2014 Spells End of Windows Phone 7.8 and 8 Support

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fudoka711

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Why would support for windows 8 phones expire before 7.8? Slightly confused...

And this seems pretty bad overall. Contracts are still usually 2 years and those that got win 8 won't get 2 years of support. Hopefully they won't need it, but still.
 

SchizoFrog

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fudoka... The first thing that springs to my mind is that maybe WP8 devices will be able to update to WP9, however I doubt this.

As far as I know WP will update alongside the desktop OS so it does make understandable sense although I think the release info could be clearer.

Let's not forget we are talking about phones which tend to be upgraded by a new device rather than updated with a new OS. I was a little shocked not by the 2014 date but by the July part of the date. Let's hope MS releases some good information about what is coming our way...
 

nlcbryan

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Hmm..this seems to be very old news.

WP8 will expire before 7.8, but by then, a newer updates will come. Which might be WP8.1 or 8.5, then will get another 2 years of support.

7.8 in turn will get another last update which is 7.9, this will add another 2 years of support and after that 2 years it will be the end support for wp7
 

monktongaz

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There is one key point here, which is whether WP8 devices can take WP9. If they can then fine, no harm no foul. If they force an upgrade to an entirely new phone, in the way they did between WP7.x and WP8, then I am done with WP.
 
G

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Wow, I thought Microsoft had something good here, congrats on mucking it up, I won't be buying another windows phone as much as I want to support Nokia. I guess it will be the S5 or Note IV next time for me
 

ojas

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Was about to buy a Lumia 620, but now i'm a bit confused.

Though to be honest, I've never needed support for a phone beyond a physical repair.

On the other hand, all my previous phones cost less than $70, while the 620 costs around $260.

This is all without contract, so don't freak out :D
 

scottpatrickbass

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Another misleading ad (coz it's an AD not an ARTICAL, if it was an ARTICAL it would be true) on Toms....the next version on windows phone will run on the current windows phone 8 handsets. There will be at least one more update to 7.8 (7.9 as someone has said already). I mean seriously, if Apple and/or Google are paying you to misrepresent the news, you are doing a bad job of hiding it..
 

IAmVortigaunt

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[citation][nom]scottpatrickbass[/nom]Another misleading ad (coz it's an AD not an ARTICAL, if it was an ARTICAL it would be true) on Toms....the next version on windows phone will run on the current windows phone 8 handsets. There will be at least one more update to 7.8 (7.9 as someone has said already). I mean seriously, if Apple and/or Google are paying you to misrepresent the news, you are doing a bad job of hiding it..[/citation]

Thank you! This story has gotten way overblown. I believe what they're talking about is that the current versions will not be supported past then, but there will be updates before then, and those will be supported past then. And since we on Windows Phone actually get the updates, unlike most on Android, this whole story is pretty much non-news. Move along, now.
 

yialanliu

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Wow such bias, that's like saying Windows 7 support is expired (and excluding the fact that it only means you need to update to SP1 for continued support...)
 

gnodeb

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Few years ago I had Sony Simbian phone. They stop supporting it 6 month after release. Then I got LG android and never receive a single update. Then I got Sony Xperia and after one year they stop supporting it. So, from my point of view, even if you accept this badly interpreted information, this is a big plus for M$.
 
[citation][nom]fudoka711[/nom]Why would support for windows 8 phones expire before 7.8? Slightly confused...And this seems pretty bad overall. Contracts are still usually 2 years and those that got win 8 won't get 2 years of support. Hopefully they won't need it, but still.[/citation]

Because 8 was released before 7.8, strange as it sounds.

Honestly, this is a non-issue. Vanilla WP8 support expires next year, but there will be an update in the meantime (8.1, 8.5, whatever) that extends it another 2 years.
 

scrumworks

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[citation][nom]wozza365[/nom]Wow, I thought Microsoft had something good here, congrats on mucking it up, I won't be buying another windows phone as much as I want to support Nokia. I guess it will be the S5 or Note IV next time for me[/citation]

I don't think Samsung has maintained SG2 more than 2 years (let alone crappier models because android is so fragmented) so I don't see any difference here in this case. 2-3 years is what you'll get per phone.
 

WithoutWeakness

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[citation][nom]cats_Paw[/nom]Bi*** Please, the only reason i use Win7 is cus i wanted DX11. When windows stop support, the onyl difference is that hacked games work easier.Like Windows ever was a safe platform...[/citation]
This is about the Windows Phone OS, not Windows the desktop/laptop OS.
 

Azzras

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[citation][nom]fudoka711[/nom]Why would support for windows 8 phones expire before 7.8? Slightly confused...And this seems pretty bad overall. Contracts are still usually 2 years and those that got win 8 won't get 2 years of support. Hopefully they won't need it, but still.[/citation]
That's because WP8 can be upgraded to WP9 or whatever it will be named.
 
This article is a bit misleading. Yes, WP8 will no longer be supported. However, MS has already promised that most phones will be compatible with WP9, which means that you will be able to update your phone to the new OS and carry on with life. Sure some of the lower end devices may not get refreshes, but the higher end phones like the L920 and 8X will probably be fine through the entire WP9 lifecycle which will be another ~18mo which puts us at Feb of 2016. Considering the life of your average phone is ~2 years, that should be well beyond the useful product life cycle of mid to high end devices. If you currently have a cheap phone like the 720 then there is a chance you will not get the refresh, but then again it dosn't cost nearly as much to replace lower end devices, and users of more basic devices tend not to be so worried about having the 'latest and greatest' anyways.

Also, phones are not exactly like desktops. Being a closed environment it is not like the desktop where constant malware attacks mean that the minute your OS is no longer supported then you are completely screwed. It also does not mean that app providers, or the store itself, will simply dry up and disappear. You will still have a proper selection of apps, and (as long as there is a good sized WP8 user base) then app developers will continue to support their apps.

All in all it is no big deal.
 


Why'd you buy it then...?
 
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