw no reason to upgrade to Windows Vista, though I may upgrade to Windows 7. With regards to it being a business issue, I haven't seen huge hardware improvements going from Windows mobile 5.X to Windows mobile 6.X. Some additional memory for earlier machines, but that is about it. But with regards to upgrades, most of my windows phones would not allow any upgrades even for some fairly minor revisions, which Android does permit according to available literature. As far as I could tell, this no upgrade policy was due to the telecom or manufactorer. This was especially true for 5.X where some manufactorers did supply upgrades while others didn't.

Of course if there is a major increase in hardware requirements, then I accept being SOOL. But other than that, I see no reason to purchase a new phone just as I pay off the two-year purchase plan.